Leaders

• Governor of New South Wales – Captain Arthur Phillip
  Arthur Phillip
  Admiral Arthur Phillip RN was a British admiral and colonial administrator. Phillip was appointed Governor of New South Wales, the first European colony on the Australian continent, and was the founder of the settlement which is now the city of Sydney.-Early life and naval career:Arthur Phillip...
  
  , RN
  Royal Navy
  The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
  
  
• Lieutenant-Governor of Norfolk Island
  Administrative heads of Norfolk Island
  The Administrator of Norfolk Island acts as a representative both of the Crown and of the Australian Federal Government, as well as carrying out other duties according to the Norfolk Island Act 1979....
  
   – Philip Gidley King
  Philip Gidley King
  Captain Philip Gidley King RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He is best known as the official founder of the first European settlement on Norfolk Island and as the third Governor of New South Wales.-Early years and establishment of Norfolk Island settlement:King was born...
  
  
• Commanding officer of the colony's marine
  Royal Marines
  The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
  
   presence – Major Robert Ross (marine)
  Robert Ross (marine)
  Major Robert Ross was the officer in charge of the First Fleet garrison of marines, and Lieutenant-Governor of the convict settlement of Norfolk Island.- Life and career :...
  
  

Events

• 22 February – The first land grant in Australia is made to ex-convict James Ruse
  James Ruse
  James Ruse was a Cornish farmer who, at the age of 23, was convicted of breaking and entering and was sentenced to seven years' transportation to Australia. He arrived at Sydney Cove on the First Fleet with 18 months of his sentence remaining...
  
  .
• March – Philip Gidley King
  Philip Gidley King
  Captain Philip Gidley King RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He is best known as the official founder of the first European settlement on Norfolk Island and as the third Governor of New South Wales.-Early years and establishment of Norfolk Island settlement:King was born...
  
   returns to Norfolk Island
  Norfolk Island
  Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
  
   from Britain and resumes command from Robert Ross
  Robert Ross (marine)
  Major Robert Ross was the officer in charge of the First Fleet garrison of marines, and Lieutenant-Governor of the convict settlement of Norfolk Island.- Life and career :...
  
  .
• 3 May – Lieutenant
  Lieutenant
  A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
  
   Ralph Clark records in his diary that he has ordered 3 women convicts flogged. Catherine White faints after the first 15 lashes, Mary Teut after 22. When Mary Higgins has received 26 lashes, Lieutenant Clark "forgave her the remainder (he has ordered 50) because she was an old woman".
• 2 June – Rose Hill renamed Parramatta.
• 1 August – The Third Fleet
  Third Fleet (Australia)
  The Third Fleet consisted of 11 ships which set sail from United Kingdom in February, March and April 1791 bound for the Sydney penal settlement, with over 2000 convicts. The passengers consisted of convicts, military personnel and notable people sent to fill high positions in the colony...
  
   begins to arrive with convicts and supplies; the first ship, Matilda brings 205 convicts.
• 18 August – Richard Bowen
  Richard Bowen
  Richard Bowen was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars...
  
   enters and names Jervis Bay
  Jervis Bay
  Jervis Bay is a large bay bounded by the state of New South Wales, the Jervis Bay Territory, and a detached enclave of the Australian Capital Territory. HMAS Creswell is located between Jervis Bay Village and Greenpatch in the Jervis Bay Territory.-History:...
  
   aboard the Atlantic.
• 28 September – The ships Active
  Active (ship)
  For other ships of the same name, see HMS Active, USCGC Active, USRC Active, and USS Active.The Active was a ship that disappeared in the Tasman Sea in 1810....
  
   and Queen arrive beinging the first Irish convicts.
• 29 September – The West Coast of Australia
  Western Australia
  Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
  
   is claimed by British Commander George Vancouver
  George Vancouver
  Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...
  
   when he sailed into King George Sound
  King George Sound
  King George Sound is the name of a sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Located at , it is the site of the city of Albany.The sound covers an area of and varies in depth from to ....
  
  , previously only the east coast had been claimed for the Crown.
• 16 October – Admiral Barrington, the last ship of the Third Fleet
  Third Fleet (Australia)
  The Third Fleet consisted of 11 ships which set sail from United Kingdom in February, March and April 1791 bound for the Sydney penal settlement, with over 2000 convicts. The passengers consisted of convicts, military personnel and notable people sent to fill high positions in the colony...
  
   arrives, with Captain William Paterson
  William Paterson (explorer)
  Colonel William Paterson, FRS was a Scottish soldier, explorer, Lieutenant governor and botanist best known for leading early settlement in Tasmania. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation Paterson when citing a botanical name.-Early years:A native of Montrose, Scotland, Paterson was...
  
   of the New South Wales Corps
  New South Wales Corps
  The New South Wales Corps was formed in England in 1789 as a permanent regiment to relieve the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet to Australia. The regiment, led by Major Francis Grose, consisted of three companies...
  
   onboard.
• 24 October – Britannia and William and Ann set out on Australia's first whaling expedition.
• 1 November – A party of twenty-one convicts escape from Port Jackson and (with an obviously limited knowledge of Australian geography) attempt to walk to China
  China
  Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
  
  . Some die in the wilderness, while others are recaptured.
• 5 December – Ross returns to Port Jackson from Norfolk Island. His marines, having been displaced by the newly arrived New South Wales Corps
  New South Wales Corps
  The New South Wales Corps was formed in England in 1789 as a permanent regiment to relieve the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet to Australia. The regiment, led by Major Francis Grose, consisted of three companies...
  
  , are frequently drunk and rowdy. On 17 December, Ross and most of the marines returned to England on HMS Gorgon
  HMS Gorgon
  Five ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Gorgon, after the Gorgon of Greek mythology:*HMS Gorgon was a 44-gun fifth rate launched in 1785...
  
  .

Births

• January – James Stirling
  James Stirling (Australian governor)
  Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
  
  
• 26 April – John Lee Archer
  John Lee Archer
  John Lee Archer , architect and engineer, was born in Ireland and emigrated to Tasmania in 1827.- Personal life :John Lee Archer, born 26 April 1791 near Thurles, Ireland, was an important factor in the development of the townships of Tasmania during early settlement...
  
  
• 13 July – Allan Cunningham, botanist and explorer, best known for discovering the Darling Downs is born in Wimbledon, London
  Wimbledon, London
  Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
  
  .
• 4 August – Henry Savery
  Henry Savery
  Henry Savery was a convict transported to Port Arthur, Tasmania and Australia's first novelist. It is generally agreed that his writing is more important for its historical value than its literary merit....
  
  
• 13 December – Phillip Parker King
• George Gipps
  George Gipps
  Sir George Gipps was Governor of the colony of New South Wales, Australia, for eight years, between 1838 and 1846. His governorship was during a period of great change for New South Wales and Australia, as well as for New Zealand, which was administered as part of New South Wales for much of this...