Flinders and Bungaree - What was the impact of the voyage?
What was the impact of the voyage?
There were short and long term impacts of the voyages for the British and First Nations Australians.
- Crew members died on HMS Investigator voyage at Cape Catastrophe. They included ship master John Thistle, midshipman William Taylor, and six seamen. Flinders named islands in the area in honour of team members he lost.
- A Yolgnu man was shot and killed by a member of Flinders’ crew.
- Ten seamen died on the final leg of the HMS Investigator voyage and back on Garden Island in Port Jackson.
- Life at sea was very difficult and medical treatment wasn’t as good as today. Flinders suffered from scurvy during his circumnavigation and he died at the very young age of 40 after he returned to England.
- Flinders’ charts helped the British to better understand the geography of Australia. This allowed further exploration and expansion of the colony.
- Over time this led to more contact between First Nations Australians and the British. This led to dispossession, disease, conflict and long-lasting impacts on the practice of First Nations’ cultures.
- The name Australia was made popular by Flinders. The continent was officially given this name by Britain in 1824.
- Flinders charts were very accurate. They were still used by sailors during World War II.