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William Dampier never set out to find Australia. This was not his aim. He was an experienced sea captain, pirate and trader. Many Dutch explorers had already landed on Western Australia's shores, so Dampier was not seeking to find a continent that had already been discovered. It just so happened that, in January 1688, Dampier's ship "Cygnet" was beached on the northwestern coast of Australia.
It is not known exactly how many years Dampier was sailing before he first landed in Australia, at the age of 36. However, it is known that, because he lost his parents when he was very young, he was apprenticed to a shipmaster at age 7. he began sailing from a very young age.
What else can I help you with?
Did William dampier discover Australia?
No. A dutch named Willem Janszoon was the first european to officially set foot on Australia in 1606. William Dampier went to Australia 93 years later in 1699.
How old was William dampier when he died?
William dampier was 64 years old when he died.
Who was William Dampier's mother?
William Dampier was a pirate and later an explorer in Australia. He was born in East Coker in Somerset England. Little is known about his mother. Both his parents had died before he was seven years old.
Who was the first englishman to land in Australia?
William Dampier was the first Englishman to land in Australia, doing so first in 1688 and again in 1699. Dampier was not impressed with what he found on shores of northwest Australia, and his negative reports discouraged further English exploration until James Cook was charged with the secret mission of making observations on (and claiming) any uninhabited lands in the south Pacific. Dampier was not the first European to land on Australia, as the Dutch preceded him by over 80 years.
Where did William Dampier explore?
William Dampier explored previously unknown parts of the western coast of Australia, then known as New Holland. On 4 January 1688, William Dampier's ship the 'Cygnet' was beached on the northwest coast of Australia, at King Sound near Buccaneer Archipelago on the north-west coast of Australia. Eleven years later, Dampier was back, after the British Admiralty commissioned him to chart the north-west coast, hoping to find a strategic use for 'New Holland'. In July 1699, Dampier reached Dirk Hartog Island near Shark Bay in Western Australia. Searching for water, he followed the coast northwards, reaching the Dampier Archipelago and then Roebuck Bay. After finding no sign of water, he was forced to head north for Timor.
Why is Captain Cook the first explorer?
He wasn't; this is a common misconception. If you are referring to Cook's exploration of Australia, many Dutch and Portuguese explorers named points along Australia's coastline long before Cook ever arrived. Cook was not even the first Englishman, being preceded some 80 years earlier by William Dampier.
Where did William Dampier explore in Australia?
William Dampier was not the first European to explore Australia, but he was the first Englishman to explore any part of the continent.Dutch explorer Willem Jansz was the first recorded European to explore Australia when he came ashore at the Pennefather River on the western shore of Cape York Peninsula in 1606. Jansz met with hostile Aborigines, and lost ten of his crew men, but still managed to chart 320 km of the shoreline.However, Jansz believed his landing point was part of New Guinea, and Dutch maps reflected this error for many years.
When did the British explore Australia?
The first Englishman to explore Australia was Captain William Dampier, an English pirate and sea explorer. He saw the western coast of Australia, first in 1688, and then a decade later. Dampier was unimpressed with the dry barrenness of the northwest coast, and claimed that the indigenous people were "the miserablest people in the world". It was Dampier's negative report which put off further British interest in the Australian continent for almost another 100 years. Lieutenant James Cook charted and officially claimed the eastern coast of Australia for Britain in 1770.
What did William Dampier call Australia?
He discovered the northern wet part of Australia and landed in Roebuck bay Cygnet bay and shark bay which he named and landed not far from where Dirk Hartog landed 70 years ago.His first ship was in The Cygnet,(a baby swan)1688and second in The Roebuck,1699.He was an English Bucaneer and was well educated.
When was Australia discovered by William Dampier?
Australia was not discovered by William Dampier, but he was the first Englishman to land on its shores. On 4 January 1688, his ship the 'Cygnet' was beached on the northwest coast of Australia, at King Sound near Buccaneer Archipelago on the north-west coast of Australia. While the ship was being repaired Dampier made notes on the fauna and flora he found there. Dampier was unimpressed by the dry, barren landscape, the lack of water and what he described as the "miserablest people in the world" - the native population. His negative reports led to the delay of England's colonisation of what is now Australia. It was not until 1770 that Captain James Cook reported positively on the green, fertile countryside of New South Wales, and England sought to colonise the previously unknown continent.
Was William Dampier ordered to explore Australia?
William Dampier was not ordered to explore the Australian continent the first time he came across it, as he initially stumbled across "New Holland" as part of his journeys as a pirate. In January 1688, Dampier's ship the 'Cygnet' was beached on the northwest coast of Australia, at King Sound near Buccaneer Archipelago on the north-west coast of Australia. While the ship was being repaired Dampier made notes on the fauna and flora he found there. He was unimpressed by the dry, barren landscape, the lack of water and what he described as the "miserablest people in the world" - the native population. The second time Dampier came to Australia, it was because he was following British orders. Eleven years later, Dampier returned because the British Admiralty commissioned him to chart the north-west coast, hoping to find a strategic use for 'New Holland. The expedition set out on 14 January 1699. In July, Dampier reached Dirk Hartog Island near Shark Bay in Western Australia. Searching for water, he followed the coast northwards, reaching the Dampier Archipelago and then Roebuck Bay. After finding no sign of water, he was forced to head north for Timor. Dampier's negative reports on New Holland delayed British colonisation of the continent for many years, until Cook found the verdant eastern coast.
What led William dampier to explore Australia?
William Dampier came across Australia quite by accident. He initially stumbled across "New Holland", the western part of the continent, as part of his journeys as a pirate. In January 1688, his ship the 'Cygnet' was beached on the northwest coast of Australia, at King Sound near Buccaneer Archipelago on the north-west coast of Australia. While the ship was being repaired Dampier made notes on the fauna and flora he found there. He was unimpressed by the dry, barren landscape, the lack of water and what he described as the "miserablest people in the world" - the native population. Eleven years later, Dampier was back, after the British Admiralty commissioned him to chart the north-west coast, hoping to find a strategic use for this new land which bordered the Indian Ocean. In July 1699, Dampier reached Dirk Hartog Island near Shark Bay in Western Australia. He was looking for water, so he followed the coast northwards, reaching the Dampier Archipelago and then Roebuck Bay. After finding no sign of water, he was forced to head north for Timor. Dampier's negative reports on New Holland delayed British colonisation of the continent for many years, until Cook found the verdant eastern coast.
