Who was the first European to reach Australia?

Answer 1

Often thought to be Captain Cook, but this is not true. Captain Cook was actually the first European to sail along the eastern coast of Australia.

The first European who discovered Australia was Willem Janszoon. The are also some theories that certain Europeans discovered Australia earlier, but Janszoon was on the first DOCUMENTED voyage to discover Australia.

Answer 2

It seems that just about everybody with a ship discovered Australia at different times, however, many of them did not realise at the time. For example, Willem Jansz/Janszoon was a Dutchman who was seeking new trade routes and trade associates. He became the first recorded European to step foot on Australia's shores on the western shore of Cape York Peninsula, on 26 February 1606. However, he believed the Cape to be part of New Guinea, from whence he crossed the Arafura Sea. Dirk Hartog is usually credited with discovery of the west coast of Australia in 1616. Lieutenant James Cook is cedited with discovery of the south eastern and east coasts in 1770.

Answer 3

It is believed that the Portuguese were the first to sight the Australian continent, but there are no records within Portugal itself to substantiate the claim, and no single individual can be named. The source for this claim are the Dieppe Maps, which date between 1542 and 1587, and which were drawn up by a group of French cartographers using a Portuguese source. These maps name a large land mass believed to be the Australian continent as Java-la-Grande. There is some speculation that the maps, not being to scale, actually represent an exaggerated western Java, possibly even Vietnam.

Willem Jansz/Janszoon was a Dutchman who was seeking new trade routes and trade associates. He became the first recorded European to step foot on Australia's shores on the western shore of Cape York Peninsula, on 26 February 1606. Numerous other Dutch explorers came and investigated the continent, but they largely explod the west and the south, the most barren regions of the land. Consequently, the Dutch made no attempt at settlement.

Many believe incorrectly that James Cook was the first European to reach Australia. This is not the case. In 1770, James Cook sailed along and mapped the east coast of Australia, all of which he named New South Wales. Following Cook's reports of more fertile land than that in the west, it was decided that New South Wales would become a penal colony. Captain Arthur Phillip led the First Fleet of convicts, officers and marines, arriving in Port Jackson, the site of present-day Sydney, on 26 January 1788.

Answer 4

The first recorded white person to step foot in Australia was over 400 years ago by Willem Janszoon a Dutch captain in 1606.

However, some historians believe the Portuguese were visiting Australia since 1200+.

Answer 5

Australian Aborigines made it to Australia anywhere between 6,000 and 50,000 years ago. No written records exist, so one can only speculate on when they first arrived, and who was the first of them.

The Asian people visited the northern coast regularly for hundreds of years before Europeans set foot on the continent, to collect sea-slugs (trepang), a valued delicacy in Asia. Again, there is no record of the very first man or woman to step foot on the continent.

It is believed that the Portuguese were the first to sight the Australian continent, but there are no records within Portugal itself to substantiate the claim. The source for this claim are the Dieppe Maps, which date between 1542 and 1587, and which were drawn up by a group of French cartographers using a Portuguese source. These maps name a large land mass believed to be the Australian continent as Java-la-Grande.There is some speculation that the maps, not being to scale, actually represent an exaggerated western Java, possibly even Vietnam.

Willem Jansz/Janszoon was a Dutchman who was seeking new trade routes and trade associates. Commanding the Duyfken, he became the first recorded European to step foot on Australia's shores on the western shore of Cape York Peninsula, on 26 February 1606. Therefore, as a people, the Dutch are officially credited with "discovering" Australia.

Answer 6

Harry Houdini is the first person to fly across Australia. He bought a French Voisin biplane for $5000 and flew with the aid of Antonio Brassac, a full-time Mechanic.

Answer 7

The first European on Australia was Willem Janszoon. He was a Dutch explorer and visited this country for the first time in 1606.

Answer 8

The first people to come to Australia were a race of people from the Indian subcontinent. They are now known as the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Answer 9

the aboriginals...