 In 1796 William Clark and others trekking north to Port Jackson from the wrecked ship "Sydney Cove" noticed coal exposed at the cliffs there and made a fire from it, attracting rescuers, giving the area its name.George Bass was despatched to report on it and traced the deposit along the shore and inland.There was nowhere for ships to safely land though, so it was not until 1850 that it began to be excavated.