Despite Dirk Hartog's discovery of the western part of Terra Australis in 1616, and the reports of William Dampier of the same land in 1688, not much interest was given to this land. Reports that the area was generally barren and seemingly lacked any commercially exploitable resource, quelled any interest in the area and as a result, the search for a southern paradise became focused on the east of the continent. The Dutch certainly were not terribly interested in pursuing exploration of the land here.

It was the French who made the first official claim to the land of west New Holland in 1772. A group of them arrived on the ship Gros Ventre and landed at Turtle Bay. They then proceeded to take possession of the land in the name of the French King.

However, despite their efforts, they too seemed to lose interest and became preoccupied with other affairs of national importance, like the Napoleonic wars. It seemed that Western Australia was not high on any country's development list.

Following Cook's discovery and the foundation of Botany Bay in 1788, the British had little incentive to look west. It was not until Ralph Darling became Governor of New South Wales that interest in the west and the issue of settlement arose. In a document handed to him at the beginning of his term of office, it was clear that the British wished to extend their sovereignty in the region, and this expansionist policy was to set into motion a series of events that would finally lead to colonisation of the west, funded by private enterprise.

It is probable that the British feared the French would try to establish a permanent settlement, and once they did this, the land would be lost. It is for this reason that the British began to act with a sense of urgency.

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