Explorers and Settlement

Despite being first settled by the British, the Western Australian coastline was no stranger to a number of other nations. The Portugese came in the 16th century, followed by the Dutch, who dubbed Australia ‘New Holland’, and close behind were the American whalers and the French. Many of the region’s coastal features were named in honour of these early explorations.

Pioneering settlement in Australia's South West began as early as 1826 in Albany, making it the very first European settlement in Western Australia. Many historic properties and sites from this era offer a fascinating insight into settler life.