Duyfken slipped out of Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour on Saturday 8 April 2000, and began an expedition which will make Australian history.

Duyfken was constructed at a cost of $3.7 million to tell the little known story of Australia's first recorded European visitors and the 2000 Chevron Duyfken Expedition will bring this story to people in Australia and all over the world.

The first recorded chart of the Australian coastline was made by Duyfken's skipper, Captain Willem Janszoon, and the first time recorded in history when Aboriginal Australians met people from the outside world occurred during Duyfken's voyage of discovery.

The Ship's Master, Peter Manthorpe, will captain the 24 metre, 110 tonne vessel on her expedition.

Duyfken will sail through the Spice Islands, now known as the Maluku Province of Indonesia. In July 2000, she will arrive at the famed nutmeg island of Banda, the departure point for the original voyage of discovery to Australia. The ship will turn south east to re-enact the 1606 voyage, sailing to the mouth of the Pennefather River, 30 km north of Weipa on Cape York Peninsula in Queensland's Gulf of Carpentaria.

Duyfken will arrive at the Gold Coast in time for Christmas 2000.