Early French Maritime Exploration of Nouvelle Hollande

The goal of this talk is to challenge what might be our preconceived ideas about the French nation’s involvement with early Australia.

There were five major, well equipped maritime expeditions to Nouvelle Hollande from France during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Each of these bold endeavours made major contributions to our understanding of the flora, fauna, and geography of Australia.

We will examine each of these voyages in some minor detail. We will also look at what might be the first European contact and it is neither a Dutchman nor a Portuguese.

We hope to surprise people with the skills, ability, attitude, and commitment of these men as they added hugely to the knowledge of our continent often at significant cost in human terms, and at a time when the French nation was undergoing huge change at home.

This is a story of sacrifice, skill, and a show case of the “enlightenment” with a little; liberty, equality and fraternity thrown in not to mention plotting, spying and a little Gallic skulduggery.

We hope listeners will leave with a broader understanding of the early French Explorers and their undoubted achievements.

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