Matthew Flinders (Flinders Matthew)

(1774-1814)
Born March 16, 1774 in Donington (Lincolnshire). In 1795 he went to Australia and with the support of Governor Hunter explored and mapped the east and south coast of New South Wales. In 1798, together with George Bass sailed round Van Diemen's Land (now o.Tasmaniya). After visiting England, Flinders returned to Australia with the intention to investigate thoroughly the southern coast of this continent. Journeyed from Cape Levin (IDUs) in December 1801, is slowly moving eastward. In April 1802 met the French expedition in the Gulf of Nicolas Baudin, who later became known as Encounter ( 'Meeting'). Upon arrival in Sydney Flinders joined another expedition, during which only opened a safe passage through the Great Barrier Reef (pass Flinders) and explored the Gulf of Carpentaria. In the hold of the ship revealed a leak and had to go to Flinders o.Timor, whence he sailed along the western and southern coasts of Australia and arrived in Sydney in June 1803.
On the way to England in August 1803 the ship was wrecked Flinders. Procured another vessel, he reached Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, where he was detained by French authorities, since at that time France was at war with Britain. Able to return to his homeland only in 1810. Flinders died in London on July 19, 1814.

Among the works Flinders - Observations on the shores of Van Diemen's Land (Observations on the Coast of Van Diemen's Land, 1801) and Journey to the South Land (A Voyage to Terra Australis, in two volumes with an atlas, 1814).