BOTANY BAY, an inlet on the eastern coast of Australia, to the S. of the city of Sydney, in the Cumberland district of New South Wales, in 34° S. lat. and 151° 15' E. long. In was first visited by Captain Cook in 1770, and received its name from Joseph Banks, the botanist of the expedition, on account of the variety of its flora. When, on the revolt of the New England colonies, the convict establishments in America were no longer available, the attention of the British Government, then under the leadership of Pitt, was turned to Botany Bay; and in 1787 Commodore Phillip was commissioned to form a penal settlement there. Finding, on his arrival, however, that the locality was ill-suited for such a purpose, he removed northwards to the site of the present city of Sydney. The name of Botany Bay seems to have struck the popular fancy, and continued to be used in a general way for any convict establishment in Australia. The transportation of criminals to New South Wales was discontinued in 1840.