Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-1317922-20131001224734/@comment-4656717-20131004084012

I highly doubt that the Portuguese would have established a post. They did not publicise their involvement in the area, and once they lost the large part of their influence in the East Indies, a port at Darwin would have little worth. I can see a Dutch settlement being possible, but again, they knew about some actually nice places in Australis (ie Tasmania) for more than a century before British colonisation, but chose to do nothing with the knowledge.

The main problem with finding a POD is finding an incentive for the other colonial power to establish an outpost. It took 18 years (and some pretty hard convincing on Sir Joseph Banks' part) before the Brits settled the East coast (which is, as you know, infinitely more hospitable and welcoming than the West). Even then, they only used it initially as a jail!

How do you propose the Brits would shove the French out? And how were they in no shape to set up a small colony? I admit, 1816 would be far too early, but 1820-25? The french took Algeria in 1830; compared to that establishing an Australian colony is a breeze (and much cheaper). All that is required is one regiment, ten ships, some convicts and some settlers. The convicts provide free labour for establishing infrastructure and working on settlers' farms, soldiers keep the natives at bay (an all-too-easy task for trained musket-bearing soldiers in Australia) and the convicts in line, and settlers grow crops to feed themselves and the convicts.