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Home » Themes » Landscape » Exploration
205th Anniversary of First European Visit to Ryde DistrictPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates the 205th anniversary of first visit of Europeans to the Ryde District. The plaque is adjacent to an English Oak Tree which was grown from an acorn collected by Mr Geoffrey Cottee from Captain Arthur Phillip's farm at Vernals, Hampshire, England.
At the time of the arrival of Europeans at Sydney Cove in January 1788, the Wallumedegal or Wallumatagal were the traditional owners of the area, which they called Wallumetta. The earliest recorded contact was 20 days after the arrival of the First Fleet, when Captain Arthur Phillip and his Parramatta River exploration party landed, and named Looking Glass Bay after giving a looking glass (mirror) to an Aboriginal man they met there.
Location
| Address: | Punt Road, Banjo Paterson Park, Gladesville, 2111 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.839996 Long: 151.127576 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Landscape |
| Sub-Theme: | Exploration |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Monday 15th February, 1993 |
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This plaque was unveiled by Alderman M. Lardelli, AM on 15 February 1993 to commemorate the 205th Anniversary of the first visit by European man to the Ryde District when Captain Arthur Phillip and others made a voyage of discovery along the Parramatta River.
The adjacent Quercus Spp (English Oak Tree) was grown from an Acorn collected by Mr Geoffrey Cottee from Captain Arthur Phillip's farm at Vernals, Hampshire, England and the bricks on which the plaque rests were gathered from the remains of the demolished farmhouse.
The diary of Lt. Wiliam Bradley records on Friday 15 February 1788 -
"We stopped at a neck of land to breakfast." This Bay became known as Looking Glass Bay."
Alderman M. Lardelli, AM - Mayor
K.J King General Manager
