In 1787 a convoy of cleven ships, carrying about 1400 people, set out from England for Botany Bay, on the east coast of New South Wales. According to the conventional account, it was a shambolic affair: under-prepared, poorly equipped and ill-disciplined. Robert Hughes condemned the organisers for their muddle and lack of foresight, while Manning Clark described scenes of 'indescribable misery and confusion'.
In The First Fleet: The Real Story, Alan Frost draws on hundreds of previously neglected records to debunk these persistent myths. He shows that the voyage was in fact meticulously planned - reflecting its importance to Britain's imperial and commercial ambitions. He examines the ships and supplies, passengers and behind-the-scenes discussions. In the process, he reveals the hopes and schemes of those who planned the voyage, and the experiences of those who made it.