DISCOVERY OF PORT PHILLIP



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The coasts of the Port Phillip district were examined between 1798
and 1802, firstly
  by George Bass (January 5, 1798)
  then by James Grant in the Lady Nelson (April-May, 1801)
  then by John Murray in the Lady Nelson (February 14, 1802)
  then by George Bass and Matthew Flinders in the Investigator (April 26, 1802)

 John Murray's Discovery of Port Phillip

After a voyage to Norfolk Island, Murray was sent by Governor King
(who had never been satisfied with Grant's doings in Bass Strait) to
"prosecute discoveries in those straights on the southwest coast of
this country". King was determined to have the investigation properly
made this time and issued Murray with precise instructions.
He was to trace the coast between Westernport and Cape Otway, then to
survey King Island, which had been discovered by the Martha, Captain
Reid, in 1798. The western end of Bass Strait as far as Cape Banks was
also to be explored. Murray left Sydney on 12th November 1801 and was
in Westernport by 7th December. After surveying this harbour, he left
on 4th January 1802 and ran west along a coastline obscured by smoke
from bushfires, but about 3 p.m. he "saw ahead an opening in the land
that had the appearance of a good harbour".

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   This was the first authenticated sight by a white man of the entrance
to Port Phillip. Fearful of being driven on a lee shore, Murray stood
away towards Cape Otway, ran down to King Island, and spent the rest of
January making a careful survey of its eastern side. On the 30th, while
trying to reach Cape Otway again, he was driven back to Westernport.
Next day he sent the vessel's launch under the first mate, Bowen, to look
at the harbour entrance to westward. Bowen returned on 4th February with
the news that the entrance was good, that it was about 1½ miles (2.4 km)
across, that within it was "a most noble sheet of water", and that the
boat's crew had lived on swans all the time they were away.

   On the 14th, therefore, Murray took the Lady Nelson in through the heads
and anchored somewhere near the present Sorrento.
Murray was enthusiastic about the discovery and made extensive excursions
to explore the bay.
On the 16th the crew had a skirmish with aborigines; no harm was done but
the natives were scared away, and no information was obtained from them.
On the 21st the launch discovered and explored Corio Bay; on 5th March the
South Channel was found after much hunting among the shoal areas near the
entrance.

   On 5th March, at 8 a.m., Murray hoisted the Union jack on shore, and at
1 p.m. he took formal possession of the country for England. He named
the bay Port King after the Governor. Subsequently, King renamed it
Port Phillip in honour of the first Governor, Arthur Phillip.
On 1lth March, the Lady Nelson departed from this bay. As the heads
were passed, the vessel entered "such a ripple that we expected every
minute it would break on board". This phenomenon has since become known
as The Rip. On 23rd March the Lady Nelson regained Port Jackson and Murray
made his glowing report to Governor King.

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