As far as the eye can reach to the westward, the country is one continued wood.

The head of the bay in Port Jackson, seemed at first to offer some advantages of ground, but as it is partly left dry at low water, and as the winds are much obstructed there by the woods and by the windings of the channel, it was deemed that it must probably be unhealthful, till the country can be cleared.
There are several parts of the harbour in which the trees stand at a greater distance from each other than in Sydney Cove; some of these which have small runs of water, and a promising soil, Governor Phillip purposed to cultivate as soon as hands could be spared; but the advantage of being able to land the stores and provisions with so much ease, unavoidably determined his choice of a place for the principal settlement.

Had it been attempted to remove those necessaries only one mile from the spot where they were landed, the undertaking probably would have been fruitless; so many were the obstacles to land carriage.

At the head of Sydney Cove, therefore, Governor Phillip had fixed the seat of his government; but intent upon providing the best and earliest accommodation for those who were to be encamped with him; and wholly occupied by the continual necessity of giving directions, he had not yet found leisure for assuming regularly his powers and title of Governor.

At length the hurry of the first preparations gave way to this more tranquil business.
7 February 1788 The 7th of February, 1788, was the memorable day which established a regular form of Government on the coast of New South Wales.