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Estimated white population approximately 5,000

January 14......

An exploratory party consisting of four convicts, their guards and John Wilson and John Price set out in January 1798, under instructions from Governor Hunter, to prove to convicts that there was no colony beyond the fringe of settlement.

February 9......

Three men returned to Sydney after their exhausting stint in the bush around Cowpastures. They brought with them a Lyrebird described by David Collins as a variety of bird of Paradise.

According to George Barrington in his History of NSW  John Wilson, an emancipated convict who had lived for some time with the natives, was the first person ever in the colony to shoot a 'bird of paradise'.  Wilson also had the distinction of Rescuing Charles Grimes when he was attacked by natives at Port Stephens in 1795. Wilson himself was later speared and killed by natives

May 14.......

Hail Storm in Sydney stones 6" diameter

May 18.......

Arrival of the Barwell. Master John Cameron. Passengers included  Hunter Valley settlers  McDougall and Bowman families; Richard Dore, deputy Judge-Advocate, and 287 male prisoners. Convict lawyer/poet Michael Massey Robinson was also transported on the Barwell.

Select HERE to find out more about the voyage of the Barwell

July 18.......

Arrival of the Britannia. Master Robert Turnbull. Surgeon Martin Mason

Select HERE to find out more about the voyage of the Britannia

October 7......

Departure of Bass & Flinders in the Nautilus to investigate the possibility of a strait north of Van Diemen's Land.

October......

Arrival of the Norfolk from Bengal with cargo of merchandise and stock

October......

Fire destroyed the first church in Australia

November ......7

Government Order issued requesting that names of female servants be forwarded to authorities.

December 1......

Merchandise in the colony at exorbitant prices

A Letter home to England written in 1798

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Drought in the summer of 1798 - 99.