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Bicentenary of the British Discovery of Port Phillip Print Page Print this page

British Discovery of Port Phillip  : 01-October-2011
British Discovery of Port Phillip : 01-October-2011

Photographs supplied by Graeme Saunders

The plaque commemorates the bicentenary of the British Discovery of Port Phillip in 1802.

On 4 January 1802 LIeutenant John Murray sighted Port Phillip but found the entrance dangerous and decided to survey it later. He charted the east coast of King Island, then returned to Port Phillip on 31 January and sent John Bowen into the bay in a launch to examine it. Murray entered Port Phillip in the Lady Nelson on 14 February and anchored inside. He named various landmarks: Arthur's Seat, Swan Island, Point Paterson and Point Palmer. On 8 March he took possession of Port Phillip, which he named Port King and which King renamed later.
Excerpt from John Murray, Australian Dictionary of Biography. 

Location

Address:Point Nepean Road, W E Newton Reserve, Portsea, 3941
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -38.319408
Long: 144.713139
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Plaque
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Exploration
Actual Event Start Date:14-February-1802
Actual Event End Date:14-February-1802

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Thursday 14th February, 2002
Front Inscription

   The people of the Kulin lived in the
Port Phillip area for thousands of years.

Acting Lieutenant John Murray, Commander of
HMS Lady Nelson, the first recorded European ship
to enter the bay, landed of 14 February 1802 and walked
out from here to the high dunes.

The entrance to Port Phillip was sighted from Lady Nelson on
4 January 1802 but the ship did not attempt entry of the
Heads until 14 February following a survey by the
First Mate, WIlliam Bowen and his party in the
ship`s launch beginning 31 January.

Murray named Point Nepean and Arthurs Seat at this time.

This plaque was unveiled on 14 February, 2002
To commemorate the bicentenary of the event

Nepean Historical            Mornington Shire
Society                            Peninsula

14 02 02 - Bicentenary of the British Discovery of Port Phillip 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au