1644

Abel Janszoon Tasman with the vessels Limmen, Zeemeeuw and Braq charted 481 km of the North Australian coast. He did not find the entrance to Torres Strait, but established that areas now known as Western Australia and Queensland were part of the same land mass. Early Australian Voyages by John Pinkerton contains extracts from Tasman's journal. An account of this voyage can be found in Australian Discovery, by Ernest Scott. Abel Janszoon Tasman's Journal.

© Ian Hughes 2013