Terra Australis

How Europeans conceived of the southern continent from ancient times until the beginning of the 19th century, the charting of the coastline and the naming of Australia.

The definitive account of the birth of Australia

A guide to early printed maps of Australia, Antarctica and the South Pacific.

Terra Australis - the southern land - was one of the most widespread concepts in European geography from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, although the notion of a land mass in the southern seas had been prevalent since classical antiquity. Despite this fact, there has been relatively little sustained scholarly work on European concepts of Terra Australis or the intellectual background to European voyages of discovery and exploration to Australia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Through interdisciplinary scholarly contributions, ranging across history, the visual arts, literature and popular culture, this volume considers the continuities and discontinuities between the imagined space of Terra Australis and its subsequent manifestation. It will shed new light on familiar texts, people and events - such as the Dutch and French explorations of Australia, the Batavia shipwreck and the Baudin expedition - by setting them in unexpected contexts and alongside unfamiliar texts and people. The book will be of interest to, among others, intellectual and cultural historians, literary scholars, historians of cartography, the visual arts, women's and post-colonial studies.

First published in two-volumes in 1814, this is the enthralling account of the circumnavigation of Australia, by the man who gave our country its name. Edited and introduced by Tim Flannery, Terra Australisis a vital step toward a new understanding of our own history. Flinders tells of meeting and communicating with Aborigines, of the scrub and wilderness. His descriptions of the difficulties that he and his sailors faced still bristle with energy and immediacy two hundred years later. This is Flinders' story in his own words, neglected until now, but destined to be eagerly read by all.

Encountering Terra Australis traces the parallel lives and voyages of the explorers Flinders and Baudin, as they travelled to Australia and explored the coastline of mainland Australia and Tasmania. Unusually, the book takes its lead from the voyages of Baudin, rather than Flinders, providing a rather different interpretation than those presently circulating. Furthermore the authors have worked using their own totally fresh translation of Baudin's journals, sourcing original accounts including material which has never before been available in English.

Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia by Richard Henry Major: This historical account delves into the early voyages and explorations of the Australian continent. Richard Henry Major's meticulous research and engaging narrative bring to life the journeys of famous explorers, shedding light on their challenges, discoveries, and encounters with indigenous peoples. "Early Voyages to Terra Australis" is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the exploration and discovery of the Australian continent. Key Aspects of the Book "Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia": Exploration History: The book provides a comprehensive overview of the significant early voyages and explorations that contributed to the discovery and mapping of Australia. Indigenous Perspectives: Major's work reflects on the interactions between European explorers and the indigenous populations they encountered, offering insights into cross-cultural encounters. Geographical Discoveries: The book highlights the geographical knowledge gained through these voyages and their impact on cartography and navigational understanding. Richard Henry Major was an English historian and geographer born in 1818. He was a prominent figure in the field of cartography and geographical exploration. Major's works focused on historical geography and exploration narratives, contributing to the understanding of early voyages and their impact on world knowledge. His dedication to preserving and documenting historical accounts of exploration has made his writings invaluable to scholars and history enthusiasts.