The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australia’s recorded history. The Governor of New South Wales was deposed by the New South Wales Corps on January 26, 1808, 20 years to the day after Arthur Phillip founded the European settlement in Australia.
William Bligh, well-known for his overthrow in the Mutiny on the Bounty, was a naval officer and headed for Sydney but his style of governance led to problems with his subordinates. Bligh had the captain of the fleet demoted, canceled his land grant and shipped him back to England. Once in Australia, he used the colony’s stores and herds to provide relief to farmers affected by flooding.
This earned Bligh enmity of traders who were profiting greatly from the situation. Over time, he made enemies of some of the most influential people in the colony, including Lieutenant John Macarthur, who, along with Major Johnston, drafted a petition calling for Bligh’s arrest. He was arrested and Lt.-Col. Joseph Foveaux took over the colony in July 1808. Bligh was put on trial in England and found not guilty of any wrong-doing.










































