The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea

Early sea routes and old charts supply the evidence for George Collingridge's account of Portuguese and Spanish exploration around Australia and New Guinea. Published in 1906, this historical handbook covers discoveries from 1492 to 1606 and follows the search for the Spice Islands, voyages through Papua, and expeditions to the Solomon Islands. Maps receive sustained attention, including those associated with Jave-la-Grande and the developing outlines of Australia.

Collingridge explains that knowledge of the southern continent emerged through many voyages and incomplete coastal observations. Alongside that study of cartography, the narrative records the practical strain of sailing in unfamiliar waters. In the account of Queiroz's expedition, crews face rough landings, poor anchorages, and an urgent search for fresh water. Readers interested in maritime history can follow how sailors' reports and surviving charts were brought together to interpret the region's early European exploration.