View from the Shore

Training overview

The year 2020 marks 250 years since James Cook’s first famous Pacific Voyage. From landing at Botany Bay and charting the eastern coast of Australia, to nearly coming to grief on the Great Barrier Reef, Cook also fulfilled a secret mission from the Admiralty – to take possession of the Great Southern Land.

In 1770, when Cook claimed possession of the east coast of Australia in the name of King George the Third, he effectively gave the British Crown exclusive rights to negotiate future settlement via treaty. In 2020, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are still waiting for a treaty.

This professional learning highlights the many Indigenous perspectives of Cook’s voyage, first contact and the beginning of modern Australia. It explores how we might navigate the legacy of this voyage – a link between Arrival and Dispossession that is impossible to disentangle. The past and present are inextricable yet have to be addressed if we are to work together towards a shared future. As part of this professional learning you will receive a laminated AO sized Aboriginal language map and other resources for activities in the program.