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For the first fifteen years of the colony of Swan River, Western Australia, the people were all free settlers, and did not want to accept convicts. The idea was raised occasionally, mainly by people who wanted convict labour for building projects.

The argument for convicts in Western Australia gained impetus in 1845 when the York Agricultural Society petitioned the Legislative Council to bring convicts out from England. Their reasons were that Western Australia's economy was at great risk due to an extreme shortage of labour. Whilst later examination of the circumstances proves that there was no such shortage of labour in the colony, the petition found its way to the British Colonial Office, which in turn agreed to send out a small number of convicts to Swan River. Following the transportation of the first convicts to WA, between 1850 and 1868, 9721 convicts were transported to Western Australia.

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Q: Why did Western Australia seek convicts?
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When did convicts stop coming to Western Australia?

Western Australia was the last state in Australia to receive convicts. New South Wales had abolished transportation of convicts in 1840.The last convict ship, the "Hougoumont", left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Australia on 10 January 1868.


When were convicts sent to Australia?

Transportation of convicts to Australia ended when the last convict ship left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Australia on 10 January 1868. This ship, the "Hougoumont", brought its final cargo of 269 convicts to Western Australia, as New South Wales had abolished transportation of convicts in 1849.


When was the transportation of convicts abolished?

Transportation of convicts to Australia occurred between 1788 and 1867. Convicts first arrived on 26 January 1788 with the arrival of the First Fleet in New South Wales. The last convict ship arrived in Western Australia on 10 January 1868. Transportation of convicts to Australia ceased after this.


When did transportation end?

Transportation of convicts to Australia ended when the last convict ship left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Australia on 10 January 1868. This ship, the "Hougoumont", brought its final cargo of 269 convicts to Western Australia, as New South Wales had abolished transportation of convicts in 1840.


Free settlement in Western Australia to do with convicts in the 1850s?

The first group of convicts to populate Fremantle, Western Australia, arrived on 1 June 1850. For the first fifteen years of the colony of Swan River, Western Australia, the people were generally opposed to accepting convicts, although the idea was occasionally debated, especially by those who wanted to employ convict labour for building projects. Serious lobbying for Western Australia to become a penal colony began in 1845 when the York Agricultural Society petitioned the Legislative Council to bring convicts out from England on the grounds that the colony's economy was on the brink of collapse due to an extreme shortage of labour. Whilst later examination of the circumstances proves that there was no such shortage of labour in the colony, the petition found its way to the British Colonial Office, which in turn agreed to send out a small number of convicts to Swan River. Following the transportation of the first convicts to WA, between 1850 and 1868, 9721 convicts were transported to Western Australia.

Related questions

What did the convicts of Western Australia do in 1829?

There were no convicts in Western Australia in 1829. The first convicts in Western Australia only arrived in 1850.


When did the transportation of convicts to Australia end?

Western Australia was the last of the states to have convicts. The last convict ship to Western Australia, the Hougoumont, left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Western Australia on 10 January 1868. Transportation of convicts to Australia ceased after this.


When did convicts stop coming to Western Australia?

Western Australia was the last state in Australia to receive convicts. New South Wales had abolished transportation of convicts in 1840.The last convict ship, the "Hougoumont", left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Australia on 10 January 1868.


Which states in Australia had convicts?

* New South Wales * Tasmania * Victoria * Queensland * Western Australia


Why did the convicts go to WA?

Initially, there were no convicts in Western Australia. For the first fifteen years of the colony of Swan River, Western Australia, the people were all free settlers, and did not want to accept convicts. The idea was raised occasionally, mainly by people who wanted convict labour for building projects. The argument for convicts in Western Australia gained impetus in 1845 when the York Agricultural Society petitioned the Legislative Council to bring convicts out from England. Their reasons were that Western Australia's economy was at great risk due to an extreme shortage of labour. Whilst later examination of the circumstances proves that there was no such shortage of labour in the colony, the petition found its way to the British Colonial Office, which in turn agreed to send out a small number of convicts to Swan River. Following the transportation of the first convicts to WA, between 1850 and 1868, 9721 convicts were transported to Western Australia.


What is University of Western Australia's motto?

University of Western Australia's motto is 'Seek wisdom'.


When were convicts sent to Australia?

Transportation of convicts to Australia ended when the last convict ship left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Australia on 10 January 1868. This ship, the "Hougoumont", brought its final cargo of 269 convicts to Western Australia, as New South Wales had abolished transportation of convicts in 1849.


How many convicts were transported to Western Australia?

For the first fifteen years of the colony of Swan River, Western Australia, the people were all free settlers, and did not want to accept convicts. The idea was raised occasionally, mainly by people who wanted convict labour for building projects. The argument for convicts in Western Australia gained impetus in 1845 when the York Agricultural Society petitioned the Legislative Council to bring convicts out from England. Their reasons were that Western Australia's economy was at great risk due to an extreme shortage of labour. Whilst later examination of the circumstances proves that there was no such shortage of labour in the colony, the petition found its way to the British Colonial Office, which in turn agreed to send out a small number of convicts to Swan River. Following the transportation of the first convicts to WA, between 1850 and 1868, 9721 convicts were transported to Western Australia.


Why did Western Australia want convicts from England?

For the first fifteen years of the colony of Swan River, Western Australia, the people were all free settlers, and did not want to accept convicts. The idea was raised occasionally, mainly by people who wanted convict labour for building projects. The argument for convicts in Western Australia gained impetus in 1845 when the York Agricultural Society petitioned the Legislative Council to bring convicts out from England. Their reasons were that western Australia's economy was at great risk due to an extreme shortage of labour. Whilst later examination of the circumstances proves that there was no such shortage of labour in the colony, the petition found its way to the British Colonial Office, which in turn agreed to send out a small number of convicts to Swan River. Following the transportation of the first convicts to WA, between 1850 and 1868, 9721 convicts were transported to Western Australia.


When was the transportation of convicts abolished?

Transportation of convicts to Australia occurred between 1788 and 1867. Convicts first arrived on 26 January 1788 with the arrival of the First Fleet in New South Wales. The last convict ship arrived in Western Australia on 10 January 1868. Transportation of convicts to Australia ceased after this.


What year did England stop sending convicts to australia?

Transportation of convicts to Australia ended when the last convict ship left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Australia on 10 January 1868. This ship, the "Hougoumont", brought its final cargo of 269 convicts to Western Australia, as New South Wales had abolished transportation of convicts in 1840.


Where did convicts land in Australia?

Convicts first landed in Sydney, New South Wales. Later, they were also sent to colonies in Tasmania, Moreton Bay and the Swan River (Western Australia).