La Perouse

Located on the northern shore of Botany Bay, 15 km south of Sydney on Anzac Parade, La Perouse is rich in Aboriginal and European history. The suburb named after the explorer La Perouse, the first Frenchman to arrive in Australia , just a few days after the First Fleet in 1788, is a great place to explore and discover the history and natural beauty of this coastal area.

With public toilets and ample parking available, it’s a great place to picnic and enjoy the many attractions of the area. Visitors can relax and enjoy the calming view across Frenchmans and Yarra Bay and watch as sailing boats race across the water and wind and kite surfers skid across the tranquil bay. Take a short walk to Congwong Bay and you will discover a sheltered beach, the ideal place to play in the sand and surf.

The history of La Perouse expedition is fully explained at the nearby Museum. The old building, originally a cable station built for a telegraph line to New Zealand at one time housed the only link Australia had to the outside world. Open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm , it’s an ideal place to learn about sea exploration, colonisation and local aboriginal culture. Here you can uncover the hapless story of La Perouse as you take time to view the display of original maps, journals, scientific instruments and remnants retrieved from La Perouse’s wrecked ships.

Macquarie Watchtower a sandstone structure overlooks the bay. It is the oldest building in the area and was Australia’s first customs house. It was built in 1820 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie and soldiers were stationed there to prevent smuggling in the area of the bay. Near to the tower visitors can inspect the grave of Pere Receveur, a chaplain and scientist from La Perouse’s expedition.

Guided tours make it easy to explore the military history and secrets hidden at the Bare Island Fort. Built in 1885 to protect Sydney’s coast from attack, the old fort is more recently famous as one of the locations used in filming the action movie, Mission Impossible 2. Access to the fort is across a wooden bridge where one enters a secret world of tunnels filled with military honour and mystery. Twilight tours begin as the sun sets over Botany Bay and guides will lead you through the eerie tunnels by lantern light. To enquire and to book day and twilight tours, call the La Perouse Visitor Centre on (02) 93113379.

The family can learn something of the history of aboriginal Australia from Laddie Timbery as he demonstrates the art of boomerang throwing. Locally made boomerangs and other aboriginal products are for sale on most weekends.

Available refreshments range from coffee and snacks to a sumptuous seafood meal. Visitors should try Paris Seafood Café at 51 Endeavour Avenue or nearby Danny’s Seafood Restaurant (9311 4116) at 1065 Anzac Parade.

La Perouse is a place of great significance in Australia. La Perouse/Phillip Bay is the site of the first Christian religious services in Australia. It is also home to the first garden, the first Observatory, the oldest Customs House and the first telegraph connection for New Zealand with the rest of the world. The meeting of the French and English on 26th January 1788 was as significant as the Russians and Americans meeting in space during the cold war. There were at least 11 encounters between the two groups during the first six weeks of the colony. In fact, the first mail from Australia are the journals of Laperouse himself.