What was Australia originally called?

New Holland
After Dutch navigators charted the northern, western and southern coasts of Australia during the 17th Century this newly found continent became known as ‘New Holland’. It was the English explorer Matthew Flinders who made the suggestion of the name we use today.

When was Australia officially named Australia?

In 1814, Matthew Flinders had suggested that the name ‘Australia’ be adopted for the continent which had, until then, been known as ‘New Holland’. In December of 1817, Governor Macquarie officially recommended that Flinders’ suggestion be adopted.

How was Australia named before?

In 1804, the British navigator Matthew Flinders proposed the names Terra Australis or Australia for the whole continent, reserving “New Holland” for the western part of the continent.

What was Australia called before 1788?

New South Wales
Australia, once known as New South Wales, was originally planned as a penal colony. In October 1786, the British government appointed Arthur Phillip captain of the HMS Sirius, and commissioned him to establish an agricultural work camp there for British convicts.

When did the first white man come to Australia?

While Indigenous Australians have inhabited the continent for tens of thousands of years, and traded with nearby islanders, the first documented landing on Australia by a European was in 1606. The Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon landed on the western side of Cape York Peninsula and charted about 300 km of coastline.

How did aboriginals get to Australia?

Aboriginal origins Humans are thought to have migrated to Northern Australia from Asia using primitive boats. A current theory holds that those early migrants themselves came out of Africa about 70,000 years ago, which would make Aboriginal Australians the oldest population of humans living outside Africa.

Who inhabited Australia first?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia, meaning they were here for thousands of years prior to colonisation.

What race are Australian Aboriginal?

Genetic studies have revealed that Aboriginal Australians largely descended from an Eastern Eurasian population wave, and are most closely related to other Oceanians, such as Melanesians.

Where did Aboriginal come from before Australia?