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CAMDEN HARBOUR TOPO MAP AIR PHOTO
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CAMDEN HARBOUR TOPO MAP AIR PHOTO
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The Story of the Camden Harbour Settlement Three men are credited with the energy and forethought to spark the first attempt at European settlement in the western Kimberley at Camden Harbour. The W.A. Governor, John William Hampton, contributed men and money to a settlement scheme promoted by a slick Melbourne agent, William Harvey, based on glowing reports of explorer George Grey.About 70 potential settlers, principally from the mining and pastoral areas around Ballarat and Bendigo, bought shares in the Camden Harbour Association and were assembled in Melbourne in late 1864. The settlers were about to sail to W.A. in ships, the "Stag", the "Helvetia" and the "Calliance". After 3 weeks of sailing across the Great Australian Bight and up the W.A. coast, the "Calliance" struck hard on a reef near Adele Island. Unloading ballast, water and stockfeed lightened the ship. She drifted free and continued on to anchor in Camden Harbour on Xmas Day 1864. That evening one of the settlers died of sun stroke and was buried on Sheep Island. The "Stag" and "Helvetia" had arrived 12 days earlier, and some of the settlers already had their doubts about the viability of the venture. The "Calliance" Wreck While being brought close in to Camden Head for careening, the "Calliance" was caught in a violent wet season storm and washed onto the rocks. As the tide dropped, the ship broke up on the rocks.
The W.A. Government sent a magistrate, a surgeon, policemen and surveyors from Perth to the settlement on the "Tien Tsin" in February 1865. When they arrived the scene was one of utter chaos and misery. Such was the plight of the settlers in the harsh Kimberley stormy wet season, that many left on the "Stag" and the "Tien Tsin" with the skipper and crew of the ill-fated "Calliance". Sheep Island
The headstone and grave (left) is clearly visible today beside the large boab tree (right) on the south-eastern tip of Sheep Is. The Association Camp The Association Camp was established by the settlers on the western side of a small fresh water stream at the head of Camden Harbour. Access to this area through the mangrove thicket is difficult, even at high water, and very little trace remains of the camp today. The Government Camp
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Camden Harbour is located in the south east corner of the much larger Brecknock Harbour. Since the first attempt at settlement in 1864, until the advent of large charter boats, this 
area was probably rarely visited from the sea. However, the 1920's horse-drawn plough, and the 1994 Toyota Landcruiser 'ute nearby, indicates that the area had been visited from time to time during the 20th century.
Today, the "Calliance" wreck site is marked by a pile of black basalt stones (left) and a number of white fire bricks near low water mark at Camden Head. 
A lesser known reminder of the wreck is a lone boab tree on the eastern shoreline of Camden Harbour (right) inscribed with "JAN 1865 - SHIP - CALLIANCE".
One lady, Mary Jane Pascoe, was brave enough to remain with the hardy settlers. However, she became a victim of the harsh outback when she died on 4 June 1865 while giving birth to her child.
The Government Camp was established outside the confines of Camden Harbour on the rocky slopes of the mainland directly east of Sheep Island. An access track was cleared through the rocks and mangroves to allow stores and building materials to be brought ashore. This track (right) is still clearly visible today and allows visitors to land by dinghy on a small rocky beach at low tide and walk up the hill to the remains of the Government Camp.
The track through the rocks leads up to a stone wall (left) which now holds a collection of crockery shards, nails and other small metal 
objects for tourists to ponder.
