Baudin’s Voyagers 1800-1804 Exhibition of Original works now on display

Baudin is not unknown to curious and historically minded Australians. Cape Naturaliste and Géographe Bay in southern Western Australia commemorate his ships.

There's actually quite a lot of French connection, nautically and geographically, in these Australasian parts, and many place-names (especially marine ones) reflect that history.

Over a number of years, several sea-faring European nations had made contact with Western Australia in one way or the other, some accidentally, some deliberately. It wasn't until those dastardly French started (I believe) oceanographic surveys that the Brits put an end to who "owned" WA by sending some troops and convicts across in 1826 to put the Union Flag in the ground and told everyone else to 'hop it. I could have been speaking French, drinking red wine and smoking foul cigarettes instead of being an anglo.

In one of history's great (but inconsequential) coincidences, on the very day that the First Fleet anchored in Botany Bay in January 1788 (only the second European landing there ever), a few hours later the French navigator / explorer La Perouse sailed in too. They exchanged formalities, and perhaps even food and wine, and then he sailed off to check out the French New Caledonia ... and was never seen or heard of again, poor man.

There is a Sydney suburb named after him at least.

" In one of history's great (but inconsequential) coincidences, on the very day that the First Fleet anchored in Botany Bay in January 1788 (only the second European landing there ever), a few hours later the French navigator / explorer La Perouse sailed in too. "
More accurately, the first ship of the fleet the Supply arrived in Botany Bay on the 18/01/1788 followed by the transports on the 19th and the remainder on 20th, ( perhaps one of those being the truer Australian, British or Invasion Day ), disappontment in BB and a quick recce up the coast had Guv Phil deciding by the 23/1 to depart for Port Jackson, the French ships being seen out to sea on the 24/1 but winds/currents gave them difficulty in getting into BB which was not achieved until the 26th.
Meanwhile Guv Phil had been a bit sneaky in getting up to PJ to set up camp so as to re-inforce their claim for Britain, the French not leaving BB until about mid March.
"

Why do you spoil a good story with mundane facts? It's still am amazing coincidence.

I'd hardly call the facts about the fist fleet sailing and making settlement mundane and far from it, even Marine Captain Watkin Tench not thinking it so at the time and then there is the mystery of what befell the French, be it cannabalism or sinkings by means of which we can only guess.

I'd hardly call the facts about the fist fleet sailing and making settlement mundane and far from it

Indeed ... it's the longest state-sponsored settlement program ever staged in history ... a great pity it was all about the violent class war that the evil English aristocracy was waging against the emergent working classes.

It is interesting to see some of the older sailing equipment and read of history, there being an excellent maritime museum at Barcelona in Spain, down by the waterfront, left around the corner at the bottom of La Rambla.
As to Baudin and others, Baudin was charting around the southern and western Australian waters about the same time as Flinders, the French cartography considered to be more artistic than Flibders which was at the time considered to be more accurate.
Given the French and other countries showing some interest and given other conflicts, it is interesting that the British were left alone to claim all of Australia and other than the harsher land that others saw, maybe a saying of Napoleons came into play " Do not interrupt your enemy while he is making a mistake ", and then of course the French had other issues post 1804.

It is interesting to see some of the older sailing equipment and read of history, there being an excellent maritime museum at Barcelona in Spain, down by the waterfront, left around the corner at the bottom of La Rambla.

Thanks for that ... we're in Barcelona for a few days next month, so will check it out! I'm a bit of a sucker for maritime museums, I have to say.