Rocky Crossing at Bungaroo, Middle Harbour Creek
"Bungaroo" near the present day suburbs of Saint Ives and Davidson.
This was the site of the first of many inland explorations of the colony of New South Wales. A group of ten? men, searching for arable land on April 16, 1788. They found nothing good here.
That grumpy curmudgeon Surgeon White said of this place "the most desert, wild and solitary seclusion that the imagination can form any idea of".
Also present was the colonial governor, Captain Arthur Phillip. his deputy the Lieutenant Governor David Collins, a future Lieutenant Governor George Johnston, a sailor and a soldier.. So, it was nice to reconnect at the camping spot where those famous people slept. At the same time, a long way away in Vienna. Mozart was preparing to write his famous last three symphonies.
The camping spot here would be familiar to the ten men, back in 1788. They were the governor, naval Lieutenant Ball, Lieutenant George Johnston of the marines, David Collins the judge advocate, Surgeon White, three soldiers and two seamen.
Johnston later became lieutenant governor and was influential in the Rum Rebellion. Collins name is for Collins Street in Melbourne. Ball's pyramid at Lord Howe Island. White's Bay named after the doctor. And many things named for the governor, Arthur Phillip.
The reports from this trip say the campers were tormented by mosquitos, which is easy to understand. They can be ferocious outdoors in most months of the year. Particularly in April at night.
Lieutenant Ball, a marine and two fatigued seamen here left the main party to return to Sydney Cove via the North shore. Looks like they didn't camp here at Bungaroo.
This place has probably changed little. Surgeon White was a talented man, but he had a bad and cranky view of Australia. Surgeon White had a duel with another of the colonial doctors, Dr William Balmain. They both shot each other. The young scot receiving minor injuries to his thigh. White was also slightly injured.
The governor was horrified about this event, complaining how his doctors were trying to kill each other.
In 1790, Balmain saved Governor Phillip's life when he was speared at Manly.
Surgeon White was not an easy man to get on with. He is considered a man of many virtues as well as his rather poor record in other areas.
Yesterday I photographed a plant not far from the camping site. Collected by Surgeon White a few years later in Sydney. Here's the photo and new article: Leptospermum parvifolium.
But this is a magnificent spot. The tidal limit of Middle Harbour creek where the colonials camped. Four famous men supported by two others. Upstream was land unsuited to agriculture. Very poor sandstone soils. So, this trip in 1788 failed to find suitable land.
Rocky Crossing at Bungaroo, Middle Harbour Creek
"Bungaroo" near the present day suburbs of Saint Ives and Davidson.
This was the site of the first of many inland explorations of the colony of New South Wales. A group of ten? men, searching for arable land on April 16, 1788. They found nothing good here.
That grumpy curmudgeon Surgeon White said of this place "the most desert, wild and solitary seclusion that the imagination can form any idea of".
Also present was the colonial governor, Captain Arthur Phillip. his deputy the Lieutenant Governor David Collins, a future Lieutenant Governor George Johnston, a sailor and a soldier.. So, it was nice to reconnect at the camping spot where those famous people slept. At the same time, a long way away in Vienna. Mozart was preparing to write his famous last three symphonies.
The camping spot here would be familiar to the ten men, back in 1788. They were the governor, naval Lieutenant Ball, Lieutenant George Johnston of the marines, David Collins the judge advocate, Surgeon White, three soldiers and two seamen.
Johnston later became lieutenant governor and was influential in the Rum Rebellion. Collins name is for Collins Street in Melbourne. Ball's pyramid at Lord Howe Island. White's Bay named after the doctor. And many things named for the governor, Arthur Phillip.
The reports from this trip say the campers were tormented by mosquitos, which is easy to understand. They can be ferocious outdoors in most months of the year. Particularly in April at night.
Lieutenant Ball, a marine and two fatigued seamen here left the main party to return to Sydney Cove via the North shore. Looks like they didn't camp here at Bungaroo.
This place has probably changed little. Surgeon White was a talented man, but he had a bad and cranky view of Australia. Surgeon White had a duel with another of the colonial doctors, Dr William Balmain. They both shot each other. The young scot receiving minor injuries to his thigh. White was also slightly injured.
The governor was horrified about this event, complaining how his doctors were trying to kill each other.
In 1790, Balmain saved Governor Phillip's life when he was speared at Manly.
Surgeon White was not an easy man to get on with. He is considered a man of many virtues as well as his rather poor record in other areas.
Yesterday I photographed a plant not far from the camping site. Collected by Surgeon White a few years later in Sydney. Here's the photo and new article: Leptospermum parvifolium.
But this is a magnificent spot. The tidal limit of Middle Harbour creek where the colonials camped. Four famous men supported by two others. Upstream was land unsuited to agriculture. Very poor sandstone soils. So, this trip in 1788 failed to find suitable land.