S8 Ep1039: The Shift to Australia: Reimagining the British Empire After the Revolution. Guest: Professor Richard Bell. The loss of the American colonies forced Britain to seek new locations for its convicts, leading to the colonization of Australia. After failed exp

The John Batchelor Show · Jun 22, 2026 · 9m

The Shift to Australia: Reimagining the British Empire After the Revolution. Guest: Professor Richard Bell. The loss of the American colonies forced Britain to seek new locations for its convicts, leading to the colonization of Australia. After failed experiments in West Africa, the British government turned to Botany Bay in 1786 out of desperation. The "First Fleet" arrived in 1788, signaling the expansion of the British Empire into the Pacific as a direct consequence of American independence. This transition began a brutal era for the indigenous Eora people and demonstrated that the British…