Welcome to WikiTree, Chris! You might want to check out the Australian Convicts and First Settlers Project once you get settled in. :)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convicts_in_Australia
Drawing of convicts in New Holland, 1793
Between 1788 and 1868, about 162,000 convicts were transported by the British government to various penal colonies in Australia.[1]
The British government began transporting convicts overseas to American colonies in the early 17th century. When transportation ended with the start of the American Revolution, an alternative site was needed to relieve further overcrowding of British prisons and hulks. Earlier in 1770, James Cook charted and claimed possession of the east coast of Australia for Britain...
