April 25, 1770 at 3pm Captain James Cook and the Endeavour were just off the Shoalhaven

But 3pm on April 25 will also mark the 250th anniversary of Captain James Cook being off the entrance to the Shoalhaven River on his discovery voyage of Australia.

Nowra resident Bill Hancock who has a keen interest in history, and in particular local history, brought the fact to our attention.

"I went on the internet and found a document which tells where Cook was on certain days," he said.

"On Wednesday, April 25, 1770 at 3pm he was off the entrance to what would later become known as the Shoalhaven River.

"It's probably another unknown date in our history that should be noted.

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"It's noted that they were off the river entrance and then moved up to Black Head at Gerroa and anchored overnight before moving on."

Mr Hancock produced an artwork, which he presented to local elder Graham Connolly.

It features a black swan being a totem at that time, representing the local Aboriginals, and a white swan which represents the British (The Endeavour).

He said white swans have been considered Royal Fowl since before the mid-13th century and even today the Queen owns every unmarked mute swan.

"The painting is a collage of the Shoalhaven, painted in its natural state before white man arrived," he said.

"The canal (Berry's Canal - constructed in 1822 by convicts using hand tools), is of course, not there.

"I've put a black swan sitting on Lake Wollumboola looking out to sea, while out at sea the white swan represents the Endeavour.

"The date being what is now Anzac day, is significant in that what I have painted as a confrontation turned out to be the reconnoitre 250 years ago - the start of the British invading Australia," he said.

"It is an anniversary we shouldn't miss.

"In 2011, unfortunately the 200th anniversary of the first load of cedar to be take out of the Shoalhaven River was overlooked and missed."

Mr Hancock, in his book The Shoalhaven Catholic Quarter, the story of the early part of the development of the Nowra township including the creation of a Catholic church in the area noted that date.

A passionate fighter for Australia's first dedicated park, Nowra Park, Mr Hancock came across most of the information for his book while researching the park's long history.

The first government sponsored survey of the Shoalhaven River was conducted by James Meehan (Jimmy Means) in 1805 in the ship Ann.

In the survey he reported there was "cedar here" on the southern bank of the river at Paringa.

The first officially recognised ship to come up the river and return with a load of cedar was the Speedwell in 1811.

During 1812 a total of 13 officially recorded ship loads of cedar were taken from the river, while in 1813, which was recorded as a drought year, 18 officially reported loads left the region.

"These are important parts of our history that shouldn't be ignored or forgotten."