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The list below, with its carefully researched references was provided by Peter Reynders of Australia on the Map (AOTM), the history division of the Australasian Hydrographic Society. Its aim is to help Australians to know their early Maritime Contact History better.

FROM JANSZOON TO DE FREYCINET: CONCISE DATABASE OF SELECTED LANDINGS ON THE AUSTRALIAN COAST AND RELATED EVENTS FROM 1606 TO 1814

YEAR

COMMANDERS

VESSELS

LOCATIONS

KEY EVENTS

REFERENCES

1606

Willem Janszoon,

Jan Lodewijkszoon

van Rosingeyn

Duyfken

Queensland, west coast of Cape York Penninsula, south to Cape Keer Weer;

1st landfall at Pennefather River;

First locally charted foreign map of coast; March; original documents lost; based on other contemporary sources and copies; contacts with the local people, 9 sailors killed during voyage

Heeres pp4-6;

Schilder pp43-53

Oldest copy in Van Der Hem atlas (1670);

1606

Luis Vaes De Torres

San Pedrico;

Los Tres Reyes

Torres Strait

1st to sail through Strait; July/August;

Major pp 31-42

Schilder p.109;

Estensen p186

Strait appears first on Langren Globe (1632), Gerritszoon Map(dated 1634) and in English in 1767 (Dalrymple)

1610-11

Hendrik Brouwer

?

Did not land or see coast of Australia

Established route via southern Indian Ocean to E Indies

Schilder pp 55-57

1616

Dirck Hartog

Eendracht

WA: Dirk Hartog Island

[Eeendracht Land]

1st recorded landing in WA. Left pewter plate with names and date:25 Oct left 27 Oct

Major ppixxxi-xxxiv; Heeres pp 8-10

1618

Haevik Claeszoon

Zeewolf

nr North West Cape

Sighted NW Cape on 11 May

Heeres pp10-12

1618

Lenaert Jacobszoon

Mauritius

North West Cape; Willems River=Jocob Remmessens River = likely Yardie Creek

July 31, Antonio Van Diemen on board, sees Australia.

Also on board is Supercargo Willem Janszoon, former Master of Duyfken , visiting Australia for the second time. He reports an island [North West Cape]

Heeres pp 12-13, 54, 57; Schilder p 72

Mutch 1942

1619

Frederik De Houtman, J Dedel

Dordrecht, Amsterdam,

Swan River region

De Houtman Abrolhos, Rottnest Is, 19 July

Heeres pp14-16; Schilder pp75-77

1622

?

Leeuwin

Coast of d'Entrecasteaux National Park, coast south of Cape Leeuwin and likely also Cape Leeuwin

Noticed south coast curved eastwards, 35 degrees south

Heeres p 18

1622

Publication of Map of the Pacific

Compiled by VOC cartographerHessel Gerritszoon

Showing information gathered by Janszoon in 1606

Oldest existing map showing any part of Australia. Map has also indirect ref to De Torres' sailing through Torres Strait

Schilder pp288-9 Map 23

Estensen p186

1622

?

't Wapen van Hoorn

Eendracht Land probably Edel Land (westernmost peninsula forming Shark Bay), or Dirk Hartog Island

Ran aground June 1622, refloated

Heeres p18

1622

John Brookes

Tryall

Monte Bellos, Tryall Rocks

First European wreck in Australian waters, EEIC vessel. 46 people took off in two small vessels incl Brookes, 93 left to perish on the wreck.

Heeres pp 18-21

Henderson, G p 4

1623

J Carstenszoon, W van Coolsteerdt

Pera, Arnhem

Arnhemland, west coast of Cape York Penninsula

January

Heeres pp 27-48

Schilder pp 84-96

1623

Claes Hermanszoon

Leijden

South of Dirk Hartog Island

1st European baby born in Australian waters. Leijden back here in 1626

Heeres p 49

Estensen p152

1624

Unknown

Tortelduyff

Turtledove Shoal, south of Houtman Abrolhos, WA

Sighting of the shoal was mapped by Hessel Gerritz in 1628.

Howgego p521 Sigmond & Zuiderbaan

p 51

1626

Daniel Cock

Leijden

Zuytdorp Cliffs to Dirk Hartog Island

Sighted coast but did not land

Heeres p 50

Estensen p 152

1627

Commander Peter Nuyts, skipper François Thijssen

't Gulden Zeepaert

Mapped south coast of Australia as far as Fowler's Bay, SA

First map of south coast and of SA coast

Heeres p 51; Schilder pp106-7

1627

Gov. Gen of E I: Jan P. Coen

Galias, Utrecht, Texel

Lat 28 deg 30 min, WA, almost strike Abrolhos reefs

Recommends making of map of the continent to VOC

Heeres p 51-2

1627

J van Roosenburgh

't Wapen Van Hoorn

Near Dirk Hartog Island

Revisions to map of Eendracht

Land

Heeres p 52-3

1628

Gerrit

Frederikszoon

De Witt

Vianen

NW coast

Mapping of 370 km of NW coast

Heeres p 54

Estensen p 155

1629

Fransisco Pelsaert

Batavia

De Houtman Abrolhos Islands

June 4; Batavia Mutiny follows

First European structures built in Australia (still extant); first European

description of an Australian marsupial.

Major pp 95-74

Heeres pp 58-62

1629

Fransisco Pelsaert

Sardam

De Houtman Abrolhos Islands

Rescue ship of Batavia survivors

Major pp 59-74

Heeres pp 58-62

1629

Wouter Loos,

Jan Pelgrom De Bye

small boat

16 Nov

Mouth of Hutt River

First European immigrants left on the mainland, fully equipped

Heeres p 62

Schilder (app) pp 271-275

1635

Wijbrandt Geleynnsz. De Jongh

Amsterdam

WA around lat 25 deg S

Charted stretch of coast

Heeres pp 62-64

1636

G.T. Pool, Piet Pietersz.

Klein Amsterdam, Wesel

Gulf of Carpentaria

Mapped NT coast

Heeres pp 62-71

1636

Antonie Caen

Banda

South-west coast, Bernier Island

Off the coast, apparently near Bernier Island, Caen made what has been interpreted as the first sighting of black swans.

Kenny p 90

1642

Abel Janszoon Tasman

Heemskerk' Zeehaen

Tasmania, NW Zealand

1st circumnavigation of Australia, claims Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) for Holland

Heeres pp72; Schilder pp 139-205

1644

Abel Janszoon Tasman

Limmen, Zeemeeuw, Braq

Charts 418km of North Aust. coast

Did not find entrance to Torres strait

Heeres p 72 Schilder pp 139-205

1646

Sir Robert Dudley

-

Published in London

First map of part of Australian coast by an Englishman (in Latin)

Schilder pp 324-5 Map 41

1648

Jan Janszoon Zeeuw

Leeuwerik

Australian coast 25-26 deg. S

Journal and charts missing.

Heeres pp 73-74

1656

Pieter Albertszoon

De Vergulde Draeck

100 km N of Perth,

28 April

Ship wrecked; 68 sailors stranded on the coast; never seen again by the Dutch despite searches.

Heeres pp75-76

1656

?

De Goede Hoop, De Witte Valk

Rescue vessels searched area of the above

Captain and crew not found, Goede Hoop lose 11 men and boat

Heeres pp 75

1657

?

Vinck

Searched wreck area again

No success

Heeres pp 75-7

1658

Samuel Volckersen

De Waekende Boey, Emmeloort

Searches area again

No success; land on mainland and Rottnest Island; made first European pictorials of Australia

Heeres pp 76-80

1658

Abraham Leeman and 13 others

unnamed small vessel

Green Islets, central west coast of WA

Abandoned by Volckersen, they managed to sail back to Java with almost no food or water, 4 arrived alive

Henderson, J. 1985

Marooned, Perth: St George Books;

Henderson,G

p 27

1658

Jacob Pieterszoon Peereboom

Elburgh

Cape Leeuwin region, Geographe Bay

Encounter Aborigines, tools, huts

Heeres pp 81

1678

Jan van der Wall

De Vliegende Zwaan

NW Coast

Charted NW coast from NW Cape to Roebuck Bay

Heeres pp.81-2

1681

Capt Daniel

London

Northern part of De Houtman Abrolhos Islands

First description and map of part Australia written in English

Estensen p 141

1687

Admiral Duquesne-Guitton

L'Oiseau

South West Coast

4 August 1687 Capt Duquesne Guitton in command of Lòiseau noted he was in sight of Eendracht Land. The ship was conveying a French Ambassador Claude Ceberet to the Kingdom of Siam, where he was to establish an embassy .

Godard pp. 3-4

1687

Nicolas Gedeon de Voutron

unknown

Swan River

Reported visit by unknown ship to latitude as Swan River. Voutron urged the Minister of the Navy to establish a settlement at the mouth of the river

Godard pp. 3-4

1688

Capt Read, with William Dampier

Cygnet

King Sound or Collier Bay WA

Repaired ships, stayed about 2 months

Estensen pp 134-135

1694

Skipper Dirck de Lange, with the Hon. James Couper

De Ridder-schap van Holland

Possibly shipwrecked on WA coast with 326 people

Possibly taken by pirates off Madagascar.

Henderson,G pp 33-34

1696-7

Willem De Vlamingh

Geelvinck, Nijptang, Weseltje

Charts Perth region, Swan River, 80 km inland, replaced Hartog's pewter plate, charts Christmas Island on return trip;

Artist Victorszoon made pictorials of coast

Heeres pp.83-86

1699

William Dampier

Roebuck

WA Coast Dirk Hartog Island

6 Aug. Sees bay and many sharks, named Shark Bay

Estensen p 139

1704-5

Maarten Van Delft,

Andries Rooseboom,

P Hendrikszoon

Nieuw Holland, De Waijer, Vosschen-bosch

Arnhem land, Gulf of Carpentaria,

extensive contacts with locals

Heeres pp 87-88

1712

Marinus Wijsvliet

Zuytdorp

Found wrecked on WA coast 60 km north of mouth of Murchison River.

Wreck+ survivor's

camp sites found beginning in 1927. Coins show wreck's identity. Sur - vivors moved north, never seen again by the Dutch

Estensen pp 203-204

Henderson G.

p 35

1727

Jan Steyns

Zeewijk

Wrecked

9 June

Houtman Abrolhos

Sailors build Sloepie from wreck, 1st European vessel built in Australia, and sail to Java.

Heeres p 91

1756

JE Gonzal, LL van Asschens

Rijder, Buijs

Gulf of Carpentaria & Cape Keer Weer

Extensive contact with the locals

Heeres pp 92-100

1768

Louis Antoine de Bougainville

Boudeuse, Etoile

Stopped 100 km from Australian coast by Great Barrier Reef

-

Estensen p 224

1770

James Cook

Endeavour

Charted East Coast from Pt Hicks to Cape York

Claimed East Coast for England at Possession Island

Tiley p 19

1772

François Alesno de St Allouarn

Gros Ventre

WA coast from Cape Leeuwin to Shark Bay and to Melville Island

Claims Australia for France

Tiley p 94

1772

Nicholas Thomas Marion Du Fresne

Mascain; Marquis de Catries

Tasmania, NW Zealand

28 crew killed by Maoris incl. Marion.

Tiley p 92

1773

Tobias Furneaux

HMS Adventure

Tasmania, Bass Strait (Furneaux Islands)

Part of Cook's 2nd voyage. Charted the east coast of Tasmania and the Furneaux Islands.

Furneaux pp 108-115; Howgego p256

1782

De Kermadec; Bruny d'Entrecasteaux

-

Sailed south of Australia

- -

1788

Arthur Phillip

Sirius, Supply and 9 other vessels

Camp Cove

22 January; Sydney Cove

26 January

= "1st Fleet"

-

1788

Jean - Francois Galaup Compte de La Pérouse

La Boussola; L'Astrolabe

Botany Bay

Disappears near the Solomon's Islands

-

1788-89

William Bligh

HMS Bounty, Bounty launch

Tasmania, Barrier Reef, Torres Strait

Visited Tasmania en-route to Tahiti. After Bounty Mutiny, sailed boat west and crossed the Barrier Reef at 12° 46'S and passed up the coast and by a new passage through Torres Strait north of Thursday Island.

Feeken and Feeken

pp 49-50; Howgego

p 125-6

1789

John Henry Cox

Mercury (aka Gustaf III)

Tasmania

A nominally Swedish expedition to explore NW coast of America, called at and charted small part of southern Tasmania /Maria Island.

Mortimer pp 15-21; Duyker and Duyker

1791

George Vancouver

Discovery; Chatham

South Coast of Western Australia

Names various land marks incl King George Sound, observes Aboriginal occupation but has no direct contact

Vancouver

pp 137-151

1791

Edward Edwards

HMS Pandora, Pandora's boat

Barrier Reef, Torres Strait

Returning with some of the Bounty mutineers from Tahiti, Pandora charted a northerly stretch of the Barrier reef east of Torres Strait, then was wrecked on the Reef. The survivors sailed to Timor in the boats.

Feeken and Feeken pp 52-3; Howgego

p 345

1791-92

John McClure [McCluer]

Panther and Endeavour

Arnhem Land coast

East India Company captain and hydrographer, McClure surveyed in Palau and New Guinea before returning west to Benkulen via northern Australian coast.

Howgego

pp 698,888

1792

William Bligh

HMS Providence and Assistant

Tasmania and Torres Strait

Visited Tasmania en-route to Tahiti on second breadfruit voyage. Passed through Torres Strait by a new route on his return voyage.

Feeken and Feeken pp 50-1 Howgego

p 126

1792-3

Antoine Bruny d'Entrecasteaux

Recherche; Esperance

Tasmania, Aust S coast

Searched for La Perouse, circumnavigate Australia 1.5 times

Duyker and Duyker; Tiley

p 101

1795

George Bass; Matthew Flinders

Tom Thumb(8 foot)

Explore Georges River

28 Oct-3 Nov

Tiley p 223

1796

Bass and Flinders

Reliance

Sail to Norfolk Island

Jan - Mar

Tiley p 223

1796

Bass, Martin and Flinders

Tom Thumb 2

Explore Port Kembla area

25 March - 2 April, have contact with many Aboriginal people

Tiley p 223

1797

Guy Hamilton

Sydney Cove

Wrecked Preservation Island

3 of 18 survived

Tiley p 71

1797

George Bass

28 foot Whaleboat

Finds the 3 survivors and coal near Wollongong

5 Aug back at Sydney Cove.

Tiley p 71

1797-98

George Bass

28 foot Whaleboat

Bass Strait, Twofold Bay, Shoalhaven, Western port

Maps Gippsland Coast, finds Western Port Bay

Tiley p 72;

Howgego p 95

1798-99

Matthew Flinders, George Bass and Bungaree

Norfolk

Bass Straight, Tasmania, southern Queensland

Flinders 1st trip as captain, circumnavigate Tasmania

Flinders xcv-civ; Tiley p 73;

Feeken and Feeken pp 57-8, 66; Howgego

pp 386-7

1800, 1802

Lt Grant, John Murray

Lady Nelson

Port Phillip (Vic) to Cape Jaffa (SA)

Chart portion of remaining part of south coast, Port Phillip Bay, Murray takes "possession" of Port Phillip Bay 8 March 1802

Feeken and Feeken p 66

1801

Emanuel Hamelin

-

Dirk Hartog Island

His Junior Officer Louis de Freycinet finds De Vlamingh pewter plate and in 1818 returns and takes it to Paris.

Tiley p 116

1801-03

Nicolas Baudin, Emanuel Hamelin, (Louis de Freycinet took command on return journey)

Geographe, Naturaliste

Chart west coast, Denial Bay, Spencer Gulf, Kangaroo Island etc.

Abandons voyage in June, Baudin dies in August in Mauritius

Tiley p116-133

1801-03

Matthew Flinders

Investigator

Chart Denial Bay, Spencer Gulf, Kangaroo Island etc. Completes charting of south coast, circumnavigates Australia charting more accurately many coasts

Baudin and Flinders meet at Encounter Bay 8 April

1802 in Geographe and Investigator

Tiley p 127

1811

Louis De Freycinet

publishes "Atlas"

in Paris with

first complete map of

Australian Coast

including data from Baudin voyage

1814

Matthew Flinders publishes "Narrative"

In London including

his map of Australia

including data from

his voyages

Sources:

Estensen, M. 1998. Discovery - The Quest for the Great South Land Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW.

Duyker, E. and Duyker, M. (eds). 2001. Bruny D'Entrecasteaux: Voyage to Australia and the Pacific 1791-1793, Miegunyah Press, Melbourne University Press, Carlton.

Flinders, Matthew, A Voyage to Terra Australis. This ebook is available from the Australian Explorers Journals page. (Includes an account of Bass and Flinders discoveries on the east coast of Australia).

Feeken, E. H. J. and Feeken, G. E. E, 1970. Discovery and Exploration of Australia, Thomas Nelson, Melbourne.

Furneaux, T. "Captain Furneaux's Narrative" in J. Cook A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World in HMS Resolution and Adventure 1772 - 1775, Volume 1, pp. 108 -115.

Godard, P 2000. French maritime history in WA. Quarterly Newsletter of the Australian Association for Maritime History, 79:3-4.

Heeres, J. E. 1899 The Part Borne by the Dutch in the Discovery of Australia 1606-1765, E. J. Brill, Luzac and Co., London, Leiden, 1899.

Henderson, G. 1980. Unfinished Voyages - Western Australian Shipwrecks 1622-1850, University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands, W.A.

Henderson, J. 1985. Marooned, St. George Books, Perth.

Howgego, R. J. 2003. Encylcopedia of Exploration to 1800, Hordern House, Potts Point, NSW.

Kenny, J. 1995. Before the First Fleet: Europeans in Australia 1606 - 1777, Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst, NSW.

Major, R. H. 1859. Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Hakluyt Society, London.

Mortimer, G. 1791. Observations and Remarks Made During a Voyage to the Islands of Teneriffe, Amsterdam, Maria Islands Near Van Dieman's Land, Author, London.

Mutch, T. D. 1942. The first discovery of Australia with an account of the voyage of the "Duyfken" and career of Captain Willem Jansz. Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Australian Historical Society, 28(5):303-352.

Schilder, G. 1976. Australia Unveiled: The Share of the Dutch Navigators in the Discovery of Australia, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, Amsterdam.

Sigmond, L. and Zuiderbaan, L. H. 1995. Dutch Discoveries of Australia: Shipwrecks, Treasures, and Early Voyages Off the West Coast, Batavia Lion, Amsterdam.

Tiley, R. 2002. Australian Navigators, Kangaroo Press, Roseville, NSW.

Vancouver, G. 1802. A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean and Around the World 1790-1795, John Stockdale, London, Volume 1.

Mike Dash, 2002. Batavia’s Graveyard, Phoenix, London.

A Van Iterson, 1997. Sector, Firm and Management Performance in The Netherlands: The role of National Governance and Institution, NIBOR, University of Maastricht, Paper to EMOT conference in Berlin.

Peter Reynders, 2002. The Dutch United East India Company (VOC), Australian Sea Heritage, Journal of Australia’s Maritime Museums, Spring 2002, pp15-19 & 34.

F Gaastra, 2002. The Geschiedenis van de VOC, Walburg Pers, Zutphen.

Els M Jacobs, 1991. Varen om Peper and Thee, Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum/ Amsterdam and Walburg Pers/Zutphen.


Last Updated 25 Mar 2008