Jervis Bay Territory – Federal port territory created in 1915
In 1915 jurisdiction over Jervis Bay was transferred from New South Wales to the Commonwealth, giving the federal government access to a port near the landlocked Australian Capital Territory. Long before that, Aboriginal people lived around the bay, and the Yuin people maintain a continuing connection to the area to this day. James Cook sighted the bay in April 1770, and in 1791 Lieutenant Richard Bowen of the convict ship Atlantic named it after Admiral John Jervis. Later visitors included George Bass in 1797 and John Oxley in 1819. Today the Jervis Bay Territory is one of Australia's internal territories, known for its coastal landscapes. Do you have memories or stories from the bay? Share them with the community!