The Australian continent is the last continent where the foot of the European sailor set foot. However, even many years after this “entry” of permanent European settlements, Australia did not know. So what was the name of the first European settlement in Australia?
Australia? No gold, no spices, no trade ...
Many historians logically believe that the Portuguese were the first to discover the coast of Australia. They were the first to get to the spice-rich Moluccas, and from them to the northern coast of Australia at a stone's throw. It would be strange if the curious and extremely "sailing" "coastal Gauls" would not scour the entire neighborhood in search of something else to be desired.
Some researchers give the primacy of the discoverer of the southern continent to the Portuguese captain Cristavan de Mendonse, who moored somewhere on the northwest coast, somewhere in 1522. However, there is no documentary evidence of this. Even the Portuguese cannons found at the bottom of the coast in 1916 are no argument. They could be there later.
But what was the name of the first European settlement in Australia? Obviously not in Portuguese.
The Spanish captain Luis Torres practically discovered Australia, having sailed in 1606 along the southern coast of New Guinea, proving that it is an island, and further south, completely new lands. Where actually did not swim. Already 163 years later, the strait separating Australia and New Guinea was named after him.
In the wake of the Portuguese
The third in (and in) Australia was the Dutch, who gradually ousted the Portuguese from the region and checked the Portuguese-Spanish rumors about the new land. The first documented landing at the northernmost point of Australia was made on 6.06.1606 by the crew of the ship "Dove" captain Willem Janszona.
Here it would be to say what the first European settlement in Australia was called in Dutch ...
Alas, further studies of the Dutch seem to confirm why the Portuguese did not develop these lands. Here you are not easily mined natural values in the form of gold, nor spices. Even the small-sized by African standards, the local population was not suitable for slaves. And the nature in the northern part of Australia was not distinguished by "complaisance": the jungle and rocky wastelands. The Dutch abandoned the case. Perhaps some temporary settlements were founded, but there were definitely no permanent ones.
Robber Colonists
In general, something out of the ordinary should have led to the settlement of Australia. And they happened. The United States formed in North America and declared independence. Britain had nowhere to exile criminals, and she could not think of anything better than to send them to explore Australia, which is still free.
Unlike the Portuguese and Dutch, the British already knew where they were going. By that time, various researchers had already "plowed" the new continent from almost all sides. One of them - the famous James Cook - and marked on the map of southeast Australia a convenient bay, which he immediately named with a hint - Port Jackson (in honor of the sponsor of the expedition).
It was here that a squadron of 11 British ships arrived, bringing more than 700 involuntarily immigrants. Having wandered a little in a vast and difficult bay, the squadron found a convenient round bay, where on January 18, 1788, and landed passengers ashore.
January 18th is now Australia’s national holiday, and we’ll answer the question, what was the name of the first European settlement in Australia. Sydney Cove (Sydney Cove). He subsequently became Sydney!
Now one of the most comfortable cities on Earth. It turned out that you can live well in Australia. But he could be called Albion. Alas or ah, the expedition commander Arthur Philip decided to name the settlement in honor of the Minister of the British Colonies, who, in fact, sent these people to Australia.