Skip to Content

Map of Australia drafted by Matthew Flinders

Terra Australis

A Voyage to Terra Australis, Matthew Flinders map

Matthew Flinders

1814


Matthew Flinders (c1774-1814) completed the first circumnavigation of Australia in the Investigator in 1801–03.

On his return voyage to England, he was arrested and detained by the French at Mauritius until 1810. This prevented him from publishing his detailed charts of Australia before the French, who issued Louis de Freycinet’s first complete map of Australia in 1811.

Back in London, Flinders set about preparing his account of the voyage for publication. A Voyage to Terra Australis was published by G & W Nicol on 18 July 1814, the day before his death.

Flinders’ charts of Australia were considered so accurate that they were used for over a century by the British Admiralty.