The French Memorial

The French Memorial is a plaque set in a rock approximately five feet high and three feet wide on the lawn between Cottesloe Surf Club and Indiana Tea Rooms. A French survey vellel under Lieutenant Commander Milius grounded near here on the morning of 19 June 1801.

Captain Hamelin of the Naturaliste, which was anchored between Rottnest and Swanbourne, sent Lieutenant Colonel Milius to survey Garden Island and Carnac Island on 18 June 1801, while Francis Heirisson was surveying the Swan River.

On the way back to the Naturaliste, Milius' party ran into a north west gale and was cast ashore. The survey party took advantage of the opportunity to survey the Cottesloe region while they were marooned.

One group walked along the beach to the mouth of the river, where they planted a French Tricolour to alert Heirisson of their presence.