{{dablink|For other uses, see [[Botany Bay (disambiguation)]].}}
[[Image:Botanybaybicentennialmonument.JPG|thumb|Bicentennial Monument at Botany Bay]]
'''Botany Bay''' is a [[Headlands and bays|bay]] in [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]], a few kilometres south of the [[Sydney central business district]]. It was the site of a landing by [[James Cook]] of [[HM Bark Endeavour|HMS ''Endeavour'']].

==Name and short history==
Cook's landing marked the beginning of [[Britain]]'s interest in Australia and in the eventual [[colonisation]] of this new ''Southern continent''  ([http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/about/coll/maps/hist/aus/bb Captain Cook's map of Botany Bay]).

In modern times the Bay is chiefly notable for being the site of [[Kingsford Smith International Airport]], Australia's largest. The land around the headlands of the bay is protected as [[Botany Bay National Park]]. Also within Botany Bay is [[Towra Point Nature Reserve]].
[[Image:Sydney ASTER 2001 oct 12.jpg|thumb|305px|Image of Sydney taken by NASA [[RS]] satellite. Botany Bay is the large inlet at bottom right.]]

Initially the name '''Stingray Bay''' was used by Cook and other journal keepers on his expedition, for the [[stingray]]s they caught. That name was recorded on an Admiralty chart too. <ref>{{gutenberg|no=8106|name=Captain Cook's Journal During the First Voyage Round the World}}, editor W. J. L. Wharton's footnote to [[6 May]] [[1770]].</ref>  Cook's log for [[6 May]] [[1770]] records "The great quantity of these sort of fish found in this place occasioned my giving it the name of Stingrays Harbour". <br>
But in his journal (prepared later from his log) he changed to "The great quantity of plants [[Joseph Banks|Mr. Banks]] and [[Daniel Solander|Dr. Solander]] found in this place occasioned my giving it the Name of Botany Bay". <ref>[[Ray Parkin]], ''H. M. Bark Endeavour'', [[Miegunyah Press]], second edition 2003, ISBN 0-522-85093-6, page 203.</ref>

In [[1788]], Captain [[Arthur Phillip]] led the [[First Fleet]] into the bay on [[19 January]] [[1788]] to found a [[penal colony]] there.  Finding that the sandy infertile soil of the site in fact rendered it most unsuitable for settlement, Phillip decided instead to move to the excellent natural harbor of [[Port Jackson]] to the north.  On [[26 January]], while still anchored in the bay, the British encountered the [[France|French]] exploratory expedition of [[Jean-François de La Pérouse]].  Panicked by the thought that the French might beat them to it, the colonists sailed that afternoon to found a settlement at [[Sydney Cove]].  Despite the move, for many years afterward, the Australian penal colony would be referred to as "Botany Bay" in [[England]] - and in [[convict ballad]]s such as [[Ireland]]'s [[The Fields of Athenry]].

The good supply of [[fresh water]] in the area led to the expansion of its population in the [[19th century]].

==Demographics==
According to the most recent census, Botany Bay has a population of 35,897 (17,735 males and   18,162 females).

There were 558 people 1.6% (274 males and 284 females) who identified as being of [[Indigenous Australians|Indigenous]] origin. 22.07% of residents are of Southern European decent (Principally [[Italian People|Italian]] and [[Greeks|Greek]]).  Eastern/South East [[Asian]] and People from [[Indian Subcontinent]] make 19.24% of the population, followed by [[Middle Eastern]] and [[North Africa|Northern African]] people at 7.17% and [[South Sea Islander|Pacific Islanders]] 2.72%.
The three most common languages spoken at home other than English in the 2001 Census were Greek 7.4%, [[Chinese language]]s 5.05% and [[Spanish Language|Spanish]] 4.5%.

The median weekly individual income for people aged 15 years and over in the 2001 Census was $300-$399.  49.8% of households have children and 3.5% of the people were in group households.

[[Image:Sydney from Botany Bay looking north (aerial).jpg|thumb|305px|Aerial photo of Sydney viewed from Botany Bay]]

==Kingsford Airport and Port Botany==
The small Mascot [[Aerodrome]] at Botany was gradually developed and renamed the [[Kingsford Smith International Airport|Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport]] in 1953.

[[Port Botany]] was built in [[1930]] and is now a [[container terminal]].

==References==
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== Bibliography ==

''Expédition à Botany Bay, La fondation de l'Australie coloniale'', Watkin Tench, préface d'Isabelle Merle, 2006, Editions Anacharsis 
Le texte fondateur de l'Australie, Récit de voyage d'un capitaine de la First Fleet durant l'Expédition à Botany Bay 
[http://www.lekti-ecriture.com/editeurs/Expedition-a-Botany-Bay-la.html]

==See also==
{{Sydney Botany Bay suburbs}}

{{coor title dm|33|58|S|151|10|E|region:AU_type:waterbody}}

[[Category:Bays of Australia]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Australia]]

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