Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The British (Finally) Claim the West Coast
Today the dominant version of Australian history is written as though Sydney is the only
wellspring of Australia's identity. But when you live in WA, history looks very different. In
Sydney, white history traditionally begins with Captain James Cook's epic voyage of 1770,
in which he mapped the east coast. But Cook creates little excitement in Albany, Perth or
Geraldton - places he never saw.
Cook's voyage revealed that the eastern coastline was fertile, and he was particularly
taken with the diversity of plant life at the place he called 'Botany Bay'. Acting on Cook's
discovery, the British government decided to establish a convict colony there. The result
was the settlement of Sydney in 1788 - out of which grew the great sheep industry of Aus-
tralia.
By the early 19th century, it was clear that the Dutch had no inclination to settle WA.
Meanwhile, the British were growing alarmed by the activities of the French in the region.
So on Christmas Day 1826, the British army warned them off by establishing a lonely mil-
itary outpost at Albany, on the strategically important southwestern tip of the country.
