When did the Europeans discover the Great Barrier Reef?

Answer 1

Although the Australian indigenous people knew of the Great Barrier Reef for thousands of years, the first European discovery of the reef was made in 1770.

In June 1770, Lieutenant James Cook became the first known European to sail up the eastern coast of Australia. His ship Endeavour ran aground on the reef just outside where the town of Cooktown now lies, and nearly sank. The Endeavour managed to stay afloat for another week whilst the crew sought desperately for land, eventually sighting the harbour formed by the Endeavour River. The ship was landed on 10 June 1770, and Cook spent almost two months repairing it, thus giving rise to the fledgling township of Cooktown.

Cook did not name the Great Barrier Reef, however. That was done by Matthew Flinders in 1801.

Answer 2

Lieutenant James Cook (later Captain) discovered the Great Barrier Reef in 1770. He found it accidentally when his ship ran aground on the reef whilst he was charting the eastern coast of Australia.

His ship, the Endeavour, managed to stay afloat for another week whilst the crew sought desperately for land, eventually sighting the harbour formed by the Endeavour River. The ship was landed on 10 June 1770, and Cook spent almost two months repairing it, thus giving rise to the fledgling township of Cooktown.

However, Cook is not the one who named it. Matthew Flinders named the Great Barrier Reef during his circumnavigation of the continent in 1801-1802.

Answer 3

The First European Explorer to Discover the Great Barrier Reef was Captain James Cook. Captain cook discovered the Great Barrier Reef in 1768, while sailing a flat-bottomed wooden ship. He discovered it by sinking while trying to cross to Australia.

Answer 4

James Cook (not yet a captain) discovered the Great Barrier Reef in 1770.

He found it accidentally when his ship ran aground on the reef whilst he was charting the eastern coast of Australia. His ship, the Endeavour, managed to stay afloat for another week whilst the crew sought desperately for land, eventually sighting the harbour formed by the Endeavour River.

The ship was landed on 10 June 1770, and Cook spent almost two months repairing it, thus giving rise to the fledgling township of Cooktown.

Answer 5

English explorer and naval officer Captain James Cook discovered the Great Barrier Reef on June 11, 1770 the hard way by running aground on it. Cook's ship, The Endeavor, was stuck fast on the reef for an entire day.

Answer 6

The first European discovery of the reef was made in June 1770, when Lieutenant James Cook became the first known European to sail up the eastern coast of Australia. His ship Endeavour ran aground on the reef just outside where the town of Cooktown now lies, and nearly sank. The Endeavour managed to stay afloat for another week whilst the crew sought desperately for land, eventually sighting the harbour formed by the Endeavour River. The ship was landed on 10 June 1770, and Cook spent almost two months repairing it, thus giving rise to the fledgling township of Cooktown. However, Cook did not name it the Great Barrier Reef - it was actually named by Matthew Flinders when he circumnavigated the continent in 1801-1802.

Answer 7

The Great Barrier Reef was first found by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770 when his ship HMS Endeavour ran aground on the reef off the site of present-day Cooktown, in far north Queensland.

However, Cook did not name the Great Barrier Reef. It was actually named by sea explorer Matthew Flinders when he circumnavigated e Austalian continent in 1801-1802.

Answer 8

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was established in 1975.