Just finished watching a program about The Lady Juliana. A fascinating program that illustrated the immense differences between the founding of the American Colonies and the Australian Colonies.
You can Google for Lady Juliana or look it up in Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Juliana_(ship)

Apparently the First Fleet of convicts were mainly men. A few months later a ship containing some women arrived at what is now Sydney. The resulting days of orgy were memorable. Whether it was mass rape or mutual enjoyment has never been resolved. However, it did lead the Governor of the colony to write London asking that more women be sent out. The result was the despatch of the Lady Juliana.

Unlike most ships where the convicts were treated poorly, The Lady Juliana was under specific contract to decently feed and take care of the women. There was even a surgeon provided by the Government.
Once at sea, the ship rapidly began to establish its nickname, The Floating Brothel. Crew and women paired off in "marriages" of convenience. At each port, the women earned money by a variety of means. The contract was obviously fulfilled, since only three convicts died during the voyage. An unheard of situation in a voyage lasting 10 months.

When the ship finally arrived, the colony was almost starving to death. Food had about run out, the colonists had antagonized the Aboriginals and there was a real feeling that they had been abandoned.

The influx of women, and arrival of food supply ships soon after, turned the colony around. The women are credited with establishing civilization. Indeed many of the women did very well for themselves, ending up in the top tier of Society.

This story is somewhat similar to the influence American pioneer women had on the Wild West....excepting Belle Starr, of course.

European exploration of Australia began in the 17th century.

The first known sighting was in 1606 by Willem Janszoon. Who made landfall
in the Cape York area.

In 1616 Dirk Hartog left a commerative plate at Shark Bay-both Dutchmen.
The area become known as New Holland. Tho no attempt at settlement was
made.

It took another 150 years before James Cook charted the east coast of Australia. He also landed in the Cape York area, claiming it for the crown,
naming it New South Wales.

Just finished watching a program about The Lady Juliana. A fascinating program that illustrated the immense differences between the founding of the American Colonies and the Australian Colonies.
You can Google for Lady Juliana or look it up in Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Juliana_(ship)

Apparently the First Fleet of convicts were mainly men. A few months later a ship containing some women arrived at what is now Sydney. The resulting days of orgy were memorable. Whether it was mass rape or mutual enjoyment has never been resolved. However, it did lead the Governor of the colony to write London asking that more women be sent out. The result was the despatch of the Lady Juliana.

Unlike most ships where the convicts were treated poorly, The Lady Juliana was under specific contract to decently feed and take care of the women. There was even a surgeon provided by the Government.
Once at sea, the ship rapidly began to establish its nickname, The Floating Brothel. Crew and women paired off in "marriages" of convenience. At each port, the women earned money by a variety of means. The contract was obviously fulfilled, since only three convicts died during the voyage. An unheard of situation in a voyage lasting 10 months.

When the ship finally arrived, the colony was almost starving to death. Food had about run out, the colonists had antagonized the Aboriginals and there was a real feeling that they had been abandoned.

The influx of women, and arrival of food supply ships soon after, turned the colony around. The women are credited with establishing civilization. Indeed many of the women did very well for themselves, ending up in the top tier of Society.

Where did you see this program - I really would like to see this.:thumbs:

I think it was on the History Channel, here in Ontario, Canada.
It is an ABC Documentary, entitled "The Floating Brothel"

I think it was on the History Channel, here in Ontario, Canada.
It is an ABC Documentary, entitled "The Floating Brothel"

Thanks - I'm hoping I can get it here in the U>S> - should be able to if it was an abc doc. Whan an interesting piece of history.