Botany Bay National Park is located on the northern and southern headlands of Botany Bay, 16 kilometres south-east of Sydney's central business district. The northern headland is called La Perouse, the southern headland is called Kurnell.
The Kurnell Peninsula is home to several sites of importance in the in Australian history. It was here in 1770 that Captain James Cook and the crew of his ship Endeavour first set foot on the Australian continent. On the peninsula there is the Obelisk to Captain Cook, as well as the Sir Joseph Banks Memorial, the Solander Monument and the Sutherland Monument - they were members of Cook's expedition. All the memorials sites are connected by a walking trail that starts at the information centre and the the nearby museum. There are also two observation decks, Kurnell and Houston, which offer amazing views of Botany Bay. And from Cape Solander you can watch passing whales during migration season.
On the opposite promontory to Kurnell, La Perouse, there's a museum dedicated to the French navigator's to the expedition of French navigator Jean-François de Galop (La Perouse), who landed here in 1788. Not far from the museum stands the La Perouse Memorial - an obelisk built by the French in 1825. There's also the Endeavour Lighthouse, overlooking Cook's landing site at Botany Bay. On weekends reptile shows are held on the headland and local Aborigines demonstrate the skill of of boomerang throwing. The area around La Perouse Peninsula is considered one of the best diving sites in New South Wales - underwater you can find sea dragon, patek fish, miniature pipefish and big-bellied seahorse.
An interesting landmark in the national park is the Cape Bailey Lighthouse Bailey, built in 1950 and still in operation. Incidentally, it runs on solar power.
Triathlon competitions are held annually in the park. Tourists are also attracted by the opportunity to fish, snorkelling, boating, yachting or windsurfing.
