WESTERN AUSTRALIA. — The area of Western Australia where Albany now stands was first discovered by George Vancouver in 1791. After being sent to explore the southern coastline of Australia, Vancouver first made landfall at Cape Leeuwin, then travelled southeast.
On September 28, 1791, he discovered an excellent harbour which he named “King George the Third’s Sound”, later shortened to King George’s Sound or, as it is now, King George Sound.
Standing at Possession Point, Vancouver formally claimed this land as British territory on September 29, 1791.
British occupation of King George’s Sound, the first settlement in Western Australia, did not begin until 1826.
At that time, the western third of Australia was unclaimed by any country, and there were fears that France would stake its claim. To prevent this, Governor Darling of New South Wales sent Major Edmund Lockyer, with troops and 23 convicts, to establish a settlement at King George Sound.
They arrived in the brig ‘Amity’ on Christmas Day in 1826. Lockyer initially named the site Frederickstown after His Royal Highness, Duke of York & Albany, Frederick Augustus – second son of King George III.
