What was the first name of Australia given by the European explorers?

Answer 1

The origin for the word Australia was at first named australasia as a region in south East Asia inhabited by indigenous group of aboriginal -the first who lived there and who spoke Arunta.It became a place for Austerity as self discipline and self edurance and hardship for the convicts who were sent there and the term austerasia changed to australasia and finally to Australia.

Answer 2

For many years, European explorers referred to Australia as Terra Australis Incognita, meaning "Unknown Southern Land" because they theorised about a great southern continent, but were not completely sure of its existence.

The original "official" European name for Australia, designated by the Dutch explorers, was New Holland.

Answer 3

The first recorded Europeans to Australia were the Dutch explorers of the 1600s, who landed in the north and the west respectively. They named the continent New Holland. When Lieutenant James Cook first sighted Australia's eastern coast, he named it New South Wales, but the remainder of the continent continued to be referred to as New Holland.