Why did the Europeans bring pigs to Australia?

Answer 1

Pigs were introduced into Australia with the First Fleet, which arrived on 26 January 1788. Among the livestock and provisions, 32 pigs are listed as being on the First Fleet. Pigs were introduced purely for food, as the British colonists had no food supplies already established: thus, they relied on livestock until they could get some crops growing.

Wild pigs were not introduced as wild pigs: the wild pigs populations now in Australia came from domestic pigs that escaped and bred in the wild, becoming hardy and impossible to control.

Answer 2

Pigs were brought to Australia to be used as food. When the first Europeans settled in New South Wales, they brought a variety of stock animals which they had purchased from the last port, Cape Town, to establish herds and to help feed the colony until crops could be established.