Geography Question

[Yorick]

I agree Epona. Australia was discovered by the Tasmanian Aboriginie, who was then replaced by the mainland Aboriginie later on. 40,000 years ago is one reckoning. Others have it later.

The Dutch were the first Europeans to discover "New Holland" or "Terra Australis", when they stayed too long on the west-east ocean winds on their way from the African Cape to India. The southern winds shortened their journey, but some overestimated, stayed in the current too long, and bumped into Oz.

Of the English, Darwin was first, hit, the Northern territory and wrote a derogatory description of the land and it's people. Good one Charles. It was like bumping into the Kola Peninsular and declaring all Europe an icey inhabitable wasteland.

The Dutch traded with the northern Arnhemlanders (all whites are called Ballanders to this day by Arnhemlanders) early on, and the Chinese and Javanese are supposed to have made contact before the Europeans too.

The Dutchman Abel Tasman ended up hitting Van Diemens land (later named Tasmania) sometime after that.

Cook then charted Australia and New Zealand, and Arthur Phillip landed the first Euro settlement in 1788AD.

Regarding Zealand, Zeeland is indeed in Holland, and Zealand is the island Copenhagen is on. Both mean Sea-land I believe. I'm not sure which it is named after. In any case I prefer to call New Zealand "Aotearoa", the Maori name meaning "land of the long white cloud".

In 1988 the legendary Burham Burnham discovered England, declared it Terra Nullis and claimed it for the Australian Aboriginie. Haven't heard any more about that though.

[Scholarcs]

Yorick...is right.

Gosh I'm suprised at all the confused people out there.

In 1642 the first European to discover New Zealand was Dutchman Abel Tasman, who had some unplesent encounters with the natives, and went back to Europe a few crewmen short.
Then Cpn. James Cook "discovered" New Zealand in 1769(?) and claimed it for the British Empire. Whalers and sealers started using New Zealand for bases after that, and in 1840, immigrants from Britain started to arrive in great numbers.

[Donut]

quote:

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Originally posted by Yorick:

Of the English, Darwin was first, hit, the Northern territory and wrote a derogatory description of the land and it's people. Good one Charles. It was like bumping into the Kola Peninsular and declaring all Europe an icey inhabitable wasteland.

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Yorick, ROTFLMAO what sort of nonsense do they teach in the Australian educational system. Charles Darwin the famous naturalist visited Australia on the Beagle in 1836. The guy you are thinking about is probably Sir Francis Drake who circumnavigated the world between 1577 and 1580 in The Pelican which was renamed The Golden Hind. He also 'discovered' California on this trip and claimed it for England

I may be being hard on you here Yorick - it must be hard learning when all your schooling has to be done over the radio because everyone lives so far apart in Australia.

[LennonCook]

When it comes to a talk about Australia, I begin with 3 words...

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE !!!

NOw as for the main mistake which I picked up in Yoricks post (infact the only one i picked up)...

The original name for Oz, the very early western one that was used in western dare i say it- civilisation, was NOT Terra Australus. It was infact a bit longer then that: Terra Australis Nondom Cognito- this is one of the very few latin phrases I know.. it translates roughly to "Great Unknown Southern Land" I like the great bit!!

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE !!!

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

[Yorick]

quote:

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Originally posted by Donut:

Yorick, ROTFLMAO what sort of nonsense do they teach in the Australian educational system. Charles Darwin the famous naturalist visited Australia on the Beagle in 1836. The guy you are thinking about is probably Sir Francis Drake who circumnavigated the world between 1577 and 1580 in The Pelican which was renamed The Golden Hind. He also 'discovered' California on this trip and claimed it for England

I may be being hard on you here Yorick - it must be hard learning when all your schooling has to be done over the radio because everyone lives so far apart in Australia.

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[Donut]

quote:

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Originally posted by Yorick:
[QB][/QB]

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Cat got your tongue. Or are you foaming at the mouth so much you forgot to type anything?

[Yorick]

quote:

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Originally posted by Donut:

Yorick, ROTFLMAO what sort of nonsense do they teach in the Australian educational system. Charles Darwin the famous naturalist visited Australia on the Beagle in 1836. The guy you are thinking about is probably Sir Francis Drake who circumnavigated the world between 1577 and 1580 in The Pelican which was renamed The Golden Hind. He also 'discovered' California on this trip and claimed it for England

I may be being hard on you here Yorick - it must be hard learning when all your schooling has to be done over the radio because everyone lives so far apart in Australia.

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Oh well screw me! Thanks Donut. No, not Drake, I meant William DAMPIER. Darwin/Dampier - I always confuse the two. Heck I even used to live relatively near the town of Dampier, which was closer than the bigger Darwin. That was between the ages of 7 and 11 though. Some confusion sticks I guess.

How embareshment....

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: Yorick ]

[Yorick]

quote:

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Originally posted by Donut:


Cat got your tongue. Or are you foaming at the mouth so much you forgot to type anything?

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Patience Herbert.

Drake indeed!

[Epona]

LOL, I was sat thinking "Darwin?? Must have missed something there." But actually a great post Yorick, you said what I'd have liked to have said if I posessed the ability to retain any information whatsoever!

I didn't know what New Zealand was called by the original inhabitants, and agree, that it what we should call it now. Damn Europeans, put your hat down for 5 minutes and they'll stick a flag in it and claim it for their own....

EDIT: BTW, glad to see your sig works again, I was starting to miss that chirpy jumping egg!

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: Epona ]

[Barry the Sprout]

I stand by what I said earlier. Whislt the native people had "discovered" the land way before anyone else (by definition) the actual thread was referring to its "discovery" by Western civilisation. This is neither more or less important or significant in my view. I was not saying that we were the only people that mattered, just trying to answer the question posed. Sorry if this caused any offence to anyone, I honestly didn't mean it...