What was the purpose of Matthew Flinders exploring Australia?

Answer 1

Matthew Flinders arrived in Australia in the 1790s and commenced exploring and charting the coast of the continent. Together with George Bass, he circumnavigated Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), proving it was an island separate from the mainland. Between December 1801 and June 1803, Flinders charted the entire coastline of Australia, adding valuable information to the maps of the time. Australia was previously known as New Holland, and Flinders first proposed the name "Terra Australis", which became "Australia", the name adopted in 1824.

Answer 2

The main legacy of Matthew Flinders is the fact that Australia bears the name it has today. Flinders was the one who suggested the name, and this was adopted in 1824, tenyears after his death. A less tangible legacy is the fact that he is remembered for being the first to circumnavigate the entire continent of Australia, and to prove conclusively that it was a single continent, not a series of large islands.

Further legacy can be found in the many things named after Matthew Flinders:

• Flinders Island in Bass Strait

In South Australia:

• Flinders Mountain Range
• Flinders Ranges National Park
• Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island
• Flinders University
• the suburb of Flinders Park
• Flinders Highway

In Queensland

• also another Flinders Highway
• the Ipswich suburb of Flinders View
• Flinders River, the longest river in Queensland

In Victoria

• the Melbourne suburb of Flinders
• Federal electorate of Flinders

In Western Australia:

• Flinders Bay

In NSW:

• Bass and Flinders Point

Throughout Australia, there are also many streets and schools named after Matthew Flinders.

Answer 3

The main purpose for Matthew Flinders' exploration of Australia was to chart the coastline more accurately. This included determining whether Tasmania was an island or part of the mainland. Flinders was also motivated by the reports from Captain Cook's journeys, and the sense of adventure and discovery he felt when he read "Robinson Crusoe" as a child.

Answer 4

Matthew Flinders is important because he made a significant contribution to the exploration and mapping of the Australian continent. 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. He was also the one who suggested the name Australia for 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.
• 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.
• He spent several days exploring and mapping Port Phillip Bay, where the city of Melbourne now stands.