When the first fleet came to Australia what differences did the people find between Australia and England?

Answer 1

The most notable difference between Australia and England was the isolation. There were no cities or towns, and the nearest port was many weeks away by ship. There were no roads, no buildings, and an uncertain supply of fresh water. The trees grew thickly and they had to be cut down before the settlement could even begin to be built, but English axes broke on the hard ironbark and other gum trees.

The sense of isolation was enhanced by the unusual flora and fauna. The bush (as Australians call their eucalyptus forests) seemed hostile and strange. The foliage tended to be more grey and grey-green rather than the bright green of England. The strange eucalyptus smell prevailed everywhere, and the noise of the cicadas and crickets in summer was deafening. Strange animals moved through the bush - thumping kangaroos and wallabies, while kookaburras seemed to be laughing at the settlers.

The weather was unbearably hot when the First Fleet arrived in mid-summer. The English people were not used to such heat and humidity; nor were they used to the sudden summer storms that beat down hail and made incredible displays of lightning, only to dissipate as quickly as they formed.

There was always the fear of the unknown people, the Aborigines, who were regarded as savages. They crept stealthily through the bush, and their silent ways unnerved the English, as did the sound of their corroborees carrying on the evening breeze.

The ground was hard and rocky. The English were used to rich, friable soil, but their tools broke easily in the Australian soil, and it took several years to coax a successful grain harvest from the ground.

These were the main differences the English settlers noticed.