Botany Bay, NSW Australia

Botany Bay (Kamay in Dharawal, the indigenous name) is steeped in the history of Australia’s colonisation days. It is a tale of two eras, where the untouched natural beauty first witnessed by Captain James Cook in 1770 starkly contrasts with today's bustling urban landscape. To appreciate Botany Bay’s evolution from an untamed landscape to an industrial and residential hub, I need to step back in time before I fast forward to the present day.

Let’s take a look at Botany Bay in 1770. Imagine standing on the deck of the HMS Endeavour as it approached the pristine shores of Botany Bay in April 1770. Captain James Cook and his crew were the first Europeans to set foot on the land. They were greeted by a landscape of unspoiled beaches, dense forests, and a cacophony of bird calls. Cook initially named it "Stingray Harbour" due to the abundance of stingrays. It was later renamed "Botanist Bay" and then settled on Botany Bay after the unique plant life catalogued by the ship’s botanists, Joseph Banks (the flower Banksia was named after him) and Daniel Solander.

When Joseph Banks returned to Britain, he became interested in colonisation. He recommended Botany Bay as a suitable site for a penal colony. The First Fleet of 11 ships arrived in January 1788, filled with more than 700 convicts. When Governor Arthur Phillip arrived on his ship HMS Supply, he swiftly concluded that the land was unsuitable due to insufficient fresh water, being too swampy, water too shallow to anchor ships and trees too hard to cut down. The fleet relocated further north in Port Jackson. A year later, Captain John Hunter, who would later succeed Phillip as governor, found Botany Bay suitable and began the area's settlement. 

Now, let’s fast forward to the present day, where Sydney Airport’s runways extend into the bay. The skyline is dominated by the towering cranes and container ships of Port Botany, one of Australia’s largest and busiest ports. The untouched shores are long gone, though the sandy beaches are still present, albeit dotted with pathways and recreational facilities. 

The dense forests that once lined the bay have largely given way to urban development. Patches of green remain in the form of protected parks and reserves, such as Botany Bay National Park, preserving some of the nature that Cook saw more than 250 years ago. The birds that flitted in the eucalyptus forests are still around, perhaps not as many or as diverse. However, the unmistakable screeching sound of the cockatoos or glimpses of vibrant parrots can still be experienced, having adapted to the urban environment. 

Throughout Botany Bay’s history, the Dharawal people have been the Traditional Owners of the land, having lived here for thousands of years. Today, the Dharawal people continue to contribute to the identity and care of Botany Bay, ensuring their legacy continues and their traditions and stories are preserved.