Cronulla  New South Wales

Cronulla is quickly transforming itself into a truly sophisticated, cosmopolitan beachside haven in the far southern suburbs, about 26km from Sydney’s CBD.

Many old buildings down by the magnificent beach are being replaced, generally to the greater benefit of the landscape.

There are some wonderful spots around here, not the least of which is the boating and fishing mecca of Port Hacking, behind Cronulla.

A few kilometres to the north lies Australia’s birthplace at Kurnell. The spot where Captain James Cook and his men waded ashore from HMS Endeavour on April 29, 1770, to raise the English standard is marked by a memorial obelisk which was erected on the centenary of the event.

A second monument commemorates Midshipman Isaac Smith, Cook's wife's cousin and the first white man on record to set foot on the eastern coast of the vast island continent we now know as Australia.

The nearby Discovery Centre pays glowing tribute to Cook's skills as an explorer and also features displays focussing on the flora and fauna of the Botany Bay wetlands.