Botany Bay, Point Solander, Point Sutherland, Cape Banks and Bare Island

Grade 5: Site of Cook’s first landing on the coast of Australia and of unsuccessful attempts to make contact with the Aboriginal people of the area. Interpretive displays and memorials, Banks and Solander walk through native flora. Every year on 29 April, a ceremony is held at Kamay Botany Bay National Park to commemorate the Meeting of Two Cultures - when crew from Cook’s HM Endeavour first set foot on land at Kurnell in Botany Bay in 1770. Along with Endeavour’s landing, the ceremony acknowledges the traditional custodians - the Australian Aboriginal people - and the meeting of the indigenous inhabitants with the European explorers.

While the proximity of Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport and the Botany container port detract somewhat from the experience, it is still possible to imagine the wildness of this area in 1770. Walks in Kamay Botany Bay National Park reveal the original banksias and other flora that Banks and Solander collected here. Cape Banks and Point (now Cape) Solander are both good viewpoints from where the entrance to Botany Bay can be viewed. Along the coast, and especially around Cape Banks and Henry Head, it is still possible to sense something of what the original European visitors experienced here.

Situation: Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell. National Park entry fee applies. See: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/historic-buildings-places/captain-cooks-landing-place

Coordinates (decimal):

Botany Bay: 33.98 S 151.18 E

Point (now Cape) Solander: 34.02 S 151.23 E

Point Sutherland: 34.00 S 151.22 E

Cape Banks: 33.98 S 151.25 E

Bare Island: 33.99S 151.23 E.

Endeavour Journal: Journal entries for the entire stay at Botany Bay are reproduced here. They provide many interesting observations of the lifestyle of the local people, the first descriptions recorded on Australia’s east coast. Joseph Bank’s Journal provides additional detail: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks05/0501141h.html#apr1770

Cook’s naming of Point Sutherland and Botany Bay are mentioned in the Journal (1 May and 6 May respectively). The names Cape Banks and Point Solander (now Cape Solander) appear on Cook’s chart and his Sketch of Botany Bay (see below), Banks and Solander being the men who caused Cook to give the bay its name. Bare Island is the modern name for the ‘small bare island’ Cook mentions on 6 May, and which was explored by Banks on 30 April.

According to tradition, the first ashore at Botany Bay was Isaac Smith, Cook’s wife’s cousin, a young Midshipman. ‘Isaac, you shall go first’, Cook is reported as saying. There is a tide-washed plaque at the landing place which records the event.

28 April 1770:

At daylight in the morning we discovered a Bay which appeard to be tolerably well shelterd from all winds into which I resolved to go with the Ship and with this in view sent the Master [Robert Molyneaux] in the Pinnace to sound the entrance while we kept turning the Ship having the wind right out. At Noon the entrance bore NNW distance 1 Mile.

29 April 1770:

In the PM winds southerly and clear weather with which we stood into the bay and Anchor'd under the South shore about 2 Mile within the entrence in 6 fathoms water, the south point bearing SE and the north point East. Saw as we came in on both points of the bay Several of the natives and a few hutts, Men, women and children on the south shore abreast of the Ship, to which place I went in the boats in hopes of speaking with them accompaned by Mr Banks Dr Solander and Tupia; as we approached the shore they all made off except two Men who seemd resolved to oppose our landing. As soon as I saw this I orderd the boats to lay upon their oars in order to speake to them but this was to little purpose for neither us nor Tupia could understand one word they said. We then threw them some nails beeds &ca a shore which they took up and seem'd not ill pleased in so much that I thout that they beckon'd to us to come a shore; but in this we were mistaken for as soon as we put the boat in they again came to oppose us upon which I fired a musket between the two which had no other effect than to make them retire back where bundles of thier darts lay, and one of them took up a stone and threw at us which caused my fireing a second Musquet load with small shott, and altho' some of the shott struck the man yet it had no other effect than to make him lay hold of a Shield or target to defend himself. Emmidiatly after this we landed which we had no sooner done than they throw'd two darts at us, this obliged me to fire a third shott soon after which they both made off, but not in such haste but what we might have taken one, but M^r Banks being of opinion that the darts were poisoned, made me cautious how I advanced into the woods. We found here a few Small hutts made of the bark of trees in one of which were four or five small children with whome we left some strings of beeds &ca. A quantity of darts lay about the hutts these we took away with us. Three Canoes lay upon the beach the worst I think I ever saw, they were about 12 or 14 feet long made of one peice of the bark of a tree drawn or tied up at each end and the middle kept open by means of peices of sticks by way of Thwarts.

After searching for fresh water without success except a little in a small hole dug in the sand, we embarqued and went over to the north point of the bay where in coming in we saw several people, but when we now landed now there were no body to be seen. We found here some fresh water which came trinkling down and stood in pools among the rocks; but as this was troblesome to come at I sent a party of men a shore in the morning to the place where we first landed to dig holes in the sand by which means and a small stream they found fresh water sufficient to water the ship. The strings of beeds &ca we had left with the children last night were found laying in the hut this morning, probably the natives were afraid to take them away. After breakfast we sent some empty casks a shore and a party of men to cut wood and I went my self in the Pinnace to sound and explore the Bay, in the doing of which I saw severl of the natives but they all fled at my approach. I landed in two places one of which the people had but just left, as there were small fires and fresh muscles broiling upon them - here likewise lay vast heaps of the largest oyster shells I ever saw.

30 April 1770:

As soon as the wooders and waterers were come on board to dinner 10 or 12 of the natives came to the watering place and took away their canoes that lay there but did not offer to touch any one of our Casks that had been left, and in the after noon 16 or 18 of them came boldly up to within 100 yards of our people at the watering place and there made a stand. Mr Hicks who was the officer ashore did all in his power to entice them to him by offering them presents &ca but it was to no purpose, all they seem'd to want was for us to be gone. After staying a short time they went away. They were all arm'd with darts and wooden swords, the darts have each four prongs and pointed with fish bones, those we have seen seem to be intend more for strikeing fish than offensive weapons neither are they poisoned as we at first thought. After I had returnd from sounding the bay I went over to a Cove on the north side where in 3 or 4 hauls with the saine we caught above 300 pounds weight of fish which I caused to be equally divided among the Ships Company. In the AM I went in the Pinnace to sound and explore the North side of the bay where I neither met with inhabitants or any thing remarkable. Mr Green took the Suns Meridion Altitude a little within the south entrence of the bay which gave the Latitude 34°.0' S^o

1 May 1770:

Gentle breezes northerly. In the PM ten of the Natives again Viseted the watering place. I being on board at this time went emmediatly ashore but before I got there they were going away, I follow'd them alone and unarm'd some distance along shore but they would not stop untill they got farther off than I choose to trust my self; these were arm'd in the same manner as those that came yesterday. In the evening I sent some hands to haul the Saine but they caught but a very few fish. A little after sun rise I found the Variation to be 11°.3' East. Last night Torby [actually Forby] Sutherland seaman departed this life and in the AM his body was buried a shore at the watering place which occasioned my calling the south point of this Bay after his name. This morning a party of us went ashore to some hutts not far from the watering place where some of the natives are daly seen, here we left several articles such as Cloth, Looking glasses, Combs, Beeds, Nails &ca. After this we made an excursion into the country which we found deversified with woods, Lawns and Marshes; the woods are free from under wood of every kind and the trees are at such a distance from one a nother that the whole Country or at least great part of it might be cultivated without being oblig'd to cut down a single tree; we found the soil every where except in the Marshes to be a light white sand and produceth a quanty of good grass which grows in little tufts about as big as one can hold in ones hand and pretty close to one another, in this manner the surface of the ground is coated in the woods between the trees. Dr Solander had a bad sight of a small Animal some thing like a rabbit and we found the dung of an Animal which must feed upon grass and which we judge could not be less than a deer [a kangaroo], we also saw the track of a dog or some such like Animal [probably a dingo]. We met with some hutts and places where the natives had been and at our first seting out one of them was seen the others I suppose had fled upon our approach. I saw some trees that had been cut down by the natives with some sort of a blunt instrument and several trees that were barked the bark of which had been cut by the same Instrument, in many of the trees, especialy the palms, were cut steps about 3 or 4 feet asunder for the conveniency of climeing them. We found 2 sorts of Gum one sort of which is like Gum Dragon and is the same as I suppose Tasman took for Gum , it is extracted from the largest tree in the woods.

2 May 1770:

Between 3 and 4 oClock in the PM we returnd out of the Country and after dinner went a shore to the watering place where we had not been long before 17 or 18 of the natives appear'd in sight,. In the morning I had sent Mr Gore with a boat up to the head of the bay to dridge for oysters; in his return to the ship he and another person came by land and met with these people who follow'd him at the distance of 10 or 20 yards; when ever Mr Gore made a Stand and face'd them they stood also and not withstanding they were all arm'd they never offerd to attack him, but after he had parted from them and they were met by Dr Munkhouse and one or two more who upon makeing a sham retreat they throw'd 3 darts after them, after which they began to retire. Dr Solander, I, and Tupia made all the haste we could after them but could by neither words nor actions prevail upon them to come near us. Mr Gore saw some up the bay who by signs invited him a shore which he prudantly declined. In the AM had the wind at SE with rain which prevented me from makeing an excursion up the head of the Bay as I intended.

3 May 1770:

We found the face of the Country much the same as I have before described but the soil land much richer for instead of sand I found in many places a deep black Soil which we thought was capable of produceing any kind of grain, at present it produceth besides timber as fine meadow as ever was seen However we found it not all like this, some few places were very rocky but this I beleive to be uncommon; the stone is sandy and very proper for building &ca. After we had sufficiently examined this part we return'd to the boat and seeing some smook and Canoes at a nother part we went theither in hopes of meeting with the people but they made off as we approached. There were Six Canoes and Six small fires near the shore and Muscles roasting upon thim and a few Oysters laying near, from this we conjecturd that there had been just Six people who had been out each in his Canoe picking up the Shell fish and come a shore to eat them where each had made his fire to dress them; we taisted of their cheer and left them in return Strings of beeds &ca. Near to this place at the foot of a tree was a small well or Spring of water. The day being now far spent we set out on our return to the Ship.

4 May 1770:

Winds Northerly serene weather Upon my return to the Ship in the evening I found that none of the natives had appear'd near the watering place but about 20 of them had been fishing in their Canoes at no great distance from us. In the AM as the wind would not permit us to sail I sent out some parties into the Country to try to form some Connections with the natives. One of the Midshipmen met with a very old man and woman and two small Children; they were close to the water side where several more were in their canoes gathering shell fish and he being alone was afraid to make any stay with the two old people least he should be discoverd by those in the Canoes. He gave them a bird he had shott which they would not touch neither did they speak one word but seem'd to be much frightn'd, they were quite naked even the woman had nothing to cover her nuditie. Dr Munkhouse and a nother man being in the woods not far from the watering place discoverd Six more of the natives who at first seem'd to wait his coming but as he was going up to them he had a dart thrown at him out of a tree which narrowly escaped him, as soon as the fellow had thrown the dart he desended the tree and made off and with him all the rest and these were all that were met with in the Course of this day.

5 May 1770:

In the PM I went with a party of Men over to the North shore and while some hands were hauling the Saine a party of us made an excursion of 3 or 4 Miles into the Country or rather along the Sea Coast. We met with nothing remarkable, great part of the Country for some distance in land from the sea Coast is mostly a barren heath diversified with marshes and Morasses. Upon our return to the Boat we found they had caught a great number of small fish which the sailors call leather Jackets on account of their having a very thick skin, they are known in the West Indias. I had sent the yawl in the morning to fish for sting rays who return'd in the evening with upwards of 4 hundred weight; one single one wieghd 240 Ib exclusive of the entrails. In the AM as the wind still continued northerly I sent the yawl again afishing and I went with a party of Men into the Country but met with nothing extraordinary.

6 May 1770:

It is situated in the Latitude of 34°.0' S, Longitude 208°.37' West; it is Capacious safe and commodious, it may be known by the land on the Sea-coast which is of a pretty even and moderate height, rather higher than it is farther inland with steep rocky clifts next the Sea and looks like a long Island lying close under the Shore: the entrance of the harbour lies about the Middle of this land, in coming from the Southward it is discover'd before you are abreast of it which you cannot do in coming from the northward; the entrance is little more than a Mile broad and lies in WNW. To sail into it keep the south shore on board untill within a small bare Island which lies close under the north shore, being within that Island the deepest water is on that side 7, 6 and five fathom a good way up.

There is shoal'd water a good way off from the South Shore from the inner South point quite to the head of the harbour, but over towards the north and NW shore is a channell of 12 or 14 feet water at low water 3 or 4 leagues up to a place where there is 3 & 4 fm but here I found very little fresh water. We anchord near the south shore about a Mile within the entrance for the conveniency of sailing with a Southerly wind and the geting of fresh water but I afterwards found a very fine stream of fresh water on the north shore in the first sandy cove within the Island before which Ship might lay almost land lock'd and wood for fual may be got every where: altho wood is here in great plenty yet there is very little variety, the largest trees are as large or larger than our oaks in England and grows a good deal like them and yeilds a redish gum, the wood itself is heavy hard and black like Lignum Vitae; another sort that grows tall and strait some thing like Pines, the wood of this is hard and Ponderous and something of the nature of American live oaks, these two are all the timber trees I met with. There are a few sorts of Shrubs and several Palm trees, and Mangroves about the head of the harbour. The Country is woody low and flat as far inland as we could see and I believe that the soil is in general sandy, in the wood are a variety of very boutifull birds such as Cocatoo's, Lorryquets, Parrots &ca and Crows exactly like those we have in England. Water fowl are no less plenty about the head of the harbour where there are large flats of sand and Mud on which they seek their food, the most of these were unknown to us, one sort especialy which was black and white and as large as a goose but most like a pelican. On the Sand and Mud banks are Oysters, Muscles, Cockles &ca which I beleive are the cheif support of the inhabitants, who go into shoald water with their little canoes and pick them out of the sand and Mud with their hands and sometimes roast and eat them in the Canoe, having often a fire for that purpose as I suppose, for I know no other it can be for. The Natives do not appear to be numerous neither do they seem to live in large bodies but dispers'd in small parties along by the water side; those I saw were about as tall as Europeans, of a very dark brown colour but not black nor had they wooly frizled hair, but black and lank much like ours. 

No sort of cloathing or ornaments was were ever seen by any of us upon any one of them or in or about any of their hutts, from which I conclude that they never wear any. Some that we saw had their faces and bodies painted with a sort of white paint or Pigment. Altho I have said that shell fish is their chief support yet they catch other sorts of fish, some of which we found roasting on the fire the first time we landed, some of these they strike with gigs and others they catch with hook and line; we have seen them strike fish with gigs & hooks and lines were found in their huts. Sting rays I believe they do not eat because I never saw the least remains of one near any of their hutts or fire places. However we could know but very little of their customs as we never were able to form any connections with them, they had not so much as touch'd the things we had left in their hutts on purpose for them to take away. During our stay in this Harbour I caused the English Colours to be display'd a shore every day and an inscription to be cut out upon one of the trees near the watering place seting forth the Ships name, date &ca. Having seen every thing this place afforded we at daylight in the Morning weigh'd with a light breeze at NW and put to sea and the wind soon after coming to the Southward we steer'd along shore NNE and at Noon we were by observation in the Latitude of 33°.50' S about 2 or 3 Miles from the land and abreast of a Bay or Harbour wherein there apperd to be safe anchorage which I call'd Port Jackson. It lies 3 leags to the northward of Botany Bay. I had almost forgot to mention that it is high water in this Bay at the full and change of the Moon about 8 o' Clock and rises and falls upon a perpendicular about 4 or 5 feet.