Early Australian Explorers

Willem Janszoon

Jan 1, 1606

First Europen to land on Australian soil.

Dirk Hartog

Jan 1, 1616

First Europen to land on the west coast of Australia.

Abel Tasman

Jan 1, 1642

First European to sail to Van Dieman's Land, New Zealand and Fiji.

Captain James Cook

Jan 1, 1770

Discovers the east coast of Australia.

First Fleet

Jan 26, 1788

Fist Fleet arrives in Port Jackson

George Bass & Matthew Flinders

Jan 1, 1798

First to circumnavigate Tasmania.

Matthew Flinders

Jan 1, 1803

First to circumnavigate Australia

Blaxland, Lawson & Wentworth

Jan 1, 1813

First to cross the Blue Mountains

Charles Sturt

Jan 1, 1844

One of his expeditions proved there was no inland sea.

Burke and Wills

Jan 1, 1860

Crossed the continent from south to north.

Current Year

Feb 21, 2012