On this Day – April 3rd 1818.

Explorer Charles Trosby arrives at Jervis Bay.

Charles Throsby came out to Australia as a surgeon on the convict ship Coramandel,  He was appointed surgeon and magistrate at Castle Hill in 1802.

1818 He accompanied Hamilton Hume and James Meehan in exploring the southern highlands, he pushed south to a river which they named Patrick’s River – now Paddy’s River – because they reached it on St Patrick’s Day. Here they split up, Hume and Meehan continuing south to the Breadalbane Plains,  whilst Throsby crossed the Shoalhaven and Kangaroo Rivers.

1818 April 3rd  he reached Jervis bay,  becoming the first white man to find a land route to Jervis Bay.   After waiting at the bay for some days thinking Meehan might catch up,  he set out homeward and arrived on April 13.

1820 April the 9th,  in a letter to Governor Macquarie he predicted a great future for Jervis Bay.

He saw a future where the southern highlands would become grazing country of the first magnitude of importance
to the colony where riches and prosperity would increase at a rapid pace. He predicted that those riches will flow through Port Jervis and other ports-more southerly,  those ports will become the great ports of shipment for the whole produce of the western country.

Since this report was made to Governor Macquarie, 197 years has passed by,  and Jervis Bay has largly been spared the type of development he predicted.   With the exception of the small villages skirting the bay, and HMAS Creswell Jervis Bay is much the same as it appeared in Throsby’s Day.

He was given a 1000 acre land grant  in the Southern Highlands in recognition of his services, including Bong Bong.
Long afterwards popular as the resort of the fashionable for picnic races.

1820 October 18 Governor Macquarie made a visit to the area and finding the area un-named, declared.
” Mr Throsby not having yet given any particular name or destination to his new estate in this fine country, I have with his own consent, named it Throsby Park”  a designation particularly suitable and appropriate to beautiful park like grounds.”

1828  He committed suicide by shooting himself near liverpool after becoming embroiled in litigation which seriously effected his health.  He had no family.

for more information visit – Berrima District Historical Society.
berrimadistricthistoricalsociety.org.au