When was Australia discovered and by who?

Answer 1

Assuming you mean European discoverers (as the Polynesian and Aboriginal peoples discovered it first) then :

The first records of European mariners sailing into 'Australian' waters occurs around 1606, and includes their observations of the land known as Terra Australis Incognita (unknown southern land). The first ship and crew to chart the Australian coast and meet with Aboriginal people was the Duyfken captained by Dutchman, Willem Janszoon.

Between 1606 and 1770, an estimated 54 European ships from a range of nations made contact. Many of these were merchant ships from the Dutch East Indies Company and included the ships of Abel Tasman. Tasman charted parts of the north, west and south coasts of Australia which was then known as New Holland.

In 1770, Englishman Lieutenant James Cook charted the Australian east coast in his ship HM Bark Endeavour. Cook claimed the east coast under instruction from King George III of England on 22 August 1770 at Possession Island, naming eastern Australia 'New South Wales'. The coast of Australia, featuring Tasmania as a separate island, was mapped in detail by the English mariners and navigators Bass and Flinders, and the French mariner, Baudin. A nearly completed map of the coastline was published by Flinders in 1814.

This period of European exploration is reflected in the names of landmarks such as the Torres Strait, Arnhem Land, Dampier Sound, Tasmania, the Furneaux Islands, Cape Frecinyet and La Perouse. French expeditions between 1790 and the 1830s, led by D'Entrecasteaux, Baudin, and Furneaux, were recorded by the naturalists Labillardière and Péron.

Answer 2

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on our shores approximately 1506 after they had claimed what is now known as Brasil.

The voyage was captained by Ferdinand Magellan, but unfortunately he was murdered by filippino natives on the Island of Cebu. The voyage continued and they accidently bumped into what is now Broome (this explains why the only place on earth other than Zimbabwe that has the Boabab tree's).

They did not claim the land for themselves because they had just also "discovered" the east coast of Africa as well & thought Australia was too far from mainland Europe to be of any use.

The voyage continued across the top & east coast of Australia to Tasmania. Gold coins were recently found there as was a cannonball with the Portuguese cross marked on it. An actual cannon was found in Broome a few years ago which caused the history books to be rewritten.

Captain James Cook actually used the maps from Magellans voyage to circumnavigate Australia & the Pacific regions.



T.A.P - you are correct about the treaty between Portugal & Spain!

Answer 3

Originally by the Aboriginies somewhere between 40,000 - 60,000 years ago, although no-one is sure just how they managed it. That story is a book in itself.

As for the Europeans. Again, no one is totally certain as many folks bumped (literally) into it and left no record.

Based on maps found in Portugal show Australia and a pair of portuguese cannon (dating from the 16th Century found on an island off the Western Australian coast) it seem likely that the Portuguese were the first Europeans.

A lot of folks say Cook, whilst he certainly mapped out the East Coast of Australia and claimed it for Britian. He merely confirmed such as land existed and didn't discover it in any meaningful sense.

Answer 4

Darryl N and Wiccan. You are a bit confused here. James Cook, often called Captain Cook by Australians although he was actually a lieutenant on his Australian voyage, first saw the E coast of Australia in 1770. 26th of January 1788 is when a British fleet arrived to start a penal colony some 18 years later. Cook was not present on that voyage.

Answer 5

The Aborigines are believed to come from Micronesia originally and migrated to Australia.

Second to that are the Portuguese. If they had of laid claim to the land, Australia as we now know it would be divided (similar to Sth America) and it would be 50% Portuguese, 50% Spanish under an agreement made between the 2 countries during the "discoveries" era.

Just imagine... speaking either Portuguese or Spanish instead of Aussie slang mate!!! :-)))

The good old "prawn on the barbie" would be a chorizo instead :-)))))))

Answer 6

The latest news prove that the Portugese were the first to have discovered Australia during the early 1500's...Maps were found containing many Portugese names which apparently indicate that it wasn't the Dutch or the English who first set sail...

Answer 7

Captain James Cook found and charted all of New Zealand. After that, instead of turning before the west winds for the homeward run around Cape Horn, he crossed the Tasman Sea westward and, on April 19, 1770, came on the southeast coast of Australia. Running north along its 2,000-mile eastern coast, surveying as he went, Cook successfully navigated Queensland's Great Barrier Reef--since reckoned as one of the greatest navigational hazards in the world--taking the Coral Sea and the Torres Strait in his stride.

Answer 8

Newly discovered maps suggest the portuguese in the 1500's

Answer 9

Australia was discovered by a band of migrating people some 50,000 to 75,000 years ago. These people are referred to today as 'Aborigines'.

Answer 10

The most recent archaeological evidence from the 'Northern Territory' has it that the 'indigenous' people(aborigines) of 'Australia',were here for at least 115,00 years.
Considering that the oldest evidence of the 'Chinese' people is 117,000 years,obviously 220 years of Europeans doesn't compare.