Voyage of the Pera and Arnhem to Australia in 1623 facts for kids
The Pera and the Arnhem were two ships that sailed a long time ago, in 1623. They belonged to a big Dutch trading company called the Dutch East India Company (or VOC). These ships explored the northern coast of Australia. You might know Arnhem Land in Australia; it's named after the ship Arnhem. The ship itself was named after a city in the Netherlands called Arnhem.
Contents
Why the Ships Sailed
The Pera was a yacht led by Captain Jan Carstenszoon. The Arnhem was a smaller ship, and its captain was Willem Joosten van Colster. They started their journey from a place called Amboyna on January 21, 1623.
Their main goals were:
- To talk and make agreements with the local people in areas like Quey, Aroe, and Tenimber.
- To explore more of "Nova Guinea" (which means New Guinea).
- To especially explore the part of Australia that Willem Janszoon had seen and mapped in 1606. He did this during his trip on a ship called the Duyfken.
Their Journey and Discoveries
After sailing along the southern coast of New Guinea, the ships headed towards Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf of Carpentaria in Australia.
Reaching New Lands
On April 14, 1623, they sailed past Cape Keerweer. This was the furthest south the ship Duyfken had gone before. Captain Carstenszoon landed to find fresh water for his ships. Here, he met a group of the Wik peoples.
Meeting the Wik Peoples
The Dutch sailors tried to take some Wik men with them. This made the Wik people upset and led to a fight. About 200 Wik warriors fought the Dutch near a small river. Carstenszoon named this river the Carpentier River, close to Cape Duyfken.
Exploring the Gulf
Carstenszoon continued his journey and reached the Staaten River. From there, the Pera and Carstenszoon sailed back to Ambon. The Arnhem continued its journey alone. It crossed the Gulf of Carpentaria and saw the eastern coast of Arnhem Land.
Why This Voyage Was Important
The journey of the Pera and Arnhem was a big moment in the exploration of Australia. It was the tenth time Europeans had made contact with the Australian continent. This information is recorded in a list by the Australia on the Map group. Later, in 1644, another explorer named Abel Tasman mapped the Gulf of Carpentaria and Arnhem Land in much more detail.
