How did New South Wales become the first British colony in Australia?

New South Wales became the first British colony in Australia through a state-sanctioned expedition led by Arthur Phillip in 1788.12

The process began in 1770 when Captain James Cook charted the southeastern coast and claimed the territory for King George III, naming it New South Wales. In 1786, the British government formally determined to settle the region. While the traditional view holds that Britain sought a new penal colony to replace its lost American colonies, historians also cite strategic interests, such as securing a base for sea power and economic expansion in the Pacific.3452

The "First Fleet" departed in 1787, arriving at Botany Bay in January 1788. Finding the area unsuitable, Phillip relocated the fleet to Port Jackson. On January 26, 1788, the British flag was hoisted at Sydney Cove, marking the official establishment of the first permanent European colony on the continent.215