Person

Furneaux, Tobias (1735 - 1781)

Born
1735
Swilly, near Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
Died
18 September 1781
Swilly, near Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
Occupation
Naval officer and Navigator

Summary

Tobias Furneaux was a naval officer and navigator who joined the Royal Navy in 1755. Over the next 18 years he served in several ships, including on the French and African coasts and in the West Indies. He was appointed Second Lieutenant in H.M.S. Dolphin in 1766 on a voyage to discover islands in the Southern Hemisphere. The frequent illness of senior officers meant that Furneaux often took command. Between 1772 and 1774 he was Commander of H.M.S. Adventure, accompanying M.H.S. Resolution on James Cook's second voyage of exploration in the Southern and Pacific Oceans. The route was to Cape Town and through Subantarctic waters to New Zealand. In March 1773 Furneaux sailed along the east coast of Van Diemen's Land, naming Adventure Bay and other geographic landmarks. Between May and October the expedition explored in the south Pacific but the ships were separated in a storm. Adventure missed the designated meeting point in Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand, and returned to the United Kingdom. Furneaux's naval service continued until 1778, including engagement in the American War of Independence. The Furneaux islands, the largest of which is Flinders Island, are in Bass Strait between Tasmania and Victoria.

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Details

Chronology

February 1755 - November 1759
Career position - Midshipman, Royal Navy
1759
Career event - Promoted to Lieutenant
July 1766 - March 1768
Career position - Second Lieutenant, H.M.S. Dolphin on voyage to discover islands in the Southern Hemisphere
1771
Career event - Promoted to Commander
July 1772 - July 1774
Career position - Commander, H.M.S. Adventure on James Cook's second voyage of exploration in the Pacific Ocean
1775 - 1778
Career event - Engaged in the American War of Independence

Colleague

Related Cultural Objects

Published resources

Journal Articles

  • Nelson, E. Charles, 'Natural History Observations and Collections Made During Furneaux's Visit to Tasmania (Van Dieman's Land) in 1773, with Special Reference to Botany', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 115 (1981), 77-84. Details

See also

Helen Cohn

Created: 26 May 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P008056b.htm

This Edition: 2026 May - New Office
Chunnup - Gariwerd calendar - Winter: late May to end of July - season of cockatoos
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