Australia is a country with a fascinating history. While your cruise or tour with Jervis Bay Wild will introduce you to some of the region’s natural beauty and amazing wildlife, here is a brief history of the area, to give you an even greater understanding of this incredible place.
Early Times
The early Aboriginal people in the Jervis Bay area where those of the Dharawal-Dhurga language group. Many Aboriginal tribes still have very strong connections to Jervis Bay. The Beecroft Peninsula, in particular, is said to be the location of numerous important Aboriginal sites. Just off the peninsula is Drum and Drumsticks, a significant religious site (and also the home to a large colony of fur seals, seen on the Seal Colony Eco Cruise). The Aboriginal people believe in the existence of two figures who inhabit the Beecroft Peninsula: Bundoola & Spundula, creatures who control ocean resources and weather patterns, respectively.
Arrival of the Europeans
European influence began in Jervis Bay in 1791. Lieutenant Bowen of the Atlantic named it Port Jervis after his superior, Admiral John Jervis. Prior to this, the bay had been dubbed St. George’s Head by Captain Cook in 1770. Over the next 80 or so years, the area was surveyed and visited, and a lighthouse was built in the 1860s at Cape St. George. However, it wasn’t until the 1880s that the first true European settlement was established. This settlement was basically a small plot of land used for sheep and cattle grazing, as well as a fishing business.
Growth Through the 1900s
The Jervis Bay area continued to grow steadily, with the decision to open the Royal Australian Naval College at Captain’s Point in 1911. Shortly followed the opening of a primary school in 1914. Since the arrival of the naval college, Jervis Bay has maintained its status as an important naval area. When Europeans first settled the area, Aboriginal tribes had been displaced. A community remained at Wreck Bay. Throughout the 1970’s, land rights became an issue, and by 1986 The Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986 was enacted. In 1995, Jervis Bay National Park and Jervis Bay Botanic Gardens Annexe were granted to the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council and subsequently leased back to the Director of National Parks, giving the Koori Aboriginal group ownership of the land. In 1998, Jervis Bay National Park was renamed Booderee National Park, meaning ‘bay of plenty’ in Dhurga.
Experience Today With Jervis Bay Wild
When you embark on a Jervis Bay Wild eco cruise, you’ll see the same glorious natural landscape that explorers like Cook and Bowen saw those hundreds of years to go. Rich in Indigenous culture and history, and rife with active wildlife, Jervis Bay is a wonderful place to visit and an incredible place to be. Contact us today to book your eco cruise, and experience the wonderful atmosphere of Jervis Bay.
