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1789
Matthew Flinders joined the Navy at age 16. His parents were shocked and expected him to become a doctor like his relatives, but he wanted to follow HIS dreams. He was also famous for surviving the Mutiny on the Bounty. -
1791
He sailed to Tahiti serving under Captain William Bligh in 1791. -
1795
Matthew Flinders docked at Port Jackson, when Sydney was only seven years old, with only 3400 people living there. -
1796
In 1796, the Matthew Flinders friend George set sail on a tiny, uncomfortable boat called Tom Thumb. -
1798
Matthew Flinders completed a test and then became a Lieutenant. -
1798
When Matthew Flinders friend George Bass was away on his own voyage, he decided to volunteer as a crew member on the Francis. They sailed to the Furneaux Islands at the top of Van Diemen's Land, to save cargo and rescue drowning men from a shipwreck. Here, Matthew Flinders also chatted the area. He named on e of the small islands, Chappell Isles. -
1800
Matthew Flinders served on the Reliance, a leaky old ship, sailing to the colony of New South Wales. His thirteen year old brother was also on board. -
1801
Matthew Flinders was called in by the Navy and sailed to the Cape of Good Hope to buy cattle and sheep for their colony, New South Wales. On the return voyage, a litter of kittens were born on the ship, so Matthew Flinders adopted a beautiful black cat named Trim.