Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Node Leader in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures, Flinders University

Sydney’s 1789 smallpox epidemic came from the First Fleet and killed up to 220,000 Indigenous Australians: new research

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

We warn readers that the content of this study is confronting and may be distressing.

In April 1789, the first smallpox epidemic among Aboriginal people in the Sydney region began, just 16 months after Europeans arrived on the First Fleet.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.