What was the reason for Captain James Cook's discovery of Australia?

Answer 1

Contrary to popular belief, James Cook did notdiscover Australia. The continent he explored had been discovered over 150 years before, by the Dutch and possibly even the Portuguese before then.

The reason James Cook arrived in Australia was a result of him being chosen to explore. With his experience and skills, he was an ideal candidate for the scientific and exploration missions upon which he set out. Cook's original mission was to observe the transit of Venus from the vantage point of Tahiti.

Cook was then under secret orders to try to find the great unknown southern continent, and claim it for Britain. In so doing, he charted the eastern coastline of what he called "New South Wales" (now Australia), making extensive notes on the people, flora, fauna and prospective suitability for colonisation, and reported back to England.