Matthew Flinders

Explorer, Military Person

1774 – 1814

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Who was Matthew Flinders?

Captain Matthew Flinders RN was a distinguished English navigator and cartographer, who was the first to circumnavigate Australia and identify it as a continent.

Flinders made three voyages to the southern ocean. In the second voyage, George Bass and Flinders confirmed that Van Diemen's Land now Tasmania was an island. In the third voyage, Flinders circumnavigated the mainland of what was to be called Australia.

Heading back to England in 1803, Flinders' vessel needed urgent repairs at Isle de France. Although Britain and France were at war, Flinders thought the scientific nature of his work would ensure safe passage, but a suspicious governor kept him under arrest for more than six years. In captivity, he recorded details of his voyages for future publication, and put forward his rationale for naming the new continent 'Australia', as an umbrella term for New Holland and New South Wales – a suggestion taken up later by Governor Macquarie.

Flinders' health had suffered, however, and although he reached home in 1810, he did not live to see the publication of his widely praised book and atlas, A Voyage to Terra Australis.

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Born
Mar 16, 1774
Donington
Spouses
Profession
Employment
  • Royal Navy
Lived in
  • Mauritius
    (1803 - )
  • Sydney
Died
Jul 19, 1814
London

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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