Return to The World Upside Down Home Page
Early Sydney

Augustus Theodore Alt (1731—1815)
[Early Sydney] 1796
pen and wash drawing; 15.1 x 22.6 cm
R10128

1796
January
16
Australia’s first theatre is opened in Sydney

23 The distilling of spirits is prohibited

February
4 Soldiers of the NSW Corps wreck a house belonging to John Baughan

10 Magistrate William Balmain challenges Macarthur over the house incident. The NSW Corps officers offer to fight Balmain

29 Macarthur resigns as Inspector of Public Works, and is replaced by Richard Atkins

June
George Bass makes an unsuccessful attempt to cross the Blue Mountains

September
14 Governor Hunter complains to the Colonial Secretary of Macarthur’s behaviour

15 Macarthur complains to Colonial Secretary of Hunter’s governorship

November
9 Governor Hunter disbands the convict night watch. He divides Sydney into four districts responsible for their own watchmen and orders houses to be numbered