Prior to 1798, it was unknown if Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) was joined to the mainland of Australia, or if it was an island.
In 1797 George Bass made an expedition to the south coast of Australia, reaching as far as Westernport. His observations indicated the strong possibility that there was a strait between the mainland and Tasmania.
In 1798, Governor Hunter in Sydney commissioned Matthew Flinders and George Bass to return to Tasmania in the sloop Norfolkand attempt the first detailed survey of Tasmania, and hopefully to circumnavigate it.
The voyage was a success and proved both that Tasmania was an island, and the existence of the strait - which was subsequently named for Bass.
This knowledge had the added benefit that a ship using Bass Strait rather than sailing under the southern tip of Tasmania could cut a week off the journey time between Europe and Sydney.
Matthew Flinders and George Bass sailed across the top of Tasmania
Matthew Flinders and George Bass circumnavigated Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) in 1798, thus proving it was an island.
Matthew Flinders wanted to help George Bass prove that Van Diemen's land (Tasmania) was an island, and not joined to the Australian continent.
Matthew Flinders circumnavigated Tasmania with George Bass.
No - because Tasmania is not a continent. Matthew Flinders, together with George Bass, determined that Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen's Land) was an island, and quite separate from the Australian mainland. Prior to this, sailors and explorers all believed that there was no sea passage between Tasmania and the rest of Australia.
No. Flinders Island lies in Bass Strait, between the island state of Tasmania and the Australian mainland.
Report back to Capt Flinders.
Matthew Flinders and George Bass
Tasmania, then Van Diemen's Land, was proven to be an island following the journey of George Bass and Matthew Flinders. Bass and Flinders circumnavigated Van Diemen's Land in 1798-99, completing their journey on 7 January 1799.
The ship in which Flinders circumnavigated Australia was named Investigator.Prior to this Matthew Flinders, together with George Bass, circumnavigated Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) in the Norfolk.
Yes. George Bass, together with Matthew Flinders, proved that Tasmania (then Van Diemen's Land) was an island, and not connected to the Australian mainland. Because it was his initiative that led to the expedition being organised, the strait of water Bass and Flinders discovered between the mainland and Tasmania bears the name of Bass Strait.
Matthew Flinders circumnavigated the entire continent of Australia, and was with George Bass when the discovery was made that Tasmania was a separate island.