Sir Joseph Banks Group Conservation Park

 park, water, island group / islands, invisible

 Upload a photo

Sir Joseph Banks Group
21.2.1802. Flinders. Named after the famed botanist, Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820). Born in Argyle Street, London. As his father was a successful Lincolnshire doctor, who became sheriff of his county and represented Peterborough in Parliament, he was brought up as the son of a rich man. In 1760, he went to Oxford, where he showed a decided taste for natural science and was the means of introducing botanical lectures into the curriculum. In 1764, his father died and left him an ample fortune. From his first expedition to Newfoundland and Labrador in 1766, he returned with a rich collection of plants and insects. Soon afterwards, Captain Cook was sent by the Government to observe the transit of Venus in the Pacific Ocean. Through the good offices of his friend Lord Sandwich, he obtained leave to join the Endeavour expedition which he had fitted out at his own expense. He induced Dr.Daniel Solander, the distinguished pupil of Linnaeus, to accompany him. He even engaged draughtsmen and painters to delineate such objects of interest as did not admit transportation and preservation. This voyage occupied three years and led to many hardships, but its rich harvest of discovery became a more than adequate compensation. Banks also wanted to join Cook's second expedition on which he spent a great deal of money, engaging assistants and providing necessary equipment, but circumstances did not allow him to do so.
In 1778, Banks succeeded Sir John Pringle as President of the Royal Society, of which he became a Fellow in 1766, and held this position until his death. He was made a Baronet in 1781 and received the Order of the Bath in 1795. In 1797, he was admitted to the Privy Council. He died at Isleworth. Freycinet called the group the Leoben Islands.