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First European Settlement at Port PhillipPrint Page 
A memorial commemorates the first European settlement in Port Phillip Bay in 1803. Two plaques are set in the upper section commemorating the first settlers who landed in 1803, and the founding of Hobart by these settlers.
The first European settlement in Victoria was established here in October 1803 under Lieutenant-Governor David Collins. It consisted of 308 convicts, 51 marines, 17 free settlers, 12 civil officers, a missionary and his wife.
They had been sent from England principally out of fear that the French, who had been exploring the area, might establish their own settlement and thereby challenge British `rights` to the continent. When Lieutenant-Governor David Collins led a party of 300 convicts and 50 Marines ashore at Sullivan Bay in 1803 he ensured Sorrento’s place in history as the first European settlement in Victoria.
Location
| Address: | Port Nepean Road & Leggett Way, Sorrento, 3943 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -38.349797 Long: 144.762489 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Landscape |
| Sub-Theme: | Settlement |
| Approx. Event Start Date: | October-1803 |
| Approx. Event End Date: | May-1804 |
Dedication
Plaque :
A British Settlement llanded here in October 1803 under Lieutenant Colonel David Collins and remained until May 1904 when it was finally removed to Hobart Tasmania.
Plaque :
175 years later on 14th October 1978 this plaque was presented by the Hobart Town (1804) First Settlers Association, direct descendants of the original settlers who departed from here in 1804 to found Hobart Town on 20th February 1804.
Plaque :
This memorial was erected by local residents sponsored by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and the Royal Victorian Historical Society.
