Site of Dampier's landing on Dirk Hartog Island named

17/8/99
The State Government today celebrated the tricentennial anniversary of the landing of William Dampier on Western Australian shores by naming the site where he first set foot on Dirk Hartog Island 'Dampier's Landing'.
Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said the Shark Bay region was world-renowned for its unique environmental values and the profusion of wildlife it supported had led to its listing as a World Heritage area.
"Along with its strong environmental significance, the area has great historical importance," Mrs Edwardes said.
"It is therefore fitting that the oldest known surviving biological specimens, collected by William Dampier, should have originated from this environmentally significant area."
Arts Minister Peter Foss said that it was on Dampier's second visit to WA, when he traversed the rich North-West of the State, that he gathered various native plants that led to the careful documentation of the unique biota of WA.
"This valuable botanical collection, on loan to us from England's Sherardian Herbarium, is on display at the WA Museum until October," Mr Foss said.
"It contains the first Australian plants to be collected by a European - in fact, 70 years before Joseph Banks collected specimens from the east coast.
"It is a fascinating and rare collection gathered from the Shark Bay area and the north-west coast and includes spinifex and the spectacular Dampier pea, also known as Sturt's Pea.
"Dampier preserved these specimens by pressing them between sheets of paper.
"We are lucky to have them in WA now, as the specimens nearly did not survive Dampier's voyage home to England when his ship the Roebuck went down off Ascension Island."
Dampier managed to save his precious herbarium containing these specimens though he lost many other drawings and descriptions of animal specimens and it is thought any animals he may have collected also went down with the ship.
Mr Foss said Dampier's Tricentennial Anniversary gave all Western Australians the opportunity to remember our heritage and the international significance of our plants and animals.
"It is through the enthusiasm and dedication of WA's botanists, local communities and authorities like the Shire of Shark Bay that we have been able to conserve our heritage and our rich diversity of plant and animal life," he said.
"The Shire of Shark Bay is to be congratulated on recognising and celebrating what is a very important event in WA's social and environmental history.
"The celebration of Dampier's landing provides us all with the opportunity to reflect and ensure that the unique environmental values of the area are conserved well into the next 300 years."
Media contacts:
Chris Morris 9321 2222 or Kaye Hopkins 9421 7777