Curio

State Library of New South Wales
A Chart of Bass's Strait between New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land explored by Matt.w Flinders 2nd Lieut. of His Majesty's Ship Reliance by order of His Excellency Governor Hunter, 1798–9, 1801

A Chart of Bass's Strait between New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land explored by Matt.w Flinders 2nd Lieut. of His Majesty's Ship Reliance by order of His Excellency Governor Hunter, 1798–9, 1801

Matthew Flinders
Published by A Arrowsmith, London
DL Cc 80 / 1

Separate voyages led George Bass and Matthew Flinders to share the view that a strait separated the mainland from Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania). Flinders and Bass set out on the Norfolk to settle the matter – Flinders concentrated on charting and Bass documenting the land. Having satisfied themselves on the existence of the strait and island, at Flinders’ suggestion, Governor Hunter named the strait after Bass. This chart shows the tracks of George Bass's whaleboat (1797–98), Matthew Flinders’ Francis (1798) and Bass and Flinders’ Norfolk (1798–1799).

Flinders was the first consistently to use the term 'Australia' and to confirm that the west (New Holland) and the east (New South Wales) were part of the one landmass. His charts became the basis of the Australian hydrographic record.

Bass Strait separates mainland Australia from the island of Tasmania. Its existence was verified in 1798 when George Bass and Matthew Flinders circumnavigated Van Diemens Land (Tasmania). Flinders named the body of water for his great friend.