The British Government was the first organisation to import cannabis into Australia.
They carried Cannabis sativa seeds onboard the First Fleet, with the plan to establish large hemp crops in the colonies.
At the time, they were using hemp for their sails, rigging, clothing, even the waterproofing for their ships.
And the Empire was dependent on Russian-grown hemp for its supply — which was considered an unreliable arrangement.
So what happened to the Australian hemp industry?
Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2020-01-24/hemp-cannabis-growing-australia-industry/11788030