Captain James Cook Memorial, this statue of Captain Cook is situated in Sydney's Hyde Park, opposite the Australian Museum in College Street. Lieutenant James Cook RN captained the HM Bark Endeavour and is considered to be of great importance in modern Australian history and must be ranked amongst the great navigators. 

During his 1768-1770 circumnavigation of the globe, two of his principal aims were to observe the transit of Venus from Tahiti in 1769 after which he continued on to search for the "great southern land", reaching the east coast of Australia in April of the following year. He first landed at Kurnell on the shores of Botany Bay on 28 April 1770. Cook was killed during a confrontation with natives on Hawaii during his third voyage of 1776-1779.  Note the interesting spelling Owhyhee on this 1897 statue.

Close-up of Captain James Cook.

Base of the statue.

Base of the statue.

Base of the statue.

(All photos courtesy of Peter F. Williams)
© 2009 Peter F. Williams all rights reserved