Final answer:
The first British colony in Australia was formed as a penal colony to ease overcrowding in British prisons, commencing with the arrival of the first convict fleet in 1787.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first British colony in Australia was primarily established as a penal colony. This initiative emerged from the need to alleviate overcrowding in British prisons, particularly following the loss of the American colonies, where Britain had previously sent convicts. The first fleet, comprising eleven ships with 750 convicts, set sail from Great Britain to Botany Bay in 1787, marking the beginning of systematic penal transportation to Australia, which continued until 1868. The discovery of gold in the 1850s further fueled subsequent waves of non-penal immigration. The colonization of Australia, as well as New Zealand, which involved conflict with indigenous populations such as the Aboriginal people and the Maori, significantly impacted these populations and their lands.