Voyages of discovery - the Great South Land

As far back as the first centuries of the modern age. the early Greeks and Romans theorised about a vast landmass that existed beyond the Indian Ocean. They called it Terra Australis Incognita - the unknown southern land. It took more than 1000 years before this mysterious continent was finally located, charted and named Australia.

Through the State Library's incredible collections of maps, journals, log books, letters, paintings, prints, drawings and books, explore the stories of these exciting voyages of discovery. Find out about adventures of famous explorers like Abel Tasman and James Cook, shipboard life, encounters with indigenous peoples, cultural insights, and descriptions of the strange new flora, fauna and topography of the Great South Land.

Voyages of Discovery - the Great South Land is made possible through a partnership with the Bruce & Joy Reid Foundation.

A New map of the world, with Captain Cook's tracks, his discoveries and those of the other circumnavigators, 1800 by W. Palmer

Map ZM3 100a/1800/1