Colonial Events 1797
February
Wreck of the Sydney Cove on Preservation Island. The following June Captain Hamilton, the commander of the Sydney-Cove passed away.'He never recovered from the distresses and hardships which he suffered on the loss of his ship and died exceedingly regretted by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.' - The history of New South Wales: from its first discovery to the present time By G. PatersonMay 27
Arrival of convict ship Britannia. Thomas Denott master - Description of mutiny on the Britannia and a new arrival's first impression of a KangarooJune 2
Arrival of ship Ganges. Surgeon James Mileham. Master Thomas PatricksonAugust
Coal discovered at Coalcliff.August
Mutiny on board transport Lady ShoreAugust
Colonial vessel Cumberland seized by prisonersSeptember 19
Lieutenant Shortland returned to Sydney with the news that he had entered and named the Hunter River - Hunter River Discovered by Lieut. John Shortland.December 3
Departure of George Bass, naval surgeon of HMS Reliance to explore South coast to Western Port. George Bass and six oarsmen left Sydney in a 28ft whaleboat to explore the south coast of NSW. He sighted the blowhole at Kiama, the Shoalhaven River, Jervis Bay and Twofold Bay before continuing south to try to prove the existence of a strait between Van Diemens Land and the mainland.↑