What did Matthew Flinders name in South Australia?

Answer 1

On 28 January 1802, Flinders anchored in Fowler's Bay on the southern coast, and described it as "a well sheltered cove affording wood and water". He named it after his first lieutenant, Robert Fowler. Encounter Bay, at the mouth of Australia's Murray River, was charted and named by Flinders on 8 April 1802. It was named this as it was where Flinders encountered French sailor and explorer Nicholas Baudin, on his own epic voyage. Flinders did not actually find the mouth of the Murray: that was left to later explorer Charles Sturt, in 1830.

Answer 2

Matthew Flinders first came to Australia in 1791 with Captain Bligh aboard the ship Providence, where he came across part of the southeast coast of Tasmania. He learnt a great many of his sailing skills under Bligh's tutelage.

Answer 3

Matthew Flinders arrived in Australia in the 1790s and commenced exploring and charting the coast of the continent. Between December 1801 and June 1803, Flinders charted the entire coastline of Australia. Australia was previously known as New Holland, and Flinders first proposed the name "Terra Australis", which became "Australia", the name adopted in 1824. Flinders was also famous for his cat "Trim", who accompanied him on his voyages between 1799 and 1804.

Answer 4

Matthew Flinders was the one who circumnavigated the entire continent of Australia, discovering and naming many inlets, bays, rivers and land features along the way. In particular, he detailed the southern coastline more so than any previous sea explorer.

Matthew Flinders also explored and charted the coast north and south of Sydney.

Some of his exploration and discoveries were as follows:

• Flinders, together with Bass, proved that Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) was an island, and not connected to the mainland.
• Flinders explored Moreton Bay in what is Queensland's southeast, naming several points of interest. He landed at, and named, Red Cliff Point, now Redcliffe, just north of Brisbane, as well as Coochiemudlo Island.
• He discovered and named Port Curtis on the central Queensland coast.
• While circumnavigating Australia, Flinders spent three weeks exploring and charting King george's Sound, now Albany, in Western Australia.
• He discovered and named Kangaroo Island off the South Australian coast.
• After one of Flinders's own cutters, which travelled with his ship, was lost along with an eight-man landing party, Flinders named Cape Catastrophe on the southern coast.
• He named Port Lincoln, now a major town on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia, along with Fowlers Bay.
• He spent several days exploring and mapping Port Phillip Bay.

Answer 5

In 1798 Matthew Flinders, together with George Bass, was commissioned by Governor Hunter to explore and circumnavigate Van Diemen's Land, to determine conclusively that it was an island. The two men set out in the 'Norfolk' on 7 October 1798. It was also the first time any Europeans had entered the Derwent River. The ship anchored in Risdon Cove, and Flinders described the area as "Very beautiful country, with a rich and luxuriant soil".

Answer 6

1801-1803 was the time period in which Matthew Flinders circumnavigated the entire continent of Australia, discovering and naming many inlets, bays, rivers and land features along the way. In particular, he detailed the southern coastline more so than any previous sea explorer. He discovered that Australia was a single continent, split was not split into two large islands, a theory that had been suggested by some.

Answer 7

Matthew Flinders travelled with George Bass, who was certain that Van Diemen's land (as Tasmania was then called) was an island, and who sought permission and sponsorship from the Governor to prove this.

Bass and Flinders departed Sydney on 3 December 1797, to determine whether a navigable strait existed between Van Diemen's Land and the mainland. It was on this journey that Bass and Flinders discovered the strait that is now named after himBass.

Answer 8

Matthew Flinders made a number of discoveries in Australia. He explored and charted the coast north and south of Sydney. Between December 1801 and June 1803, Flinders circumnavigated and charted the entire coastline of Australia, filling in the gaps of what was known about the continent.

Some of his exploration and discoveries were as follows:

• Flinders, together with Bass, proved that Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) was an island, and not connected to the mainland.
• Flinders explored Moreton Bay in what is Queensland's southeast, naming several points of interest. He landed at, and named, Red Cliff Point, now Redcliffe, just north of Brisbane, as well as Coochiemudlo Island.
• He discovered and named Port Curtis on the central Queensland coast.
• While circumnavigating Australia, Flinders spent three weeks exploring and charting King george's Sound, now Albany, in Western Australia.
• He discovered and named Kangaroo Island off the South Australian coast.
• After one of Flinders's own cutters, which travelled with his ship, was lost along with an eight-man landing party, Flinders named Cape Catastrophe on the southern coast.
• He named Port Lincoln, now a major town on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia, along with Fowlers Bay.
• He spent several days exploring and mapping Port Phillip Bay.