Strong Aussie dollar helps museum acquire first surveys of Australian coastline

The Australian National Maritime Museum has acquired an outstanding collection of French 19th century large format (folio) atlases and texts and atlases which represent the first comprehensive surveys of the Australian coastline.

The strong Australian dollar has made overseas markets, in particular Europe's, much more accessible and allowed the museum to consider rare books and objects which just a few years ago would have been beyond its budget.

The five volumes - including an atlas of 32 charts of the Australian coast and a collection of beautifully detailed watercolours and sketches - are a complete account of the Nicolas Baudin expedition sent to survey and chart the Australian coast in 1801-1803.

In October 1800 Baudin sailed from France in command of the expedition and its two ships - Le Geographe and La Naturaliste - with 22 scientists and artists on board.
Baudin surveyed much of Australia's western coastline, King George's sound, the south coast, Bass Strait and parts of the north coast.

Notably, Baudin's voyage coincided with that of the better-known British explorer Matthew Flinders on board the HMS Investigator. Although Flinders' charts have come to be accepted as the more detailed and accurate of the two, Baudin's work was published three years before Flinders' and so offered the first comprehensive surveys of the Australian coastline.

Baudin's expedition produced a wealth of new geographical and anthropological information. Over 100,000 specimens of local flora and fauna were collected, together with significant observations of the indigenous Tasmanians and beautiful illustrations of the local population and wildlife.

Baudin replaced the worn-out La Naturaliste with the locally-built Casuarina while in Port Jackson. Louis De Freycinet, the expedition's hydro-cartographer, was appointed commander.

Baudin died of malaria in August 1803 when the expedition returned to Mauritius. And so it was De Freycinet who stepped in to have the voyage accounts and charts published.

"This collection of texts highlights the intense French interest in Australia in the early 19th century," said museum director, Mary-Louise Williams today.

"This voyage is particularly significant as it was this interest, and the resultant fear the French would establish a colony in Australia, that led to British settlements in Tasmania and Port Phillip.

"The strong Aussie dollar means our curators can now compete with other collectors in these offshore markets to ensure important historical objects - such as the Freycinet volumes - can be acquired for all Australians to see," she said.

The complete set of five Freycinet volumes was purchased from a rare book dealer in the UK for the competitive price of $A43,000.

The acquisition adds an important missing link in the museum's collection relating to early European exploration of the Pacific and Australia.

The museum holds a number of important folio atlases and voyage accounts including those of La Perouse, Flinders, D'Entrecasteaux, Cook and Vancouver. The addition of the Freycinet folios opens up significant opportunities for research, with plans to digitise the full collection in the future for greater community access.
 
The Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, is open daily, 9.30 am to 5 pm. For further information visit www.anmm.gov.au or telephone (02) 9298 3777.

Images available on request.

Media inquiries, Shirani Aththas (02) 9298 3642; 0418 448 690