And after a short time they managed to establish their trading posts there. Simultaneously with the strengthening of their positions in the Moluccas, the Portuguese undertook voyages in search of the mythical "Islands of Gold". One of them ended in the city with the first visit to the northwestern coast of Australia. The laurels of the discoverer are given to Cristovan de Mendonça (port. Cristóvão de Mendonça). No details of the voyage have been preserved, but in a city in western Australia, on the shores of Roebuck Bay (18 ° S), small bronze cannons with a Portuguese crown were found, cast no later than the beginning of the 16th century.
The Portuguese put the sections of the coast they discovered on their secret maps, which have partially come down to us. On the French map of the Dauphine (near the city), compiled, apparently, according to Portuguese sources, south of Java shows a part of the coast called Great Java as part of Great Australian land, which, according to the then scientists, surrounded the entire south pole the globe. Among clearly French inscriptions There are also Portuguese.
The same Great Java is depicted on a series of maps compiled in - years, definitely based on Portuguese materials, by cartographers from the city of Dieppe. Obviously, Portuguese ships before the city sometimes approached the northern and northeastern shores of Australia. Probably, though they were multiple, but still random voyages.
In December 1605, a Spanish expedition moved west across the Pacific Ocean to the Philippines from the western coast of South America from Callao (Peru), hoping to find the mythical southern mainland. The commander of one of the three ships was Luis Vaes Torres. After the discovery of the New Hebrides, Torres led an expedition of the remaining two ships in June. At this point, Torres was close enough to the eastern coast of the "green" continent that he would have reached it if he had headed southwest. However, he moved west with a deviation to the north. Sailors crossed the Coral Sea for the first time and approached the southern coast of New Guinea. In his report, Torres reports that he walked along the southern coast of New Guinea for 300 leagues (about 1800 km), then “because of shallows and strong currents, he moved away from the coast and turned to the southwest. There were large islands, and in the south a number of them could be seen. What Torres saw to the south was undoubtedly the northern coast of Australia with the adjacent islands. After passing another 180 leagues (about 1000 km), the expedition turned north, reached New Guinea, and then through the Moluccas and the Philippines, proving that New Guinea is a large island. Sailors thus became the first Europeans to pass through the dangerous strait dotted with coral reefs that separates Australia from New Guinea. The Spanish government kept this great discovery, like many others, a closely guarded secret. Only 150 years later, during the Seven Years' War, the British in the city temporarily captured Manila, and the Spanish government archives fell into their hands. A copy of the Torres report fell into the hands of the English cartographer Alexander Dalrymple, who in the city proposed calling the passage between New Guinea and the Cape York Peninsula Torres Strait.
Dutch discoveries
The unfortunate outcome of the expeditions of Kennedy and Leichhardt suspended the exploration of the country for many years. Only in Gregory went with two ships to the north coast, west of Arngemsland, to explore the Victoria River flowing into the sea there. Following the course of this river, Gregory turned to the southwest, but returned, being stopped by an almost impenetrable desert. Shortly thereafter, he again undertook a journey to the west, in order to find, if possible, traces of Leichhardt, and returned to Adelaide without reaching his goal. At the same time, it was decided to make the nearest study of the area of salt lakes, which lies to the north of the Spencer Gulf. Harris, Miller, Dullon, Warburton, Swinden Campbell, and many others rendered great services in this investigation. John McDwell Stuart undertook three trips to the salt pans and planned an expedition across the entire mainland, in the direction from south to north. In he went to the middle of the mainland and hoisted the English banner on the mountain of the Stewar Bluff ridge, which has a height of 1000 m. In June, due to the hostile attitude of the natives, he was forced to abandon his enterprise. On January 1, however, he renewed his attempt to pass the mainland from south to north and penetrated 1.5 ° further inland than the first time; but in July he was supposed to return without reaching his intended goal. The third attempt was made by him in November of the same year and was crowned with success: on July 24, 1862, Stuart hoisted the English banner on the northern coast of Arngemsland and returned almost dying to his compatriots.
In order to cross Central Australia from south to north, on August 20, 1860, an expedition set off from Adelaide under the command of Robert O'Hara Burke, accompanied by astronomer William Wills, consisting of about 30 people, with 25 camels, 25 horses, etc. The travelers were divided into two groups, of which the second was supposed to insure the main one. Burke, Wills, King and Gray in February 1861 reached the swampy shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria, but could not reach the coast of the sea. In April, Gray died, the rest reached the camp of the second party on April 21, but found it abandoned. It turned out that the support group, after waiting much longer than the agreed period, left the camp on April 20. There was no longer any strength to catch up with the departed. Burke and Wills died from exhaustion. Only King escaped, who in September 1861 was found in the camp of the natives, expelled from Melbourne by an expedition; he was as thin as a skeleton. Two expeditions sent out later to find Burke managed to successfully cross the mainland. On the initiative of the Melbourne botanist Miller, the ladies' committee in the colony of Victoria in 1865 raised funds for a new journey, the immediate purpose of which was to clarify the fate of Leichhardt's missing expedition. Duncan Max Intir, who saw traces of the expedition in question in the upper reaches of the Flinder River, became the head of a new enterprise and set off in July; but such a terrible drought prevailed in the interior of the country that half of the total number of participants had to be sent back to the colony. Max Intir soon died of a malignant fever, and the same fate befell his companion Sloman. After them, W. Barnett, who took over command of the expedition, returned to Sydney in 1867 without collecting any new information about Leichhardt. An expedition from the colony of Western Australia was sent for the same searches, which managed to learn from the natives in one locality (at 81 ° S and 122 ° E) that a few years before they had been killed in 13 days of travel from there to the north, on the dry bottom of a lake, two whites with three horses that were with them. This story was repeated in another area. Therefore, in April, an expedition to the said lake was equipped, which, although it did not reach its goal, nevertheless penetrated further into the interior of the country than all previous expeditions heading from the west. As early as 1824, the British government made various attempts to occupy the northern coast of Australia. For 4.5 years it maintained a military post (Fort Dundas) on the west coast of Melville Island, for 2 years another post (Fort Wellington) on the Cobourg Peninsula, and from to garrison at Port Essington. But since the hope of gaining from commercial relations between Australia and East Asia failed, these attempts were abandoned. It was only after Stuart had passed from the colony of South Australia across the mainland to the north coast of Arngemsland that the Northern Territory was placed under the control of this colony, the latter taking up the issue of settling the country.
Expedition McKinley
In April 1864, a marine expedition of geometers headed north from Port Adelaide under the command of Colonel Finnis, who was soon replaced by McKinley. The latter in 1866 began to explore Arnhem Land, but the rainy season and floods did not allow him to carry out his intention, and he returned to Adelaide. Then, in February 1867, the South Austrian government sent Captain Cadell to the north bank, who discovered the significant river Blyth (Blyth), and the chief surveyor Goyder, who in the vicinity of Port Darwin made a survey on an area of 2700 square meters. km. Colonization progressed more successfully in northern Queensland, especially towards the Gulf of Carpentaria, as cattle breeding needed new pastures, which were taken up by private enterprise. At the beginning of the forties, in all of present-day Queensland, only the neighborhood of Moreton Bay was inhabited, and then very poorly. Since then, settlements have expanded as far north as the Gulf of Carpentaria. When subsequently, in the city, a telegraphic communication was established between Australia and Asia and through it with all other countries of the world, the study of the interior of the Australian mainland made tremendous progress. Already during the laying of the telegraph wire, small settlements began to appear on its way, from which expeditions were then undertaken to explore the country. So, in 1872, Ernst Gilles, setting off from the Chambers-Pillar telegraph station, followed the course of the Finke River to its source, where he discovered an extremely fertile country Glen of Palms. From the telegraph station Alice Springs in 1873 the geometer Gosse went and discovered under 25°21′00″ S sh. 131°14′00″ E d. John Forrest reached the Murchison watershed, from where the barren desert begins, which he explored at a distance of 900 km.
Achievements Gilles
In 1875-78 Gilles undertook three new journeys into the barren steppes of inland Australia. On behalf of the government of the colony of South Australia, the course of the Herbert River was investigated, and trigonometric measurements were made, and, in addition, an expedition was undertaken to explore completely unknown areas lying on the seashore. This expedition discovered the great Moubray River, which falls in three waterfalls up to 150 m high. Sergeson in November 1877 discovered excellent arable land near the banks of the Victoria River. John Forrest returned in 1879 from a journey he had taken to the completely unknown north-eastern part of the colony of Western Australia, during which he discovered beautiful alluvial plains on the banks of the Fitzroy River. His second journey led to the discovery in Western Australia of 20 million and in South Australia about 5 million acres of good grazing and arable land, of which a significant part was suitable for the cultivation of sugarcane and rice. In addition, the interior of the country was explored by other expeditions in 1878 and 1879, and John Forrest, on behalf of the Western Australian government, made a trigonometric measurement between the Ashburton and De Grey rivers, and from his reports it appears that the area there is very convenient for settlements.
Townsend (2241 m) as the highest peak of the chain. In 1886, Lindsay crossed the country from the great telegraph circuit (crossing the mainland in a meridional direction) to the MacArthur River, and Giles and Lowry to Kimberley County.
Geologist Tenison Wood explored mineral wealth northern territory, Lindsay, Brown and East - in the same respect the central parts of Australia. Most researchers studied the country in terms of its suitability for agriculture and cattle breeding. In 1886-90. Norwegian Lumholtz studied the life of the natives of Queensland. In 1888-89. naturalist Gaddon lived on the islands of the Torres Strait.
In 1890, a number of researchers studied the McDonel mountain range (in the center of the mainland) and southern part outskirts of the Kimberley. In 1894-98, a scientific expedition led by Winnecke explored central Australia.
Columbus discovered America and Captain Cook discovered Australia. Both of these statements have long been disputed many times, but they continue to live in the minds of the masses. Long before Captain Cook set foot on the coast of Australia on April 20, 1770, navigators from the Old World had already landed here more than once.
According to a number of historians, the Portuguese were the discoverers of Australia. They claim that an expedition led by Cristovan de Mendonça visited the northwest coast of Australia in 1522. It is unknown if this happened intentionally or by accident. The details of this voyage are also unknown. The only material evidence that has come down to us are small bronze cannons with the image of the Portuguese crown minted on them. They were found in 1916 on the coast of Roebuck Bay (Western Australia) and date back to the beginning of the 16th century.
2 Expedition of Willem Janszon
The first European to visit Australia is the Dutchman Willem Janszon. On November 28, 1605, Captain Janszon set off from Bantam on the ship "Dufken" to unknown lands. Bypassing the islands of Kai and Aru from the north, he reached the southern coast of New Guinea, completely unfamiliar to the Dutch. Janszon called it "Marshy Land" and traced the coastline for 400 kilometers. Then rounding the island of Kolepom, Janszon turned to the southeast, crossed the central part of the Arafura Sea and suddenly saw the coast. It was Australia. In the western part of the Cape York Peninsula, near the mouth of a small river, in May 1606 the Dutch made the first documented landing of Europeans on the Australian continent.
Janszon sailed his ship along the flat desert coast. Although the unknown land, as the Dutch were convinced, stretched further south, on June 6, 1606, at Cape Kerver (“Turn”), the Dufken turned 180º and moved back. During the landings at Albatross Bay, the Dutch first came into contact with the Australian Aborigines. Fighting immediately ensued, with several dead on both sides. Continuing north, the sailors traced and charted the coast of the Cape York Peninsula almost to its northern tip. The total length of the explored coast of Australia, which Janszon dubbed New Holland, was about 350 kilometers.
3 Expedition of Jan Carstens
The wreck of the English ship Triel, which occurred on May 25, 1622, on the reefs near the islands of Monte Bello and Barrow, showed that the complete lack of knowledge of the waters washing the coast of North-Western and Northern Australia threatens with great dangers. The leadership of the Dutch East India Company decided to explore the ocean south of Java and trace the southern coast of New Guinea. To accomplish this task, Jan Carstens' expedition set off from Batavia in January 1623 on two ships, the Pera and the Arnhem. For more than a week, Dutch sailors sailed along the southern coast of New Guinea. On the morning of February 16, Carstens saw a high mountain range in the distance - this was the western part of the Maoke Mountains. Five days later, a group of Dutch landed ashore to resupply. The local population was very hostile. As a result of the skirmish, 10 sailors were killed, including the captain of the Arnhem.
On March 20, the expedition reached the southwestern tip of New Guinea. The weather worsened, a storm began. On March 28, Carstens sent a navigator on a boat with 12 sailors to explore the coast that could be seen in the distance. He reported that the sea was getting shallower to the east, and desert land was visible in the distance. Meanwhile, it became dangerous to walk along the coast: shallows and reefs began to come across more and more often. The Dutch turned to the open sea.
On April 12, the earth again appeared on the horizon. It was Australia. For two weeks, Carstens' ships sailed south along the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula, landing several times on land - in estuaries and in bays. The aborigines they met were quite peaceful. The flat and low-lying coast of Northwestern Australia was described by Carstens in his report as "the most barren on earth." The Dutch could not even find enough fresh water here. In addition, the flagship of the Pera expedition was damaged. Carstens instructed Colster, the captain of the Arnhem, to complete the exploration of the coast, while he himself turned north and safely reached the Moluccas. Colster, moving south, managed to reach the Gulf of Carpentaria. Taking advantage of the favorable southeast monsoon, he turned from here to the northwest and, following this course, discovered a large peninsula, later named the Arnhemland Peninsula after his ship.
4 Expeditions of Abel Tasman
By the beginning of the 1640s. the Dutch knew and mapped the following parts of Australia: in the north - the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula, the ledge of Arnhemland, the entire western coast of the mainland and the western part of its southern coast. However, it was still not clear what this mysterious land was: separate continent or a gigantic ledge of the still undiscovered Big southern mainland? And the pragmatic directors of the East India Company were worried about another question: what are the potential benefits of these newfound lands? What are their commercial prospects? The expedition of the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, who left Batavia in 1642 on two small ships, the Hemskerk and Zehan, was supposed to answer these questions. Tasman did not meet any mainland, and only on November 24 from the board of the Zehan did they see a high coast, called Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania). Tasman never figured out whether it was an island or the southern tip of Australia, and Van Diemen's Land was considered a peninsula for more than a century and a half, until Bass Strait was passed. Going further to the southeast of the runoff, Tasman discovered New Zealand, and at this the expedition was almost completed, leaving a lot of unresolved problems.
In 1645, the governor of Batavia, Van Diemen, sent Tasman on a new expedition to the shores of Australia. Three Tasman ships surveyed the southern coast of New Guinea for 750 kilometers and completed the discovery of the Gulf of Carpentaria, bypassing its eastern and, for the first time, southern and western shores. Experienced sailors, the Dutch never noticed the entrance to the Torres Strait. In total, the expedition explored and mapped about 5.5 thousand kilometers of the coast and found that all the lands previously discovered by the Dutch are parts of a single mainland - New Holland. However, Tasman did not find anything worthy of attention from the point of view of commerce on this mainland, and after 1644 the Dutch completely cooled off towards the Green Continent.
5 James Cook Expedition
In 1768, James Cook set out on his first circumnavigation. In April 1770, Cook approached the east coast of Australia. On the shore of the bay, in the waters of which the Endeavor stopped, the expedition managed to find many previously unknown plant species, so Cook called this bay Botanical. From Botany Bay, Cook headed northwest along the east coast of Australia.
A few kilometers north of Botany Bay, James Cook discovered a wide natural passage into a huge natural harbor - Port Jackson. In his report, the researcher described it as an ideal place for the safe parking of many ships. Many years later, the first Australian city, Sydney, was founded here. It took Cook the next four months to climb up to the Gulf of Carpentaria, to the area that bears the name of New Holland. Navigator made up detailed map coastline of future Australia.
Not entirely happily passing the great barrier reef, the Endeavor finally made it to the northern tip of Australia. On August 22, 1770, James Cook, on behalf of King George III, solemnly proclaimed the land he had explored as the possession of Great Britain and named it New South Wales.
Australia is the smallest and most distant continent from Eurasia. During the Middle Ages, it was called Terra Australis Incognita, which means "unknown southern land". Who discovered mainland Australia, and in what year did it happen?
Official version
Mankind became aware of the new territory thanks to the traveler - navigator James Cook. His goal was to study the passage of Venus through the solar disk. It is assumed that the true reason for Cook's trip was the search for uncharted lands in the southern latitudes of Terra Australis Incognita. He went on a trip around the world and discovered distant lands, reaching the coast of the mainland in 1770. This date is considered historically accurate. But it was known about the existence of a piece of land "on the edge of the earth" much earlier. In addition, there were human settlements. It is difficult to determine the date of their foundation, approximately it happened 40 - 60 thousand years ago. Artifacts found in the western part of Australia on the Swan River belong to that period.
Who discovered mainland Australia in prehistoric times?
Scientists suggest that the first travelers who went to land across the ocean were the ancient Egyptians. They brought eucalyptus oil from these parts.
This version is confirmed by cave paintings with insects similar to the Egyptian sacred scarabs. In addition, mummies were found in tombs in Egypt, which were embalmed with oil from eucalyptus trees grown in Australia.
However, all these theories are not officially accepted, since the existence of a continent lost in the sea element in Europe became known much later.
Who first discovered Australia?
Attempts to reach the continent were made several times. In the 16th century, the Portuguese set out on the sea route. In 1509 they reached the Moluccas, and in 1522 they ended up on the northwest coast. These dates are considered the first time the mainland was founded by Europeans.
There is also a hypothesis that Admiral Willem Jansson, who arrived on the continent on behalf of the Dutch authorities, discovered Australia. He undertook a campaign in 1605. For this purpose, the Dyfken ship was equipped. He followed in the direction of New Guinea and after three months of travel reached the Cape York Peninsula. The navigator made a detailed map of the coastline 320 km long. He did not even suspect that he had discovered a new continent, considering the lands to be the territories of New Guinea. Therefore, they were given the name "New Holland".
Behind him sailed to the mainland Abel Tasman. He explored the islands on the west coast and plotted their outlines on a world map. One of the islands, Tasmania, is named after the discoverer.
Yes, to XVII century, thanks to the efforts of Dutch travelers, the position on the world map of mainland Australia and its islands became known.
Any student knows where Australia is, but who discovered the southern continent, historians find it difficult to give a definite answer. The Portuguese, Spanish and British are fighting for the palm. But before the Europeans, China also knew about the southern continent. And the natives of Indonesia communicated and traded with the natives. Nevertheless, no matter who was the discoverer of the mainland, acquaintance with an amazing and unique country will bring many pleasant minutes and enrich knowledge.
Geographic location of Australia
The Australian continent is located in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres. The island mainland is washed by the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The length of the coastline is 35,877 km. Australia occupies 5% of the Earth's land area and its area is 7,659,861 km². The mainland stretches from east to west for 4 thousand km, and from south to north for 3.2 thousand km.
Extreme geographic points:
- To the north is Cape York at 10˚ 41'S. and 142˚ 31’ E
- To the east is Cape Byron, 28˚ 38'S. and 153˚ 38’ E
- In the south - Cape Saunt Point, 39˚ 08 'S. and 146˚ 22’ E
- To the west is Steep Point, 26˚ 09'S. and 113˚ 09’ E
The northern regions of the mainland are characterized by a warm and humid subequatorial climate. In the center, located in the tropical zone, dry and hot weather prevails. It rains frequently on the west coast, driven by Pacific trade winds. South Australia has a subtropical climate. The weather in these areas is characterized by slight fluctuations in annual temperatures and moderate rainfall.
The political map of the world shows which countries Australia borders on. In the north, the Torres Strait separates the state from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. New Zealand lies to the southeast across the Tasman Sea. To the south is Antarctica, which does not belong to any country.
By form of government australian union is a federation within the Commonwealth of Nations, led by Great Britain. The nominal head of the country is the Queen, who appoints the Governor General. The executive power is vested not in the president, but in the prime minister, who is elected by parliament. The state consists of 6 states and 2 territories. The capital Canberra is located in the Australian Capital Territory in the state of New South Wales.
Native people
The indigenous population is made up of Australian Aborigines, who are called "Australian Bushmen". The settlement of the mainland began about 40 thousand years ago. This time, archaeologists date the discovered human skeleton, which scientists called "Mungo Man." Aboriginal people acquired their modern look about 4 thousand years ago.
The indigenous people belong to the Australoid race. The Europeans who appeared on the continent in the 18th century identified 500 tribes with a total number of 700 thousand people who spoke 200 dialects that are part of the Nyung languages group. The main occupations of the natives were hunting and fishing. By 2000, the number of Aboriginal people had decreased to 437 thousand people. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the movement for the revival of the culture of the Australian Bushmen has been activated. The total population of Australia according to the 2015 census is 23.8 million people.
European settlement
In 1787, the First Fleet arrived in Australia from England, commanded by Arthur Philip. Eleven ships brought 736 convicts. In Port Jackson Bay, sailors landed on January 26, 1788 and began the construction of the first settlement, which would later become the city of Sydney. This day became the starting point of the history of the colony of New South Wales. Over the next three years, two more fleets come to the continent with prisoners on board.
Since 1793, free settlers have been coming to the "green continent". On the lands provided free of charge, people begin to engage in agriculture and crafts. At the same time, the labor of convicts is widely used. In search of fertile land, farmers are gradually moving deeper into the continent. To early XIX century, the colony was already able to provide itself with food.
Discovery history
Ancient geographers hypothesized that in the south of the Earth, where a huge continent is located, countless treasures are hidden. Behind this part terrestrial land the name Terra Australis Incognita was fixed. In search of an unknown country, expeditions of seafarers are equipped. Mankind makes great geographical discoveries.
What was before the Europeans
Long before the appearance of European sailors on the continent, the natives of the northern regions of Australia were in contact with the tribes that inhabited the neighboring islands. The movement was carried out by boats, and coral reefs served as transshipment points. The similarity of cultures and languages testifies to the ties between the islanders and the inhabitants of the mainland.
Business relations were established between the Australians and the Makassars, a people who lived in the southern regions of Indonesia. The natives sailed to the mainland to trade with the natives. In addition, the newcomers hunted trepang in the coastal seas.
pioneers
When Vasco da Gama opened a route to India through the African Cape of Good Hope, Portugal concentrated its efforts on the search for the mysterious "Isle of Gold". In 1522, Cristovano de Mendoncé landed on the shore in Roebuck Bay. Two bronze cannons with the Portuguese coat of arms, found by archaeologists in 1960, serve as evidence of the sailors' stay on the mainland. Land areas with names on Portuguese marked on the secret medieval maps of the French Dauphin.
In 1605, a Spanish expedition set off from the Peruvian port of Callao in search of the southern mythical continent. A flotilla of three ships was commanded by Luis Vaez Torres. Having discovered the New Hebrides archipelago, the sailors continued their journey to the west. From the Coral Sea, travelers walked through the strait, which would later be named after the captain. The lands observed in the south were taken by the sailors for the islands, although it was Australia.
Holland, preoccupied with finding ways to Indonesia - the main producer of spices in the Middle Ages - sends a reconnaissance expedition to the shores of New Guinea. In 1605, Willem Janszon on the sailing and rowing vessel "Golubok" set off in search of a short route.
Passing the Arafura Sea in a southwesterly course, the travelers saw the land. It was Australia. And the peninsula, to which the ship approached, would later be called Cape York. On February 26, 1606, sailors land near the mouth of the Pennefather River, as recorded in the logbook. The Dutch landing is considered the first documented visit to Australia. In subsequent years, Jansson's compatriots repeatedly reached the coast of the "green continent".
Dutch navigators who reached Australia:
- On October 25, 1616, Derk Hartog, on the ship "Consent", anchored in Shark Bay in the west of the mainland.
- In 1619, Captain de Houtman sailed along the west coast from 32° 30' to 28° 45' south latitude. Four years later, the route was repeated by Klas Hermansai on the Leiden.
- In 1623, the expedition of Carstens and van Colster explored the bay in the north of the mainland, which was named Carpentaria. One of the natives whom the sailors met on the shore was captured and taken on board.
- Captain F. Theisen on the Gulden Zepard traveled 2,000 kilometers along the southern coast of Australia, making a cartographic survey of the coastline.
William Dampier is considered the first Briton to visit Australia. In 1699, the traveler discovered Shark Bay on the western coast of the continent, however, returning to England, he was shipwrecked off Ascension Island. 70 years later, James Cook's expedition passed along the east coast of the mainland. In 1788, a squadron under the command of Arthur Philip entered Botany Bay. Landed on the shore, the landing force, mainly composed of prisoners, founded a colony - the future city of Sydney.
Journey of James Cook
James Cook was born to a Scottish farmhand in 1728. At the age of 18, the young man gets a job as a sailor on a transport ship carrying coal. The young man thoroughly studies maritime disciplines. In 1755, James became a member of the crew of the military frigate Eagle and participated in the Seven Years' War.
At the age of 29, the future discoverer successfully passes the exam for the title of master. In 1758, the skipper supervised the cartographic survey of the channel of the St. Lawrence River (Canada) in the area of combat operations under the fire of French guns. A brilliant operation was one of the reasons why Cook was appointed leader of the voyage to the southern part of Pacific Ocean.
The official task of the 1768 expedition was to observe the passage of Venus against the background of the solar disk. In addition to astronomical research, Cook was entrusted with the study of the eastern coast of Australia. The secret part of the order obliged the captain to conduct reconnaissance of the southern seas in order to discover an unknown continent. Geographers assumed that in the polar latitudes there is the so-called Terra Incognita - the Unexplored Earth.
For swimming, Endeavor is selected. The ship, built in 1764, was originally called the "Earl of Pembroke" and was intended to carry coal. The three-masted ship developed a speed of 7.4 knots. In his notes, Cook noted the good seaworthiness and easy handling of the barque.
Endeavor left Plymouth on 26 August. After 227 days, the ship arrived in Tahiti. On June 3, 1769, observations of Venus and astronomical measurements are carried out. During their stay on the island, the team builds a fort and repairs the bottom of the ship. Having finished the first part of the official mission, Cook starts searching for the southern land.
Moving along the west coast of New Zealand, British sailors discovered that the territory consisted of two parts. The strait separating the islands was named after the captain. In the bay, named Queen Charlotte Bay, the Endeavor is being refurbished.
Having reached the southern tip of New Zealand, the expedition turns to the northwest. In the spring of 1770, travelers reached the coast of Australia. The bay where the sailors camped was called Botanical. The bay got its name due to the diversity of plants, previously unknown to science.
Continuing northward, Cook explores the east coast of Australia. On June 11, the ship runs aground and is seriously damaged. After the ballast, spare rigging and part of the guns were thrown overboard, the ship managed to be refloated. The water entering the hold barely managed to be pumped out by continuously operating pumps. The captain orders a stop for the next repair.
Having closed the holes, the Endeavor goes out to sea. It turns out that the Great Barrier Reef does not allow access to the ocean. Mariners have to go along the coast, constantly measuring the depth with a lot. At the same time, the contour of the coastline is drawn on the map.
At the end of 1770, the expedition reached the extreme northern point of Australia and turned west. It turned out that between the mainland and New Guinea there is a strait, which was later called the Torres Strait. In January 1771, the ship entered the Indonesian port of Batavia. The modern name of the city is Jakarta.
In Indonesia, the crew is stricken with diseases. First malaria and then dysentery take the lives of sailors. When the ship anchored in the port of Cape Town, only twelve travelers remained on board. When the team was understaffed, the expedition continued on its way to their homeland. On June 12, 1771, the Endeavor berthed at the pier in the port of Plymouth.
The expedition of James Cook half completed the tasks set by the British Admiralty. Measurements made during the passage of Venus through the solar disk were useful for calculating the distance from the Sun to the Earth. However, the second goal - the discovery of the southern mainland - was not achieved. Nevertheless, sailing on the Endeavour contributed to the development of geographical science.
The results of J. Cook's first round-the-world trip:
- It is established that New Zealand consists of two islands separated by a strait.
- The east coast of Australia has been mapped for the first time.
- The strait that separates Australia from New Guinea has been opened.
- A collection of previously unknown plants has been collected, and sketches of unique animals and birds have been made.
Discovery of New Zealand
Skillful sailors ancient world the tribes that inhabited the islands of Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean were considered. The natives built two-hull pirogues 40 meters long and 10 meters wide. The catamaran, accommodating up to two hundred people, made it possible to overcome thousands of kilometers across the sea.
The Polynesian epic has preserved the names of famous compatriots who made long sea voyages. A folk legend tells of the leader Kupa, who lived on the island of Raiatea in the 10th century. In pursuit of a fleet of rival fishermen, the navigator reached the current Cook Strait, and described the discovered lands of New Zealand as the "Long White Cloud".
Abel Tasman is believed to be the first European to sail to New Zealand. The future discoverer was born in the Dutch city of Groningen in 1603. From the age of 28 he has been sailing on a ship. In 1634 he became the skipper of a ship owned by the East India Company. In 1642, the Dutch trading syndicate equips an expedition to explore the southeastern regions of the Pacific Ocean. Tasman is entrusted with command of a detachment of two ships.
Off the southern coast of Australia, sailors discover a large island, which is named after the governor of the East Indies, Van Diemen. Subsequently, the name will change to Tasmania. Continuing to the east, the Dutch approach the land not marked on the map. On December 13, sailors disembark. It was the South Island of New Zealand.
A further path along the coast leads the discoverers to the northern tip of Severny Island. Tasman did not turn southeast, but headed towards the Fiji archipelago. Having replenished food supplies on the island and having collected drinking water, the expedition headed for Indonesia. On June 15, the ships entered the port of Batavia.
Going on a trip, a tourist wants to know what is famous and interesting about the visited country. Australia is famous for sights that are unique to it and are one of a kind. First of all, it refers to the Australian nature.
List of plants and animals that are found only in Australia:
- bottle tree;
- eucalyptus regal;
- kangaroo;
- dingo dog;
- echidna;
- marsupial fox and wolf;
- platypus.
The Australian flag has six stars. This is the constellation of the Southern Cross, which indicates that the country is in southern hemisphere. The coat of arms of the state includes an ostrich and a kangaroo, which, as you know, move only forward. Animals symbolize the forward movement of Australian society.
Australia has the longest road without turns. The length of the straight section is 146 km. The country is famous for its endless fences. The most famous wire fence from dingo dogs, 5614 km long, was built in 1885. In the western part of the continent, a fence stretched for 3253 km, which protected from rabbits. A mesh fence is currently being built to restrict the movement of cats. In the summer of 2018, the construction of the first 44 kilometers of the fence was completed.
The political activity of citizens is supported by fines. Non-participation in elections and the census is punishable by the payment of 20 to 100 Australian dollars. By the way, the national currency is presented in a plastic version, and not in paper banknotes.
The landmark of Sydney is the Opera House, built in the style of structural expressionism. The building, which was erected in 1973, has a height of 67 m and covers an area of 2.2 hectares. Two halls can simultaneously accommodate 10,000 people. The roof is covered with 1 million white self-cleaning tiles. The construction project was created by the Dane Jorn Utzon.
A visit to the green continent will enrich you with knowledge and give you the experience of communicating with hospitable people. Studying the history of the discovery of Australia, getting to know the unique nature, sightseeing trips around the country will not allow you to regret the time and money spent. Walking around Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne will not let anyone get bored.
Video
The video tells about the discovery of Australia.
50 thousand years before its discovery by European navigators. In waterless deserts, in tropical jungles and on the coastal plains of this continent, people have lived for centuries with their rich traditions of culture, religion and original lifestyle. By the time James Cook discovered Australia, indigenous people The continent had over 300 thousand people who spoke 500 languages. And now Australia, the discovery of the mainland of which took place twice before the world understood all its significance for the world economy and culture, continues to open the mysteries of its thousand-year history.
Discovery history
The discovery of Australia is the result of centuries of searching by the Portuguese, Dutch and British southern country(terra australis incognita). In 2006, archaeologists discovered ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs in Australia, which gave rise to the hypothesis among some scientists that the Egyptians were the first to discover this continent 5,000 years ago.
If you take recent history, then scientists agree that the year of discovery of Australia is 1606. It was in this year that the Dutchman V. Janszon studied the northeastern part of Australia - the Cape York Peninsula.
But the history of the discovery of Australia is a multitude of mysteries that scientists have yet to unravel. So, the cannons found by archaeologists give reason to some researchers to believe that back in the 16th century. the Portuguese visited Australia, but there is no evidence of this in documentary sources yet.
Exploring New Holland
The entire 17th century is the history of the discovery and exploration of Australia by sea travelers from the Netherlands, who first called it New Holland.
After the mentioned Janszon, in 1616 D. Hartog described part of the western coast of the continent, in 1623 J. Carstensz mapped the western coast of the York Peninsula, and in 1627 the southern coast of the still unknown mainland was explored by F. Theisen and P. Neyts.
The chief ruler of the Netherlands Indies, Anton Van Diemen, in 1642 sent the famous navigator A. Tasman on an expedition, who discovered the land named after Van Diemen (modern Tasman Island). On January 29, 1644, a new expedition set sail, led by Tasman. The expedition proved that New Holland is a separate continent.
For Holland, the discovery of Australia did not seem worthy of much attention, since she already had convenient naval bases in southern Africa and Java, and expensive oriental spices, valued on European markets, did not grow on the island itself. Nothing also indicated the presence of mineral deposits here; no other animal species were discovered that could arouse interest among the then Europeans.
Exploration of the Australian mainland by the British
More than half a century passed before the work of exploring the mainland after the Dutch was continued by English explorers and travelers. Thus, the expedition of V. Dampier managed to study the northwestern part of Australia in more detail and discover previously unknown islands in this area.
And in 1770, the "next" discovery of Australia took place - this time by James Cook.
After Cook, the discovery and exploration of Australia by the British continued: in 1798 D. Bass discovered the strait between the mainland and the island of Tasmania, in 1797-1803 M. Flinders passed the continent and made a map with more accurate outlines of its southern coast. It was Flinders who proposed in 1814 to change the name "New Holland" to "Australia", and by the 1840s F. King and D. Wicken had completed the study and mapping of the coastline of Australia.
The 19th century brought new geographical discoveries to Australia by travelers and explorers from different countries, but already within the continent. As a result, the Great Dividing Range appeared on the map of Australia with the highest point of the continent - Mount Kosciuszko; deserts, endless plains, as well as Darling and Murray - the most full-flowing.
A complete map of the British colony, which was Australia, was compiled by British scientists already at the beginning of the 20th century.
James Cook and his contribution to the study of Australia
James Cook was born in 1728 to a North Yorkshire farmer. But not justifying the hopes of his father, he became a cabin boy on the coal miner "Frilav" in 1745. James was fascinated by the sea, and he began to independently study astronomy, algebra, geometry and navigation, and his natural abilities contributed to career growth: already in 1755 he received an offer to take the place of captain on the ship "Friendship". But James decided to enlist in the Royal Navy, where he again began his service as an ordinary sailor. Cook quickly rose to the rank of assistant captain, and already in 1757 he passed the exams for the right to manage the ship on his own.
James Cook
In 1768, Cook went on an expedition that was supposed to observe the passage of Venus through the solar disk, as well as discover new lands for the British crown. It is believed that in 1770, during this round-the-world trip on the ship Endeavor, James Cook discovered Australia. Then he was forced to make a stop on a hitherto unknown mainland due to the resulting hole. Having repaired the ship, Cook sent it along the Great Barrier Reef, opening the hitherto unknown strait between Australia and New Guinea.
But the discovery of Australia did not stop Cook in search of hitherto unexplored lands. Returning to England in 1771, a few years later he again sets sail in search of the southern mainland - the mythical Terra Australis (Antarctica). The conditions of this trip did not allow Cook to reach Antarctica, and upon his return to England, he convinced everyone that the southern mainland simply did not exist.