The British brought primarily convicts to Australia in the 18th century, beginning with the establishment of the penal colony of New South Wales in 1788. The First Fleet, which arrived at Port Jackson (Sydney Cove) on January 26, 1788, consisted of about 1,530 people, including 736 convicts (192 women and 586 men), along with marines, officers, and settlers. This marked the start of using Australia as a penal colony to transport British convicts, especially after the American Revolution ended transportation to North America

. Between 1788 and 1868, approximately 161,700 convicts were transported to various Australian colonies including New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), and Western Australia. The colony initially relied heavily on convict labor for development, farming, and construction

. In addition to convicts, the British also brought marines and officers to guard the settlements and maintain order, as well as free settlers who arrived later, especially from the 1820s onward when land grants were offered to encourage free settlement

. In summary, the British brought mainly convicts, military personnel, and later free settlers to Australia during the 18th century to establish and expand their colonial presence.