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| Originally named Isle Buache by the ] in ], Garden Island was first settled by Capt. ] in ] who ''prepared a garden and released a cow, two ewes and three goats in a area of good pasture with good water supply''. | Originally named Isle Buache by the ] in ], Garden Island was first settled by Capt. ] in ] who ''"prepared a garden and released a cow, two ewes and three goats in a area of good pasture with good water supply"''. | ||
| Capt. ] arrived in ] but only anchored off the island to take possession of ]'s west coast. | Capt. ] arrived in ] but only anchored off the island to take possession of ]'s west coast. | ||
Revision as of 08:37, 10 November 2003
Originally named Isle Buache by the French in 1981, Garden Island was first settled by Capt. James Stirling in 1827 who "prepared a garden and released a cow, two ewes and three goats in a area of good pasture with good water supply".
Capt. Charles Fremantle arrived in 1829 but only anchored off the island to take possession of Australia's west coast.
Capt. Stirling returned the same year to take up his grant of 100,000 acres plus any livestock remaining from his previous visit. He re-named the island Garden Island and the first settlement of 450 people was named Sulpher Town. Sulpher Bay and Careening Bay were important anchorage and cargo disembarkation points for ships until 1897 when Fremantle inner harbour was completed.
In 1907 Peet & Co subdivided 83 blocks in Careening Bay. After World War I it became a holiday resort with wooden cottages erected in the bay. During World War II gin batteries were located on Garden Island and the secret unit (Z-Force) operated and trained there for their clandestine raids against the Japanese. Following the war it became a holiday resort again and the home of the RAN Reserve Fleet.
In 1966 a feasibility study was began into establishment of a naval support facility on the island, and in 1969 it was endorsed by the Federal Government. Construction of the 4.3 km causeway began in 1971 and completed in 1973. The Naval Support Facility was completed in 1978 and HMAS Stirling formally commissioned in the same year.
Since then public access to the island has been restricted and those areas open to the public are only accessible by sea via private boat under curfew conditions.