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Dirk Hartog arrived in Australia quite by accident. He was not sent to explore the land. At certain times of the year, strong trade winds known as the "Roaring Forties" would sweep across the Indian ocean, and for the most part, the traders travelling to the Spice Islands were able to use these winds to direct their ships. In 1616, Dutch sea-captain Dirk Hartog accidentally sailed too far while he was trying out Henderik Brouwer's previously discovered route from the Cape of Good Hope to Batavia. The Roaring Forties directed Hartog onto Western Autralia's shores.

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12y ago

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