Botany Bay

Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, a few kilometres south of the central business district. It was the site of a landing by James Cook of the HMS Endeavour that marked the beginning of Britain's interest in, and eventual colonisation of, Australia (Captain Cook's map of Botany Bay). In modern times it is chiefly notable for being the site of Kingsford Smith International Airport, Australia's largest. The land around the headlands of the bay is protected as Botany Bay National Park. Towra Point Nature Reserve is also within Botany Bay.

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In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip led the First Fleet into the bay on 19 January 1788 to found a penal colony there. Finding that the sandy infertile soil of the site in fact rendered it most unsuitable for settlement, Phillip decided instead to move to the excellent natural harbor of Port Jackson to the north. On 26 January, while still anchored in the bay, the British encountered the French exploratory expedition of Jean-Fran?ois de La P?rouse. Panicked by the thought that the French might beat them to it, the colonists sailed that afternoon to found a settlement at Sydney Cove. Despite the move, for many years afterward, the Australian penal colony would be referred to as "Botany Bay" in England - in convict ballads, for instance.

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The good supply of fresh water in the area led to the expansion of its population in the 19th century.

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The small Mascot Aerodrome at Botany developed into Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport.

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Bay: In geography, a bay or gulf is a collection of water that is surrounded by land on three sides. See Headlands and bays for more details.Bay is a color of horse coats.Bay is also a region in Somalia. See Bay, Somalia for more information.Bay is also a herb and the tree from which it comes: see bay le...

Sydney: :For other meanings, see Sydney (disambiguation), or Sidney....

New South Wales: New South Wales (NSW) is Australia's most populous and oldest state, located in the south-east, north of Victoria and south of Queensland. It was founded in 1788 and originally comprised much of the Australian mainland. During the 19th century large areas were successively separated to form the Brit...

Botany Bay related Images and Photos (experimental)

Capt Cook Landing at Botany Bay	The First English Fleet Sails into Botany Bay	Bay	Bay Tree
Bay Bridge	Exotic Botany	Bay Breeze I	Bay Breeze I
Azure Bay	Bay Breeze II	Bay City Rollers	Cruden Bay