The Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration

The disappearance of French explorer La Perouse and his expedition led to the first systematic survey of Southern Tasmanian waters. A fortunate navigational error was a main cause of the success of the survey.

 

The French National Assembly became concerned when La Perouse had not returned by 1789 and arranged for an expedition to search for the lost ships and also to carry out further scientific and exploratory work.Bruni D'Entrecasteaux was chosen to lead the expedition and two 500-ton frigates, Recherche and Esperance, were made available.

 

The ships, after many adventures, arrived off Tasmania in April, 1792 and D'Entrecasteaux intended to anchor in Adventure Bay to restore the health of his crews and to take on food and other supplies. But he was injured in a storm and a substitute navigator made a mistake which led to the ships anchoring in a bay - subsequently named Recherche - near the entrance to the Channel and on the mainland of Tasmania.

 

This gave the French the opportunity which earlier English arrivals had missed, to discover the channel and that Adventure Bay was on the eastern side of an island. In small boats the crews explored the channel as far as its northern entrance and scientist journeyed inland. On May 28, the expedition left reluctantly to search the Pacific for La Perouse.

 

The ships circumnavigated Australia and on June 21 of the following year put in again at Recherche Bay for repairs and water.

 

During the second visit they explored Norfolk Bay, Frederick Henry Bay, the River Derwent, completed surveys of the Channel and visited Adventure Bay, where they arrived on February 22, 1793.

 

They took on further supplies of wood, water and set up an observatory near Capt. Cook's Tree. The expedition sailed on February 27 to continue its search, leaving behind such names as Bruny Island, D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Port Esperance, Recherche Bay, River Huon (named after Huon de Kermandec, the master of the Esperance), Port Cygnet and La Perouse Range.

 

Three accounts of the D'Entrecasteaux voyages are displayed in the museum.