European maritime exploration of Australia
Cook's first expedition carried botanist Joseph Banks, for whom a great many Australian geographical features and the genus Banksia and a number of plant species e.g. Grevillea banksii were named. The reports of Cook and Banks in conjunction with the loss of England's penal colonies in America after they gained independence and growing concern over French activity in the Pacific, encouraged the foundation by the British of a colony at Botany Bay. The First Fleet led by Captain Arthur Phillip left England on 13 May 1787 to found a penal colony in Australia. It reached Botany Bay in mid-January 1788. Phillip had decided to move the settlement to Sydney Cove in Port Jackson, but the British ships were unable to leave Botany Bay until 26 January because of a tremendous gale.
European maritime exploration of Australia
The British suspected that the reason for Baudin's expedition was to try to establish a French colony on the coast of New Holland. In response, the "Lady Nelson" and the whaler "Albion", both commanded by Lieutenant John Bowen, sailed from Port Jackson on 31 August 1803 to establish a settlement in Van Diemen's Land, and on 10 October 1803 a convoy of two ships and "Ocean" led by Captain David Collins carrying 402 people entered Port Phillip and formed a settlement near Sorrento. The first British to enter the bay were the crews of , commanded by John Murray and, ten weeks later, "Investigator", commanded by Flinders, in 1802.