How did Botany Bay fit into British plans for expansion in the Pacific?

Botany Bay was originally selected by the British government as the intended site for a penal colony to relieve pressure on British prisons following the loss of the American colonies. However, historians note that this plan likely served broader imperial goals, including establishing a strategic bastion for British sea power in the eastern seas and creating a base for economic exploitation in the region.123

When Captain Arthur Phillip arrived with the First Fleet in 1788, he found the Botany Bay area unsuitable due to poor soil, inadequate water, and an inferior harbour. Consequently, he moved the settlement 5 miles north to Port Jackson, where the city of Sydney was established. Despite the relocation, the initial selection of the region reflected Britain's intent to claim and govern the vast territory from Cape York to Tasmania.412