Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, a few kilometres south of the Sydney central business district. Two runways of Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport extend in to the bay. Botany Bay was the site of James Cook's first landing of HMS Endeavour on the continent of Australia, after his extensive navigation of New Zealand. Later the British planned Botany Bay as the site for a penal colony. Out of these plans came the first European habitation of Australia at Sydney Cove. But for many years afterward, the Australian penal colony would be referred to as "Botany Bay" - and several ballads were written about it. Botany Bay First published in Sydney Golden Songster in 1893 This song is a burlesque, written by Stephens and Yardley, from the comedy 'Little Jack Shepherd' that played in London in 1885, and in Melbourne in 1886. Farewell to Old England forever Farewell to my old pals as well Farewell to the well known Old Bailey Where I once used to be such a swell Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty Oh we are bound for Botany Bay There's the captain as is our commandeer, There's bo'sun and all the ship's crew There's first and the second class passengers, Knows what we poor convicts goes through Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty Oh we are bound for Botany Bay 'Taint leaving Old England we cares about, 'Taint 'cos we mispells wot we knows But becos all we light finger'd gentry Hop's around with a log on our toes. Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty Oh we are bound for Botany Bay These seven long years I've been serving now And seven long more have to stay All for bashing a bloke down our alley And taking his ticker away Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty Oh we are bound for Botany Bay Oh had I the wings of a turtle-dove, I'd soar on my pinions so high, Slap bang to the arms of my Polly love, And in her sweet presence I'd die Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay, Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty Oh we are bound for Botany Bay Now all my young Dookies and Duchesses, Take warning from what I've to say, Mind all is your own as you touch-es-es, Or you'll find us in Botany Bay, Today, the Bay is one of the major industrial ports of the city. On the north side of the bay is Kingsford Smith International Airport, Australia's largest airport. Land was reclaimed from the bay to extend its first north-south runway and build a second one parallel to it. The land around the headlands of the bay is protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as Botany Bay National Park. On the northern side of the mouth of the bay is the historic site of La Perouse and to the south is Kurnell. On the southern side of the bay, a section of water has been fenced off under the authority of the National Parkes and Wildlife Service at Towra Point for environmental conservation purposes. Port Botany, to the east of the airport, was built in 1930 and is the largest container terminal in Sydney. |