The port of Sydney, otherwise known as Sydney Harbour or Port Jackson, has a fascinating history. If you’re a sailor, then you are probably, like me, interested by the history of ports and sailing. So next time you’re sailing through, stop off, stay at a cheap Sydney hotel or Sydney hostel, so that you can visit the city and its harbour with its history in mind.

Photo: wikimedia.org

Before the European colonization of Australia, the islands now know as Port Jackson or the Sydney Harbour were occupied by native Australian tribes such as the Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Eora and Wangal peoples. The many tribes lived in different parts of the harbour, sharing its natural protection and access to fishing resources.

The discoverer of Australia and the harbour was Sir James Cook, and he recorded the discovery in 1770. The region was named Port Jackson after a British High Commissioner, Sir George Jackson. The Europeans were already making their mark on the Australian continent. About 18 years later, the first governor of the new colony, Arthur Philip, took two boats down from Botany Bay and visited the harbour he had read described in Cook’s diary. On the 26th of January 1788, Philip founded the first colony in Australia, soon to become the city of Sydney, the first city in the country, and the capital of New South Wales.

The British found the harbour the perfect place to keep their Pacific fleet secure and safe. Thousands of ship can moor in the harbour without and hindrance, and this enabled the British to build and maintain the fleet that would maintain their foremost imperial position for more than a century.

The other interesting period in the history of the harbour is the Second World War. Because Australia is close to Japan, there was a real fear for devastating attacks. In 1942, the government started a project for a submarine protection net which spanned hundreds of kilometers along the many harbours on the coast. It was actually successful, as during an attempt to infiltrate the harbour, a Japanese midget submarine got caught in the net; the crew detonated the sub, killing themselves in the process. The remains of the submarine can still be seen at the Australian War Museum, and while the net has been dismantled, its foundations still remain and you can still see it if you dive.

The harbour has been fortified many times, and there are still four sites where these fortifications are visible along the coast. The fortifications were made of sandstone and were gradually dismantled through urban planning and development.

The history of the Sydney Harbour is a witness to the history of the country, as the harbour has been from the first the foundation of the colonization of the continent. Sail in the harbour, check in a Sydney backpackers hostel, and enjoy the history of a fascinating region of the world. It’ll make your trip that much more interesting!