Maritime mayhem in early Botany Bay

Name: Maritime mayhem in early Botany Bay
Start: 2026-06-11T18:00:00+1000
End: 2026-06-11T19:00:00+1000
Location: National Library of Australia

A little-known chapter of Australia’s past is that the convict settlement at Port Jackson became the first British port in the Pacific. Following his 2025 lecture at the Library, maritime historian Chris Maxworthy returns to expand on his research.

From Sydney Cove, early whalers, privateers and adventurers launched daring voyages against Spain’s colonies in Mexico, Peru and Chile. During the turmoil of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, Britain even authorised private ships to strike at its enemies.

Join Chris Maxworthy as he explores the colony’s earliest years and shows how voyages in search of whales and precious metals proved the strategic value of a British base in the Southwest Pacific. In just ten years, Sydney Cove grew into a bold and influential outpost.

Chris will also recount the first naval battle involving mariners living in Australia, who fought against Spanish warships on the Pacific coast of South America. One highlight is the remarkable 1801 capture of the Spanish warship Limeño near modern day Ecuador—achieved by thirty former convicts and a motley crew of whalemen.

Attend in person

Entry to this event is free but bookings are essential.

Watch online

The presentation will also be available online. Please make a booking and we will send you a direct link to the livestream event via email. Or you can join anytime through the Library's YouTube channel.

A painting depicting a battle between sailing ships at sea

Francis Sartorius (1777–1831), Four frigates capturing Spanish treasure ships, 5 October 1804, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

About Chris Maxworthy

Chris Maxworthy is a historian who, for the past four decades, has investigated the early maritime history of Australia. During 2015-18 Chris discovered and researched Spain’s detailed plan of 1796 to restore Spanish control in the Pacific.

Recipient of the Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2011, he conducted research in Spanish language archives in Europe and Latin America, looking for historical records of colonial Australia. This research led to the discovery of the Spanish attack plan for Port Jackson, as well as many narratives by mariners in the Pacific who had been captured by Spanish colonies as prisoners of war.

Chris is a retired officer of the Royal Australian Navy; he is a graduate of UNSW and Macquarie University and has previously served as the Vice President of the Australian Association of Maritime History (AAMH) and a Councillor of the Royal Australian Historical Society (RAHS).

Chris also is a Petherick Reader at the National Library of Australia.