Up until the Duyfken started mapping the west coast of Cape York Peninsula, Australia was invisible on Europe’s atlas of the world (top map). By 1644, the Dutch had mapped nearly three quarters of Australia’s coastline and parts of New Zealand (bottom map).
Dutch put Australia on the world map
Despite being the world’s largest island continent, Australia was the last inhabited continent to appear on Europe’s map of the world.
It was a small group of navigators in the service of the Dutch East India Company that put much of Australia’s coastline on the world map by the year 1644 – more than 125 years before the arrival of Lieutenant James Cook.
At first, the coastline was mapped by the Dutch navigators to warn other ships in the Dutch East India Company of Western Australia’s hazardous coastline.
But as more coastline was mapped, the company began taking interest in the region and sent out ships on journeys of exploration.
It was a massive accomplishment, one that Cook recognised when claiming the east coast of Australia for Britain:
“… on the western side (of New Holland) I can make no new discovery – the honour of which belongs to the Dutch navigators.”
Read below to find out how the Dutch East India Company charted Australia’s northern and southern coastlines by the year 1644.
1606: Cape York Peninsula
First map of Australian coastline
Willem Janszoon, captain of the Duyfken, became the first European to map Australia’s coastline when he chartered 300km of Cape York Peninsula in 1606.
1611: New trade route
European ships sail closer to WA
Some Dutch ships accidentally made contact with Australia’s west coast after veering off course from a new, quicker trade route to Indonesia that ran parallel to WA's coast.
1616: Shark Bay to North West Cape
Dirk Hartog's famous accident
Dirk Hartog and the crew of the 'Eendracht' became the first Europeans to accidentally sail too far east of the designated trade route and make contact with Western Australia.
1616 – 1628: West and south coasts
Dutch map of Western Australia evolves
Just 17 years after the new trade route was established, navigators of the Dutch East India Company had mapped much of Western Australia’s coastline.
1623: Gulf of Carpentaria
Dutch interest awakened in south land
As the map of Australia began to take shape, the Dutch East India Company commissioned voyages of exploration to learn more about commercial opportunities in the region.
1642-44: Tasmania and Northern Australia
The map of Australia takes shape
Abel Tasman undertook two voyages that chartered nearly 4000km of coastline - the most significant contribution to the map of Australia.