Lachlan Macquarie officially becomes Governor of New South Wales

Background. The colony of New South Wales was established as a penal settlement in 1788. Governor William Bligh attempted to suppress the rum trade and illegal land use, leading to the Rum Rebellion of 1808. The New South Wales Corps, working with wool trader John Macarthur, staged an armed takeover, deposing Bligh and instigating a brief period of military rule. This instability necessitated the arrival of a new governor to restore order.

Appointment and Arrival. Macquarie was appointed Governor of New South Wales on 8 May 1809. He departed for the colony on 22 May 1809 aboard HMS Dromedary, accompanied by HMS Hindostan. Although he arrived in Sydney in 1809, his official assumption of office and the restoration of lawful government occurred in 1810, following the period of military rule. He was promoted to colonel in 1810 while serving as governor.

Initial Governance. Upon assuming office, Macquarie's first task was to restore orderly, lawful government and discipline following the 1808 rebellion. He expressed a wish that natives be treated with kindness, resulting in a period of reduced conflict. His administration marked the transition from a penal colony to a budding civil society, with historians noting his crucial influence on early nineteenth-century Australian society.