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History of Garden Island Western Australia

HMS Challenger

please take note images may not be correct, research is underway to find the correct images with dates.

The First vessel to find the Challenge Passage into Cockburn Sound was a Royal Naval vessel HMS Challenger, commanded by Captain Charles Fremantle in 1829. All vessels entering the Port of Rockingham used this passage until 1945.

Dutch Vessel Duyfken

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The first recorded European vessel to arrive on the West Australian coast was the Dutch vessel Duyfken in December 1603, commanded by Captain Willem Janszoon.

Captain James Stirling

The Swan River Colony officially came into existence in June 1829. Two years earlier however, in 1827, prior to investigating the reaches of the Swan River Captain James Stirling had anchored off Rottnest Island and explored Garden Island, now part of Rockingham district. Impressed by what he found, Stirling later persuaded the British Colonial Office to endorse the formation of the new colony and included Garden Island as part of his 100,000 acre allocation of land.

On his return in the Parmelia in 1829 Stirling considered establishing Garden Island as the first settlement prior to developing the mainland and he had his house built at Cliff's head, where some foundations still remain. Further exploration of the Swan River resulted in Fremantle and Perth being chosen for the future settlement, leaving the Rockingham district under-developed for almost half a century. However, Stirling leased his land on Garden Island to the Read family who remained there for the next fourty years.

On his return in the Parmelia in 1829 Stirling considered establishing Garden Island as the first settlement prior to developing the mainland and he had his house built at Cliff's head, where some foundations still remain. Further exploration of the Swan River resulted in Fremantle and Perth being chosen for the future settlement, leaving the Rockingham district under-developed for almost half a century. However, Stirling leased his land on Garden Island to the Read family who remained there for the next fourty years.

Chart of Garden Island

Link by freycinet collection liswa website

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