George Bass

Born in 1771 in England, George Bass trained as a surgeon and joined the Royal Navy before sailing to New South Wales in the 1790s. In the young colony he quickly earned a reputation for toughness, curiosity, and skill in small-boat exploration.

Working closely with Matthew Flinders, he explored large stretches of the Australian coast at a time when much of it was still unknown to Europeans. His voyages helped confirm that Van Diemen’s Land was separated from the mainland by the stretch of water later named Bass Strait, and he also gave his name to the Bass River and the federal division of Bass.

Bass later turned to trading and sea travel in the Pacific, but in 1803 he disappeared on a voyage and was never seen again. Because his life was so short and ended so mysteriously, he remains one of the most compelling figures from the early years of Australian exploration.