In 1798 the explorers Bass & Flinders were dispatched to "Van Dieman's Land"
to ascertain if it was an island or not.
The Whale boat "Elizabeth" explored the west coast of Van Dieman's Land under direction of
Captain James Kelly & a convict crew from December 1815 to January 1816.
This is a replica of the Norfolk below
They sailed with a crew of 8 in HM Colonial Sloop Norfolk right into the
Tamar river & anchored off what is now George Town
Relica of Matthew Flinders "Tom Thumb"
They sailed this from Port Jackson to Port Hacking & found the Georges eiver
Bass & Flinders in their Naval uniforms
Both George Bass & Matthew Flinders were born in Lincolnshire in UK within a 'stones throw' of each other.
They sailed to New Holland in 1797 & took part in numerous explorations of the area.
They sailed/rowed out of Port Jackson in the Tom Thumb until eventually the Governor of the day gave them the recently acquired Norfolk
The "K D" was built in 1929 & was used by the Australian Navy before finding her way to Tasmania & being purchased by the 1st Tamar Sea Scouts
Both returned to the UK & got married, but left their wives there to return to Australia & more exploration
Bass retired from the navy & went into Merchant shipping & was unfortunately lost at sea on a venture via New Zealand to Chile. Age 32
Flinders continued in the Navy & on his later return to UK called into the French island of Mauritius, expecting the same hospitality as had been given to the French Explorer Baudin some years earlier in Australia
Unfortunately by then the English & French were at war & he was imprisoned as a spy for 7 years.
On his return to England many years later, he wrote a book & it was published the day before he died. Age 40
Ken Gourlay's Round the World solo quest.
This solo, non-stop unassisted trip was completed from 6 Nov 2006 to 6 May 2007
Upstairs they had this display of old motorbikes
Deck of the Norfolk
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