An Unsavory Past
Australia has a historical association with the transportation of convicts during the late 18th and 19th centuries. Following the American Revolutionary War, England turned to Australia as an alternative penal colony when America was no longer available as a destination for convict transportation.
From 1788 to 1868, convicts were sent to various British colonies in Australia, such as New South Wales, Tasmania, and Western Australia. This practice aimed to alleviate overcrowding in British prisons and establish a penal system in the colonies.
