A groundbreaking history of the colony of Sydney in its early years, from the sparkling harbour to the Cumberland Plain, from convicts to the city's political elite, from the impact of its geology to its economy. The Colony is a richly textured retelling of the story of early Sydney, combining literary flair and meticulous scholarship. Narrative in style and compellingly readable, the book dispels many long-held myths in this intimate new account of the settlement up to 1822 and beyond.