
When did La Pérouse arrive in Australia?
The history of the French in Australia dates from the arrival of the La Perouse expedition at Botany Bay in January 1788, just days after the landing of the First Fleet.
Where is La Perouse NSW?
La Pérouse’s ships arrived off the coast on 24 January 1788, but were unable to enter Botany Bay until 26 January, the same day that Governor Phillip began to move the entire First Fleet to the more hospitable Sydney Cove in the harbour of Port Jackson.
When did La Perouse sail around the world?
La Perouse was named after the French navigator Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse (1741 u001388), who landed on the northern shore of Botany Bay west of Bare Island on the …
What happened to the La Pérouse?
· The Board established reserves, which effectively segregated Aboriginal people from white Australians throughout New South Wales. By 1885, seven acres (three hectares) of …
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Broese, F 1998, Island Nation: Australia’s Maritime Heritage, Sydney. Coupe, S & Andrews, M 1992, Their Ghosts may be heard: Australia to 1900, Longman Cheshire, Sydney. Dunmore, J …

Why did La Perouse come to Australia?
In 1785, Jean-Francois de Galaup, Comte de la Perouse, began preparations for an extensive sea voyage. His aim was to explore the Pacific regions of North and South America, Asia and Australasia. The sponsor of the expedition was the French king, Louis XVI, who was inspired by Captain James Cook's Pacific voyages.
What Aboriginal land is La Perouse?
The La Perouse Peninsula is the northern headland of Kamay, also referred to as Botany Bay. It was on the southern shores of Kamay, at the place now known as Kurnell, that Lieutenant James Cook and the Endeavour landed for eight days in 1770. The year 2020 marks 250 years since this landing.
When did the French first land in Australia?
January 1788The history of the French in Australia dates from the arrival of the La Perouse expedition at Botany Bay in January 1788, just days after the landing of the First Fleet, and French people have been living in Australia almost ever since.
Where did La Perouse disappear?
Anthropologist Dr Garrick Hitchcock of the Australian National University believes he has stumbled across a clue suggesting the last survivors of La Pérouse's voyage were wrecked on the "graveyard of ships" - the Great Barrier Reef, near Murray Island.
Who are the traditional owners of La Perouse?
Who are the Aboriginal people who traditionally occupied coastal Sydney? Families belonging to the La Perouse Aboriginal community who have ongoing connections to south east Sydney (coastal Sydney), can identify ourselves a number ways such as: Clan or family group e.g. Gadigal, Gweagal, Bidiagal etc.
Who landed in La Perouse?
La Perouse was named after the French navigator Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse (1741–88), who landed on the northern shore of Botany Bay west of Bare Island on 26 January 1788.
Was Australia almost French?
Almost a French Australia: French-British rivalry in the southern oceans. Only a historical accident prevented Australia's settlement by the French, who persistently explored this region in fierce rivalry with the British, as both nations attempted to establish trade opportunities above and below the Equator.
Did the French find Australia?
On the shores of Botany Bay, where then Lieutenant James Cook first stepped ashore on the continent in 1770, is Frenchmans Bay, a beach named for one of the great might-have-been moments in history. French explorer Comte de La Pérouse landed here just days after the First Fleet in January 1788.
Why did the French not Colonise Australia?
But these efforts failed. "There were two perennial reasons. One was cost, and the other was the veto of the East India Company — they had exclusive trading rights through the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Australia was right in the middle of that.
Why is La Perouse famous?
La Pérouse was made leader of the expedition. With La Pérouse commanding the ship La Boussole and accompanied by the Astrolabe, the explorers sailed from France on August 1, 1785. After rounding Cape Horn, La Pérouse made a stop in the South Pacific at Easter Island (April 9, 1786).
How do you pronounce La Perouse?
0:260:47How to Pronounce La Pérouse? (French) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo in english la peruse la peruse from french la peros.MoreSo in english la peruse la peruse from french la peros.
What is the news of La Perouse?
' More than 200 years ago two ships commanded by the explorer Lapérouse foundered on the reef off Vanikoro, a tiny island in the southern Solomon Islands. Amateur divers started exploring the site in 1981 and made several impressive finds.
Where is La Perouse in Australia?
Kurnell. Tasman Sea. La Perouse is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia . The suburb of La Perouse is located about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) southeast of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Randwick . The La Perouse peninsula is the northern headland of Botany Bay.
Where is La Perouse in New South Wales?
The New South Wales Golf Club, a links –style golf course, is at La Perouse, facing both Botany Bay and the Tasman Sea .
What is the La Perouse Museum?
The La Perouse Museum contains maps, scientific instruments and relics recovered from French explorers. A walking trail from the museum to the Endeavour Lighthouse has views across the bay to the site of Captain Cook's Landing Place. The large Lapérouse Monument is an obelisk erected in 1825 by the French, located close to the museum. Another memorial marks the grave of Father Receveur. The fortified Bare Island is linked by a footbridge. The museum was originally built as cable station to house the operation of the first submarine telegraph communications cable laid between Australia and Nelson in New Zealand. This cable also served as the first link in telegraph communications between New Zealand and the rest of the world. After the cessation of telegraph communications, the building served as a home for orphans run by the Salvation Army, with the children attending La Perouse Public School when this first opened in the early 1950s.
When did the La Perouse bus stop?
Nevertheless, closure became Labor government policy and the system was wound down in stages, with withdrawal of the last service, to La Perouse in 1961. The line followed the current route of bus 394 .
Where is Fort Banks in La Perouse?
Apart from the fortification on Bare Island two other fortifications are located within La Perouse, one of them, Fort Banks is located on Cape Banks. This facility was part of the Eastern Command Fixed Defences unit, it was designed and positioned in a way that would allow it to protect the approaches to Botany Bay in the event of a sea born attack during the World War II period. Henry Head Battery, constructed 1892–1895, operated until 1910, when the fort became obsolete. The battery along with two gun-emplacements and observation posts was recommissioned for use during the second World War.
Where is the La Perouse Mission Church?
The original church was dismantled and moved to the corner of Elaroo and Adina Avenues, where it still stands. It is known as the La Perouse Mission Church . A kiosk was built in 1896 to cater for tourists who came to see the attractions, including snake-handling shows.
What was the first building in the Perouse area?
The first building in the area was the octagonal stone tower constructed in 1820–22 as accommodation for a small guard of soldiers stationed there to prevent smuggling, and the tower still stands today. By 1885, an Aboriginal reserve had been established in the suburb and a number of missions were operated in the area. The original church was dismantled and moved to the corner of Elaroo and Adina Avenues, where it still stands. It is known as the La Perouse Mission Church .
When did La Pérouse set sail?
La Pérouse set sail in 1785 with the goals of exploring the north and south of the Pacific, completing the maps begun by Captain Cook, establishing new trade contacts and discovering new maritime routes, but also of discerning the activities of the other European powers in the region.
What was the purpose of La Pérouse?
La Pérouse set sail in 1785 with the goals of exploring the north and south of the Pacific, completing the maps begun by Captain Cook, establishing new trade contacts and discovering new maritime routes, but also of discerning the activities of the other European powers in the region. The British were rumoured to be establishing a colony in New Zealand and the French sought similarly to establish new territories.
Who seized the ships of D'Entrecasteaux?
On return to a France suffering under the Reign of Terror, d’Entrecasteaux’s ships were seized by Dutch royalist forces. It was only with the support of Sir Joseph Banks that the tens of thousands of specimens collected by the d’Entrecasteaux voyage were returned to Paris.
Who was the first person to sail in search of La Pérouse?
In 1791, with vessels La Recherche and L’Espérance (Hope), Joseph-Antoine Bruny d’Entrecasteaux set sail in search of the missing La Pérouse. In 1792 he reached the western Australian coast and also undertook hydrographic work in Van Diemen’s Land, charting and naming the Huon River, Port Esperance and Bruny Island.
When did the French leave Botany Bay?
They left Botany Bay in mid March.
When did Phillip ask his Lieutenant to visit the French ships?
On 1 February 1788, a week after landing at Port Jackson, Phillip asked his Lieutenant to visit the French ships, still moored in Botany Bay, and offer hospitality. They were not the first visitors – some of the convicts had made the twelve-kilometre trip back to the French ships hoping to gain the opportunity of escape.
Did the British want to colonize New South Wales?
The British were indeed thinking of colonising the new lands. An overcrowded penal system, the desire to build an outpost in the southern hemisphere and the positive reports from Cook’s voyages led to the official announcement early in 1787 of the intention to transport convicts to the territory of New South Wales.
Where is La Perouse?
La Perouse. La Perouse. The La Perouse peninsula is the northern headland of Botany Bay. A large area of La Perouse is open space, where one can find the old military outpost at Bare Island and the northern section of Botany Bay National Park. Congwong Bay Beach, Little Congwong Beach, and the beach at Frenchmans Bay provide protected swimming ...
What did La Perouse offer the British?
The commander of the Fleet, Captain Phillip, ordered that two British naval vessels, Sirius and Supply, meet the French. Contrary to popular belief, the French did not have orders to claim Terra Australis for France and the arrival of the French ships Astrolabe and Boussole and their meeting with the ships of the British expedition was cordial and followed normal protocols. La Perouse subsequently sent his journals and letters to Europe with the British ship, the Sirius.
Who was La Perouse named after?
La Perouse was named after the French navigator Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse (1741 u001388), who landed on the northern shore of Botany Bay west of Bare Island on the 26th January 1788.
Where is the La Perouse tram line?
The former La Perouse tram line branched from Oxford Street at Taylor Square in Darlinghurst to run south along Flinders Street, then into its own tram reservation along the eastern side of Anzac Parade beside Moore Park. It then proceeded down the centre of Anzac Parade through Maroubra Junction, and Malabar to its balloon loop terminus at La Perouse. At Malabar, a single line branched off to serve Long Bay Gaol. The line was double track throughout. The line reached La Perouse in stages from 1900 to 1902. The Loop is the circular track that was built as part of the Sydney tram terminus at La Perouse. Closure was supported by the NRMA, but generally went against public opinion. Nevertheless, closure became Labor government policy and the system was wound down in stages, with withdrawal of the last service, to La Perouse in 1961. The line followed the current route of bus 394.
Who lived in Phillip Bay?
La Perouse: The place. Aboriginal people were the first to live at Phillip Bay and La Perouse and their presence was recorded by Europeans in 1812 by a French expedition. In 1883 a camp was established under the Aborigines Protection Board. Through time the settlement was run by a variety of church and welfare groups.
What is the Laperouse Museum?
La Perouse Museum. The Laperouse Museum contains maps, scientific instruments and relics recovered from French explorers. A walking trail from the museum to the Endeavour Lighthouse, offers spectacular views across the bay to the site of Captain Cook u0019s Landing Place.
Where is the whale in Aboriginal art?
Aboriginal Rock Art. A carving of a large sea creature, possibly a whale, and its calf, was once clearly visible on a rock platform (above) at the southern end of Frenchmans Bay. Identified as being 120 metres south west of the La Perouse monument, the whale is 10 metres long and the calf half that length.
What is the history of La Perouse?
The history of La Perouse is closely linked with Sydney's earliest European history. The ill-fated French navigator, after whom the place was named, arrived just days after Captain Phillip's first landing at Kurnell, on the opposite shore. Many European Australians' memories of the suburb involve stories of hardship and struggle.
Where is La Perouse in Sydney?
La Perouse is situated 14 kilometres south of the city of Sydney on the northern headland of Botany Bay and is part of the Randwick municipality. The La Perouse section of Botany Bay National Park extends from Cape Banks to Bare Island and has over 350 species of plants. [1] . La Perouse has an extensive foreshore and at the right time of year, ...
What was the name of the mission at La Perouse?
Several missions were involved with the reserve at La Perouse, the most significant being the La Perouse Ab original Mission (later called the UAM) which was founded by white Protestants. [14] . Iris Williams, who lived on the reserve, recalls her mother preaching at the small tin church and giving funeral sermons.
How many acres of land were segregated in 1885?
The Board established reserves, which effectively segregated Aboriginal people from white Australians throughout New South Wales. By 1885, seven acres (three hectares) of land at La Perouse had been officially declared a ' Reserve for the Use of Aborigines' the only one in Sydney. [13] .
Why did Aboriginal people move to La Perouse?
[10] Aboriginal people from the south coast moved to Sydney to seek employment or government rations and some moved to La Perouse, probably because it was a good fishing site. During the early 1880s, the Parkes government was under increasing pressure to take action on Aboriginal affairs and in 1882 Sir Henry Parkes appointed George Thornton as Protector of Aborigines. [11] Thornton believed that Aboriginals should be removed from urban locations, yet he did honour the request of five Aboriginal men and their families to be allowed to stay at La Perouse. He justified his decision to Parliament by arguing that the camp was economically viable, in contrast with other camps in Sydney, which were seen as parasitic and a nuisance to society. Thornton organised for huts to be built for people camped at La Perouse. [12] By 1881 there were approximately 50 Aboriginal people living in two camps in the Botany Bay region, 35 at La Perouse and the remainder at Botany Bay. The people were free to travel between the two camps.
Why was La Perouse used?
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, La Perouse was used as a place to isolate people suffering from smallpox and other infectious diseases. It was close to Sydney but far enough away for isolation and it was not a residential area.
What was the name of the land that was barren and unfertile?
Governor Phillip was not alone in deeming La Perouse unsuitable for settlement. In 1812, Governor Macquarie officially closed the northern headland of Botany Bay to settlement. It was believed that the land around Botany Bay was barren and unfertile, although it was renowned for its native flora.
Who supports the Powerhouse Museum?
Regional Services at the Powerhouse Museum is supported by Movable Heritage, NSW funding from the NSW Ministry for the Arts.
Is Atlas du Voyage de Lapérouse rare?
The Atlas du Voyage de Lapérouse is extremely rare. There are only a hand coloured few copies from this striking in existence.
When was the last time the French were seen?
The last official sighting of the French expedition was in March 1788 when British lookouts stationed at the South Head of Port Jackson saw the expedition sail from Botany Bay. The expedition was wrecked on the reefs of Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands during a cyclone sometime during April or May 1788. The fate of the expedition was to remain a mystery for nearly 40 years.
Where did the French stay in Botany Bay?
The French stayed at Botany Bay for six weeks and built a stockade, observatory and a garden for fresh produce on the La Perouse peninsula. There had been a skirmish with natives in Samoa in which 12 of the crew were killed, including Langle, commander of L’Astrolabe. Father Reçeveur, expedition naturalist and chaplain, was injured in the skirmish and died at Botany Bay. He was buried at Frenchmans Cove below the headland that is now La Perouse. The place was marked by a tin plate which the Aborigines promptly removed. The British replaced it with another and tended the site. Reçeveur was the second European to be buried in Australian soil, the first was Sutherland from Cook’s 1770 expedition who as buried at Kurnell.
Who discovered the land of the South?
The existence of Terra Australis or ‘Land of the South’ was mooted by various navigators and little by little evidence of its existence was mounting. Slowly contact was made, first by the Spanish led by Luis de Torres in the north, who sailed through the straits between New Guinea and Cape York in 1606. The Dutch came next with Janzoon (1606) in the west and Abel Tasman (1642) in the south at Van Diemans land. The Dutch mapped parts of the continent naming it New Holland, but showed no further interest. The navigator to search for coast of Terra Australis was France’s Louis Antoine de Bougainville who in 1768 approached the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of North Queensland but was turned away by the surf.
Why did the French want to explore the Pacific?
French interest in the Pacific stemmed from the curiosity of Enlightenment scientists and navigators in the thousands of unknown islands and the mysterious Great South Land. These places were thought to be inhabited by strange plants, animals and populated by people who were different to any other nation of the time. During the 1600s the new frontier was extending to the south. All of the major European countries were players in the exploration of the Southern Hemisphere.
What is the significance of the Atlas du Voyage de Lapérouse?
The Atlas du Voyage de Lapérouse has historical Significance as evidence of France’s push into the Pacific and keen interesting the settlement of Botany Bay. The collection is significant as evidence of the place where the First Fleet landed and the subsequent meeting of the British, French and aboriginal people. The collection also has historical significance as France’s 1988 bicentennial gift to Australia.
When was La Perouse's map published?
The map of the route taken by La Perouse was first published in Voyage de La Perouse autour du monde [La perouse's journey around the world] in 1791. It shows the route taken by the expedition until 1788 when the French were last seen in Botany Bay.
How long did the French stay in Botany Bay?
The French expedition stayed in Botany Bay for six weeks, recuperating from an attack in Samoa. The expedition's priest, Pere Receveur, was wounded in the attack and died in Botany Bay. Receveur's funeral was probably the first Catholic service conducted in Australia.
Who was the second Lieutenant in the French Expedition?
The journal extract below describes the encounter with the French expedition as seen through the eyes of Philip Gidley King, Second Lieutenant with the First Fleet and third Governor of New South Wales from 1800. The extract below is from his private journal. The State Library also holds a 'fair copy' of the same journal which Gidley King later ...
What was the name of the French ship that left Brest in 1785?
Diplomatic relations. Early entrepreneurs. Business and pleasure. French community. The journey. La Perouse left the French port of Brest in August 1785 and headed south. In the next 2 and a half years, La Boussole and L'Astrolabe would sail many thousands of kilometres and cross the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans several times.
Who fitted out the Astrolabe and Boussole?
The Astrolabe & Boussole were fitted out with the greatest llberality, Monsieur de la perouse told me, that ye King told him to get whatever he wanted & he added that if he was now at Brest & had to equip his Ships for ye remainder of his voyage, that he could not think of any article that he stood in need of. Besides ye Astronomer Monsieur Dagelet. he is provided with a very capital Botanist from ye Jardin du roi called de la Martinniere also a draughtsman, in every line, I saw his collection of Natural History which is very compleat. An Abbe who is also on the expedition as a collector of Natural Curiosities appears a Man of Letters & Geniality
Where did La Pérouse leave his letters?
In them he detailed how he planned to leave the Pacific Ocean via Torres Strait, the narrow waterway separating Australia and New Guinea, and be back in France by June 1789.
When did the La Boussole and L'Astrolabe sail out of Botany Bay?
The final fate of the expedition led by Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de La Pérouse, has been a mystery ever since the frigates L’Astrolabe and La Boussole sailed out of Botany Bay in March 1788 , vanishing, it seemed, into the vastness of the Pacific. The expedition left the French port of Brest in 1785.
What is the name of the reef in Australia that is studded with reefs, rocks and sandbars
Furthermore, historians are not aware of any other European ship in the region at that time. Torres Strait, which includes the northern part of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is studded with reefs, rocks and sandbars.
When did the French National Assembly commissioned an expedition to search for the overdue navigator?
Concern mounted when they did not arrive as expected. In 1791 the French National Assembly commissioned an expedition to search for the overdue navigator, without success. It is said that King Louis XVI, on his way to the guillotine in 1793, enquired of his captors “Is there news of La Pérouse?”.
How long did the voyage of the Pacific take?
The two vessels, with a complement of 225 officers, crew and scientists, were crammed with supplies and trade goods for a four-year long Pacific voyage that sought to emulate the feats of discovery of Captain James Cook. King Louis XVI took a personal interest in the undertaking and helped draft the plans and itinerary.
Who gave the final instructions to the Comte de La Perouse?
Louis XVI giving final instructions to the Comte de La Perouse in 1785, before La Perouse embarked on his fateful expedition to the Southern Hemisphere. State Library of NSW.
Is the La Pérouse mystery unsolved?
One La Pérouse mystery, however, will likely remain unsolved. The Murray Islanders showed Shaik Jamaul the young castaway’s clothing, and cried as they recalled how he, together with two young girls, left the island one night in a canoe. His island friends searched for them, but they were never seen again.
Overview
History
La Perouse was known as "Gooriwal" to the Muruora-dial people of the area. The Gameygal or Kameygal clan of the Dharawal people probably lived between the mouth of the Cooks River and present-day La Perouse, including the La Perouse area.
La Perouse was named after the French navigator Jean-François de Galaup, co…
Historic structures
The first building in the area was the octagonal stone tower constructed in 1820–22 as accommodation for a small guard of soldiers stationed there to prevent smuggling, and the tower still stands today. By 1885, an Aboriginal reserve had been established in the suburb and a number of missionswere operated in the area. The original church was dismantled and moved to the co…
Heritage listings
La Perouse has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
• Bare Island Fort
• 46 Adina Avenue: La Perouse Mission Church
• 1-39 Bunnerong Road: Chinese Market Gardens (La Perouse)
La Perouse has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
• Bare Island Fort
• 46 Adina Avenue: La Perouse Mission Church
• 1-39 Bunnerong Road: Chinese Market Gardens (La Perouse)
Population
According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 399 people in La Perouse.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 37.4% of the population.
• 76.4% of people were born in Australia and 78.6% of people spoke only English at home
• The most common response for religion was No Religion (30.7% of the population).
Attractions
The La Perouse Museum contains maps, scientific instruments and relics recovered from French explorers. A walking trail from the museum to the Endeavour Lighthouse has views across the bay to the site of Captain Cook's Landing Place. The large Lapérouse Monument is an obelisk erected in 1825 by the French, located close to the museum. Another memorial marks the grave of Father Receveur. The fortified Bare Islandis linked by a footbridge. The museum was originally built as c…
Scuba diving
The area around the La Perouse peninsula is considered to be one of the best scuba diving sites in NSW. Bare Island has a number of dive sites, some of which extend to over 19 metres in depth. The reef around the area is extensive. There are also a number of dives around the mainland at La Perouse. Scuba divers here can see the common (weedy) sea dragon, pygmy pipefish, big-belly seahorses and other fish common in the Sydney area.
In popular culture
• Several scenes from Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) were filmed in La Perouse, including Bare Island.