Australian explorers

A list of explorers who searched for Australia Incognita, mapped the coastline, or explored the inland country of Australia. Articles are listed under the name of the relevant explorer. (Names are arranged chronologically by year of birth).

Pedro Fernandes de Quiros (1565-1614)
[Pedro Fernandes de Quirós never actually explored Australia, but has been included here due to his exploration in search of “Australia Incognita”.]
* Relation of a Memorial [by Captain de Quiros, ca.1607-1614, translated and reproduced 1770]
* Chapter I: The dawn of discovery [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Dirk Hartog (1580-1621)
* Discovery of Australia: The Tercentenary [1 September 1916]
* An Australian Tercentenary [by Professor Ernest Scott, 21 October 1916]
* Coming of the Dutch [by Martin Hambleton, 24 June 1934]
* Chapter II: The Dutch and New Holland [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Abel Tasman (1603-1659)
* Chapter II: The Dutch and New Holland [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]
* 300th anniversary: Tasmania’s discovery [2 December 1942]

William Dampier (1651-1715)
* [William Dampier’s account of his experiences of New Holland in 1688] [by William Dampier, 1688 (published 1697)]
* Captain William Dampier: First Englishman to visit Australia [by Martin Hambleton, 1 July 1934]
* Chapter III: Dampier and Cook [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

James Cook (1728-1779)
* The centenary of the discovery of New South Wales [23 April 1870]
* Captain James Cook: The real discoverer of Australia [by Martin Hambleton, 8 July 1934]
* Chapter III: Dampier and Cook [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

George Bass (1771-1803)
* Voyages of Bass and Flinders: The discovery of Bass Strait [by Martin Hambleton, 5 August 1934]
* Chapter VII: Further explorations [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Matthew Flinders (1774-1814)
* Voyages of Bass and Flinders: The discovery of Bass Strait [by Martin Hambleton, 5 August 1934]
* Flinders’ coastal discoveries [by Martin Hambleton, 12 August 1934]
* Chapter VII: Further explorations [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]
* Matthew Flinders: His achievements and tragedy [by Professor Ernest Scott, 20 May 1939]

Gregory Blaxland (1778-1853), William Lawson (1774-1850), and William Charles Wentworth (1790-1872)
* Blaxland’s journeys of exploration: Blue Mountains conquered [by Martin Hambleton, 2 September 1934]
* Chapter VII: Further explorations [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

George William Evans (1780-1852)
* G. W. Evans: A retrospect [by Ernest Favenc, 3 June 1905]
* Discoverer of the Lachlan [29 May 1908]
* George William Evans: Discovers the Lachlan and Macquarie [by Martin Hambleton, 9 September 1934]

John Oxley (1784-1828)
* Expeditions of John Oxley: Discovery of Liverpool Plains [by Martin Hambleton, 16 September 1934]
* Search for new penal settlement: Oxley discovers the Brisbane River [by Martin Hambleton, 23 September 1934]
* Chapter XI: The problem of the rivers [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Allan Cunningham (1791-1839)
* Allan Cunningham discovers the Darling Downs [by Martin Hambleton, 21 October 1934]

Sir Thomas Mitchell (1792-1855)
* Sir Thomas Mitchell: Search for a mythical river [by Martin Hambleton, 28 October 1934]
* Mitchell’s second journey: Exploration of the Darling River [by Martin Hambleton, 4 November 1934]
* Mitchell’s third journey: The Darling joins the Murray [by Martin Hambleton, 11 November 1934]
* Mitchell’s last expedition: Discovery of rich pastoral country [by Martin Hambleton, 18 November 1934]
* Chapter XI: The problem of the rivers [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Charles Sturt (1795-1869)
* Australia’s greatest explorer and his work [by E. Waterman, 16 December 1926]
* Sturt and the great river system: “Greatest Australian Explorer” [by Professor Ernest Scott, 17 June 1939]
* Captain Charles Sturt: Discovery of the Darling River [by Martin Hambleton, 7 October 1934]
* Discovery of the Murray: Sturt’s heroic achievement [by Martin Hambleton, 14 October 1934]
* Sturt’s attempt to reach the centre of the continent [by Martin Hambleton, 9 December 1934]
* Chapter XX: The heart of the continent [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Hamilton Hume (1797-1873) and William Hovell (1786-1875)
* In the footsteps of the explorers: Hume and Hovell [by “Goulburnian”, 24 September 1904]
* Discoveries of Hume and Hovell [by Martin Hambleton, 30 September 1934]
* Chapter XI: The problem of the rivers [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Count Paul de Strzelecki (1797-1873)
* Strzelecki, who first found gold in the continent [by Professor Ernest Scott, 24 June 1939]

Peter Egerton-Warburton (1813-1889)
* Three notable explorers: Gregory, Warburton, and Giles [by Martin Hambleton, 10 March 1935]

Ludwig Leichhardt (1813-1848)
* Leichhardt’s expedition to Port Essington [by Martin Hambleton, 30 December 1934]
* Leichhardt’s journey to death [by Martin Hambleton, 6 January 1935]
* Chapter XX: The heart of the continent [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]
* Adventures and tragedy of the mysterious Leichhardt [by Professor Ernest Scott, 15 July 1939]

Edward John Eyre (1815-1901)
* Edward John Eyre: Daring Australian explorer [by Martin Hambleton, 25 November 1934]
* Chapter XX: The heart of the continent [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

John McDouall Stuart (1815-1866)
* Stuart reaches the centre of Australia [by Martin Hambleton, 13 January 1935]
* Stuart’s journey across Australia [by Martin Hambleton, 20 January 1935]
* Chapter XI: The problem of the rivers [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]
* Chapter XX: The heart of the continent [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Edmund Kennedy (1818-1848)
* Kennedy’s ill-fated expedition [by Martin Hambleton, 2 December 1934]

Sir Augustus Charles Gregory (1819-1905)
* Three notable explorers: Gregory, Warburton, and Giles [by Martin Hambleton, 10 March 1935]

Robert O’Hara Burke (1821-1861) and William John Wills (1834-1861)
* Burke and Wills expedition [by Martin Hambleton, 27 January 1935]
* A grim fight for life [by Martin Hambleton, 3 February 1935]
* Last scenes of Burke and Wills tragedy [by Martin Hambleton, 10 February 1935]
* Further efforts to find Burke and Wills [by Martin Hambleton, 17 February 1935]
* Chapter XX: The heart of the continent [A Short History of Australia (6th edition, 1936), by Ernest Scott]

Ernest Giles (1835-1897)
* Three notable explorers: Gregory, Warburton, and Giles [by Martin Hambleton, 10 March 1935]

John Forrest (1847-1918)
* John Forrest’s first journey of exploration [by Martin Hambleton, 24 February 1935]
* Forrest’s second and third expeditions [by Martin Hambleton, 3 March 1935]

Updated 17 June 2021