Penrith Originally founded by the original Darug tribe, which now has many descendants living here; Captain Cook arrived in Sydney Botanical Bay in 1770, and Captain Phillip founded the first European colony in Sydney 18 years later, 1788; Next, in 1789, Captain Watkin Tanchi of the Royal Fleet led the fleet to Paramata at the foot of the Blue Mountains. They marched north along the river, named Nepean after Evan Nepean. Since then, the region has become known for Evan, and the agriculture and food processing industries have developed rapidly.