On April 29th, 1770, Captain James Cook landed for the first time on Australian soil at Inscription Point, on the Kurnell peninsula. His ship, the "Endeavour", remained anchored in Botany Bay for eight days. One of his crew, a Scotsman by the name of Forby Sutherland, died during this time of tuberculosis, and was buried on the shore. Sutherland Point is named in his honour, as is the municipality in which Kurnell lies, and the nearby suburb of Sutherland. Cape Solander is named after Swedish botanist Daniel Solander. The landing area, now within Botany Bay National Park, is commemorated as an important historic site as well as being a popular tourist attraction.

The first land grant on the Kurnell headland was made in 1815, when seven hundred acres were acquired by James Birnie. Birnie used the grant to establish his "Alpha Farm". In 1821 John Connell Jnr used land in the area for timber getting. His father purchased Alpha Farm from Birnie, and by 1842 the Connell family's estate was over one thousand acres in size. In 1860 the original Alpha Farm grant was sold to Thomas Holt.

Kurnell was mainly used by fishermen before the 1920's, as its convenience to both Botany Bay and the open sea allowed a variety fishing activities. They built numerous huts in which to spend the weekends, which were subsequently used as residences by families during the Depression, when Kurnell was known as Happy Valley.

There are two theories as to the origin of the name "Kurnell". Both consider that the name is a deviation, one of an Aboriginal word "Collonel", and the other of the name of the early settler, John Connell.

Today Kurnell accommodates a large industrial area, including the huge Ampol Oil Refinery, which has a long wharf into Botany Bay for use by oil tankers. Kurnell also has a strong residential community along the shore of Botany Bay.

MAP OF BOTANY BAY