-
Australia was discovered
Between 1606 and 1770 more than 50 European ships made landfall on Australian soil, which was then inhabited solely by Indigenous people. Navigator and astronomer Captain James Cook claimed the whole of the east coast of Australia for Great Britain on 22 August 1770, naming eastern Australia 'New South Wales'. -
Mapping of Australia
Large sections of the Australian coast had still not been mapped, especially the souther and southeastern coast line. The colonial government realised that it was important to fill in the gaps on the map as a first step to planing where new settlements could be established. Settlements around the coast line would help britain lay claim to the whole continent -
Tasmania is a separate island
in 1792 George Bass explored the Australian coast as far as Western Port in Victoria. His observations of the wave patterns and currents led him to believe that tasmania was a separate island. -
Mapping of the Southern Coast
Mathew Flinders was promoted to commander and instructed to explore the unmapped areas of Southern Australia. Setting out from Western Australia, from December 1801 to May 1802 he mapped the southern coast. He then sailed north and west to circumnavigate the continent. -
Australian Map
The charting of the continues coast line was completed, and it wasn't until 1814 that these maps were formally published