In this episode we are embarking on a voyage to Botany Bay with the First Fleet.  On 13 May 1787 eleven ships commanded by Captain Arthur Phillip set sail  from Portsmouth, England and headed for Botany Bay. On board were 1420 people of which 755 were convicts. Eight months later they arrived in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to found the penal colony of New South Wales.

For this episode I recommend Robert Hughes’ book The Fatal Shore.  This can be downloaded as an e-book from Amazon and can be purchased in bookstores in Australia. Check out a YouTube video of the Australian folk song 'Bound for Botany Bay' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEYseM_R6Hk

And since it's the Australia Day Long Weekend also have a look at a song called 'We Are Australian" written by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers fame and Dobe Newton from The Bushwackers and sung by Australian Soprano Marusia Louwerse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtpBUQoVups

Email me at: jamesdampier.awp@gmail.com

Music courtesy of the talented Dan-O at: http://www.danosongs.com/

Thanks to Ken Dampier for post-production.

In this episode we remember Gough Whitlam’s visits to China – the People’s Republic of China - in 1971 and 1973. The 1971 visit, when Whitlam was Opposition Leader, paved the way for the diplomatic recognition of China and sowed the seeds for a thriving cultural and economic relationship. In 1973 Whitlam became the first Australian Prime Minister to travel to China.

Visit the Whitlam Institute website – where much of the material for this episode was sourced: http://www.whitlam.org/

Also check out the It’s Time TV commercial from the 1972 election campaign. Whitlam shakes hands with Premier Zhou at around the 1 minute 15 second mark:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqMCZBjvmD4

Music courtesy of Dan-O at: http://www.danosongs.com/

Thanks to Ken Dampier for post-production.