Published Resources Details
Book
- Title
- King of the Australian coast; the work of Phillip Parker King in Mermaid and Bathurst 1817 - 1822
- Imprint
- Melbourne University Press, Carlton South (Vic.), 1997, 441 pp
- ISBN/ISSN
- 052284720X
- Abstract
Google AI Overview (2026-05-18):
Phillip Parker King-Australia's first native-born naval officer-earned his title as "King of the Australian Coast" by undertaking grueling hydrographic voyages between 1817 and 1822. Navigating the 84-ton cutter Mermaid and the 170-ton brig Bathurst, he systematically charted vast, unknown stretches of the treacherous northern and western coastlines.
His unprecedented efforts completed critical charting gaps left by Matthew Flinders and James Cook. The primary operations and voyages are detailed below:
The Mermaid Expeditions (1817-1820)
King's first three voyages were conducted aboard the diminutive cutter Mermaid, charting thousands of nautical miles despite the vessel's leaky condition.
Voyage 1 (1817-1818): King focused on the treacherous waters inside the Great Barrier Reef before surveying the unmapped northern tip of Arnhem Land and the coast toward the Wessel Islands.
Voyage 2 (1819): Sailing further west, King surveyed the complex, deeply indented Kimberley region, discovering and naming significant landmarks like Port Warrender, Prince Regent River, and Camden Sound.
Voyage 3 (1820): King sailed south to complete surveys of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), meticulously mapping Macquarie Harbour, before heading north again to refine his charts of the treacherous North West Cape.
The Bathurst Expeditions (1821-1822)
By 1821, the Mermaid was deemed unseaworthy, and King transferred to the larger, more reliable brig Bathurst.
Voyage 4 (1821): King thoroughly examined the central and north-west coast of Western Australia, meticulously charting Roebuck Bay and the Dampier Archipelago.
Voyage 5 (1822): The final voyage focused on completing the challenging western and southern coastlines, mapping King George Sound and the southwestern corner of the continent before returning to Sydney.