Together with George Bass, Matthew Flinders completed much sea exploration around Australia, adding to the knowledge of the coastline, and producing accurate maps. Flinders, together with Bass, was the first to prove that Van Diemen's Land, or Tasmania, was an island and not connected to the mainland.
Flinders was also the first to circumnavigate the continent, and between December 1801 and June 1803, he charted most of the coastline of Australia.
Bass and Flinders charted sections of Australia's coastline, adding valuable information to the maps of the time. In 1798, Bass's explorations along the southern coast of what would later become the colony of Victoria led him to the belief that Van Diemen's Land (later Tasmania) was separate from the mainland. Governor Hunter wished for this theory to be proven conclusively, so he commissioned Bass and Flinders to circumnavigate Van Diemen's Land, which they did between October 1798 and January 1799.
Their exploration was well-received, because it meant that ships sailing to Sydney along usual routes could shave a full week off their journey by travelling through Bass Strait rather than south of Tasmania.
Flinders later became especially important for his complete circumnavigation of the Australian continent. This, too, was vital for the information it provided for future settlement along Australia's coast - particularly in the south.
Matthew Flinders undertook several different journeys of exploration around Australia, each of differrent duration. * Between 7 October 1798 and 12 January 1799, Matthew Flinders and George Bass circumnavigated Van Diemen's Land, and also sailed back up the NSW coast to Port Jackson. * In July 1799, Flinders sailed in the "Norfolk" to explore north of Port Jackson. On this journey, he explored Moreton Bay (now in Southeast Qld) and Hervey Bay, returning to Port Jackson late in August. * Between December 1801 and June 1803, Flinders charted the entire coastline of Australia.
Matthew Flinders is important because he made a significant contribution to the exploration and mapping of the 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.
No. Matthew Flinders did not undergo any exploration in Australia's interior. The Macquarie, Darling and Marray Rivers were unknown in Flinders' time. The Macquarie River was discovered in 1813 by explorer and surveyor George Evans, the Darling River was discovered by Captain Charles Sturt in 1829, and the Murray River was first discovered by Hume and Hovell in 1824, who named it the Hume River. It was "rediscovered" by Sturt in 1830 and named the Murray after a statesman in England.
Matthew Flinders is arguably most famous for being the first to circumnavigate the Australian 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.
The practical reason for Matthew Flinders's voyages was to chart the Australian coastline and fill in the gaps left by previous English and Dutch explorers. This was the task for which he was commissioned.
Personally, however, while Matthew Flinders was inspired by reports of Captain James Cook's voyages, it was after reading Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" that he decided he wanted to be an explorer and sailor.
No. Sea explorer Matthew Flinders always had a substantial crew. At one stage, even his brother Samuel travelled with him. He was also known for travelling with George Bass to prove that Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) was an island.
Governor Hunter was the one who sponsored Bass to determine whether a navigable strait existed between Van Diemen's Land and the Australian continent. After Bass discovered the strait south of the Australian mainland, it was Governor Hunter who decided it should be named Bass's Strait, later becoming Bass Strait.
George Bass, together with Matthew Flinders explored and charted much of the coastline south of Sydney in the early days of the New South Wales colony, adding valuable information to charts of the Australian coastline. In 1798, Bass explored along the southern coast of what would later become the colony of Victoria. His journeys led him to the belief that Van Diemen's Land (later Tasmania) was separate from the mainland. Governor Hunter wished for this theory to be proven conclusively, so he commissioned Flinders and Bass to circumnavigate Van Diemen's Land.
In 1803 Flinders was returning to England with the work of his discoveries in Australia, but his ship was leaking badly and he needed emergency repairs.
He put into the French-controlled island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean in late December 1803. He did not know that England and France were at war.
Within a few days the French governor Decaen concluded that Flinders was a "spy", and Flinders was imprisoned on the island.
He remained a prisoner of the French until June 1810, when British ships blockaded the island and forced his release.
Explorer Matthew Flinders had one brother named Samuel, who accompanied him on his circumnavigation of Australia, but he had no sisters. Samuel Flinders was second lieutenant on board the ship "Investigator".
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.
His first command was the HMS Norfolk in which he charted Bass Strait His second command was the HMS Investigator which was when he made his more well known voyage charting the Southern and Eastern coasts of Australia. After stopping in Sydney to resupply he the completed a trip all the way around the continent
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.