T I M E - L I N E

 

1627 Pieter Nuyts sailed past the area in 1627 on the Gulde Zeepaard.
1792 French ships L’Esperance and Recherche, sought shelter in a bay that was named after the ship L’Esperance.
1802 Mathew Flinders mapped the coastline.
1841 Edward John Eyre explored the area after crossing the Nullarbor.
1848 J.S. Roe led an expedition to the area.
1864 The area was settled by the Dempster brothers.
1870 An expedition across the Nullarbor to Adelaide, led by John Forrest, stopped briefly at the Dempster property.
1876 The telegraph line reached the area and a repeating station was built.
1879 A police station was erected.
1890 William Moir found gold in the area.
1893 Town site is gazetted.
1894 First school established.
1895 Jetty built.
Esperance Chronicle begins printing newspapers.
1896 Brewery opens.
1912 The area was initially opened up for farming.
1925 A railway to Salmon Gums was completed.
1950 An agricultural research station was developed.