John Murray ( ) was a seaman and explorer of Australia. He was the first European to land in Port Phillip, the bay on which the cities of Melbourne and Geelong are situated. He is notable for his explorations and surveying work in Victoria and New South Wales, including being the first European captain to enter Port Phillip Bay, then known as Narrm-Narrm by the local Aboriginal people, and exploring the area around present-day Melbourne. Early life It is believed he was born in Edinburgh and began his naval career as an able seaman in 1789. He served as a midshipman in the Polyphemus from October 1794 to May 1797, as mate in the Apollo from May to December 1797, as second master and pilot of the Blazer from January to July 1798, and as mate of the Porpoise from October 1798 to July 1800. Later that year he passed his lieutenant's examination. Exploration of Australia In November 1800, Murray arrived in New South Wales on the Porpoise. He accompanied James Grant, George Caley, Euranabie, and Worogan, as mate on the Lady Nelson while surveying Jervis Bay, Westernport Bay and the Hunter River in 1801. After his return to Sydney, Grant resigned his command, and in September Governor King appointed Murray as acting lieutenant and commander of the Lady Nelson. After a voyage to Norfolk Island, Murray was instructed to continue the exploration of the southern Australian coastline. He set out from Sydney on 12 November for the Kent Group, where he successfully navigated and charted the passage between Deal and Erith Islands, which would later be named in his honour. In December, he undertook a survey of Western Port. Exploration of present-day Melbourne On 4 January 1802, he sighted the entrance to Port Phillip, but decided it was too dangerous to navigate, so continued to survey the east coast of King Island. On 14 February 1802, he returned and entered Port Phillip for the first time, anchoring off what became the site of the quarantine station. Murray spent more than a month surveying the bay and naming landmarks including Arthur's Seat. Murray chose to base the Lady Nelson off what is now known as Sorrento Beach. Violent encounter with Aboriginal people On 17 February, Murray wrote that his contingent went looking for and was approached by a group of 18 or 20 Aboriginal men and boys. The Aboriginal people