The French Connection

The southwest of Western Australia still shelters within its beauty, its own deep mysteries of origin - a past which cause us to pause and seek answers. Is there a link to our French cousins and if so, how did it all happen? The answers are compelling and for those who do not know - here is a journey of discovery - a connection.

From the moment of Binot Paulmyer's claimed discovery in 1503, Australia the '5th continent of the New World' became a fascination. In the sixteen hundreds Dutch explorers found the Antipodes to be irresistible and British Adventurers, such as Dampier, Cook, Banks and Flinders soon followed.

At the end of the 18th century the French, influenced by the 'Period of Enlightenment', commissioned the largest expedition to ever leave Europe. It departed from France on the 19th of October 1800 and was led by explorer Nicolas Baudin. Their aim was to complete the work of previous French explorers - La Perouse & D'entrecasteaux by scientifically charting Australia and identifying its unique environment.

What, we wonder was in the mind of Nicolas Baudin as he stood, viewing the distant Australian, south western shoreline, on the deck of the corvette 'The Geographé' in 1801. All we can really know is that which history records that Baudin's crew made landfall at what is now known as 'Cape Hamelin'.

The place names along the Western Australian coastline exist as testimony to this pageant of Napoleonic history. Baudin's voyage in particular, impacted upon our region represented by place names such as Geographe Bay, after his lead ship Geographé and Hamelin Bay, after his second in command, Jacques Felix Emmanuel Hamelin. The Vasse River, was named in honour of Thomas Timothee Vasse of Dieppe in Normandy who, it is said, was drowned in Geographe Bay when he fell from a dingy during a northerly gale on 8th June 1801. Strangely Baudin's name does not appear in any of these place names. He was unpopular with his men and when he died on the return voyage, others were left to record the events, colluding to keep Baudin's name from the text of history.

Sadly our knowledge of these French explorers was diminished over time.

Now CinéfestOZ renews the connection.