In 1770 Captain Cook sailed into Botany Bay and recorded in his journal the fateful observation for future Australian settlement:

I found a very fine stream of fresh water on the north side in the first sandy cove within the island before which a ship might lay land-locked and wood for fuel may be got everywhere.(J.Cook 1770).

Upon arrival with the First Fleet in 1788, however, Lieutenant King explored Botany Bay and found

‘…..,some very large and deep coves and some lagoons, but no fresh water…..’ (S.King 1788)

Governor Arthur Phillip soon decided Port Jackson was more suitable for settlement due its deeper waters for harbouring ships and freshwater streams.

Later that year King records moving up the Cooks river,

“A shoal towards of ye upper end of ye north side of ye bay prevented our keeping near the shore, but its edge directed us to the opening of ye river (Cooks River) at ye NW side of ye bay; which we went up for about 6 miles. Finding the country low and boggy, and no appearance of fresh water, were returned down again, and ran along ye upper part of ye bay, which in this part is very wide " (King 1788: 540 [1893]).