Which navigator was the first to circumnavigate australia

In a second attempt to return home, Flinders set out on the Cumberland , but as this ship required repair, he was forced to seek assistance at Ile de France [Mauritius]. During this period Flinders drew up his charts and in a letter to Sir Joseph Banks, championed the name 'Australia' for the entire southern continent, rather than 'Terra Australis' or 'New Holland'. Flinders finally gained his freedom, leaving Ile de France in June and arriving back in England in October of that year.

His account of the expedition A voyage to Terra Australis , with Atlas , was published on 18 July , and he died the following day. Flinders' outstanding achievements are of especial interest to South Australians. Without Flinders and Baudin's maritime explorations, and the detailed charts produced, the southern and western colonies of Australia could not have been settled. Flinders bestowed many South Australian place names along the coast, and is commemorated in the naming of other locations such as the Flinders Ranges, and Flinders Chase.

Flinders University was named after the explorer. Matthew Flinders Collection. Flinders [Royal Geographical Society of Queensland]. Flinders, Matthew. A voyage to Terra Australis. Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia, Australiana facsimile editions; no.

Reprint of ed. An outstanding sailor, surveyor, navigator and scientist, he was a considerate and self-sacrificing leader who looked after all under his command. He entered the navy at 15 years of age, served under William Bligh on a voyage to Tahiti in and fought against the French in the naval battle of the Glorious First of June In Flinders sailed to Australia, where he carried out vital coastal survey work.

Roche, and the South Australian Government , Medium: oil on canva. Flinders returned to England briefly, where he was promoted to commander of the tonne HMS Investigator , with instructions to explore the southern coastline of Australia. The Investigator was resupplied and refitted in Sydney in May , before Flinders began his circumnavigation of the continent, accompanied by an Aboriginal translator, Bungaree.

But the vessel was leaking badly as it reached the Gulf of Carpentaria. Flinders abandoned the charting work, but continued the circumnavigation to Sydney, limping back into port in June Flinders University Indigenous Archaeology professor Claire Smith said it was common for early British explorations of Australia to be assisted by Indigenous people "one way or another".

But they often did not realise they were assisting people who planned to colonise their land, she added. There are many Aboriginal people who also were great explorers and contributed [alongside Matthew Flinders], but they didn't have the idea of colonising the land like the British did," she said.

The majority, she said, were tasked with obtaining permissions for the use of land. When asked how the lack of knowledge about Bungaree's involvement in Flinders's voyages made Indigenous people feel, NAIDOC committee co-chair Mr Janke said it pointed to a larger trend that saddened him. You can even see statues of Flinders's cat, Trim.

And it breaks my heart that we, as Australians, don't have a statue to Bungaree that celebrates an iconic figure and someone who actually assisted in building this continent and building our nation's history. Flinders University professor Claire Smith agreed: "We have statues of Matthew Flinders at Flinders University and as you enter you do remember him as having that impact on Australia. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.

Who was Bungaree and how did he meet Matthew Flinders? Bungaree was known as an explorer, entertainer and community leader. The forgotten role of Indigenous people during early explorations Flinders respected Bungaree and referred to him as an "intelligent native of New South Wales", according to Dr Dooley.

How should we remember the first Indigenous Australian to circumnavigate the country? Grave of explorer Matthew Flinders found under London train station. Tales of Trim, the first cat to sail around Australia. More on:.