The first known Europeans to set foot on Australia’s shores were the Dutch, doing so over 150 years before English explorer James Cook ever sighted eastern Australia. In 1642, Abel Tasman sighted and named Van Diemen’s Land. After Tasman had established in 1644 that the continent was separate from other land masses to the north, … Continue reading December 21, 1817 – Governor Macquarie recommends the use of the name ‘Australia’ instead of New Holland for the continent