Matthew Flinders

Born in Lincolnshire in 1774, Matthew Flinders joined the Royal Navy as a teenager and quickly found his calling at sea. He sailed with George Bass, explored parts of the Australian coast, and built a reputation as a careful surveyor whose charts were valued for their accuracy.

Flinders is best known for leading the first circumnavigation of Australia in the early 1800s aboard HMS Investigator. During and after that voyage, he mapped long stretches of coastline and gathered observations that helped European understanding of the continent. He is also closely linked with the wider use of the name "Australia," which he supported in his published work.

His life was adventurous but difficult. On his way back to England, he was detained for years by the French on Mauritius, delaying the publication of his work. He died in London in 1814, not long after his great account of exploration, A Voyage to Terra Australis, appeared.