Australian places with Dutch names
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The Australian coast known to Dutch explorers in the seventeenth century. Note the whole east coast is missing.

There are many Australian places which have Dutch names dating from the 17th century due to the Dutch voyages of exploration along the western, northern and southern Australian coasts. Other places were named after the early Dutch explorers by later British explorers or colonists, for instance the Australian state of Tasmania is named after Abel Tasman. Australia itself was called New Holland by the Dutch.

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Places named by the Dutch

Queensland

The Dutch charted the western side of Cape York Peninsula and the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Willem Janszoon made the first recorded European landfall in Australia during the Janszoon voyage of 1606.

Dutch name English translation Date Reason for naming Coords Notes
Carpentaria Carpentaria Pieter de Carpentier 14°S 140°E / -14, 140 (Cape York Peninsula) was the Dutch name for what is now Cape York Peninsula, now used as the gulf name only.
Van Speult Rivier Dutch local governor, Herman van Speult 10°55′S 142°12′E / -10.917, 142.2 (Jardine River) Now known as Jardine River
Batavia Rivier Batavia River Batavia 12°03′S 141°55′E / -12.05, 141.917 (Wenlock River) Now known as Wenlock River
Coen Rivier Coen River 13°37′S 142°09′E / -13.617, 142.15 (Coen River) flows into Archer River
Vereenigde Rivier Vereenigde is the "V" in VOC (Dutch East India Company)
Nassau Rivier Nassau River 15°54′S 141°23′E / -15.9, 141.383 (Nassau River)
Staaten Rivier Staaten River 16°24′S 141°18′E / -16.4, 141.3 (Staaten River)
Van Diemens Baai Van Diemen Inlet Anthony van Diemen 16°58′S 140°58′E / -16.967, 140.967 (Van Diemen Inlet)
Kaap Van Diemen Cape Van Diemen Anthony van Diemen 16°31′S 139°42′E / -16.517, 139.7 (Cape Van Diemen) eastern cape of Mornington Island in the Wellesley Islands

Northern Territory

Dutch name English translation Date Reason for naming Coords Notes
Kaap Van der Lin Cape Vanderlin 15°35′S 136°59′E / -15.583, 136.983 (Cape Vanderlin) Actually the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands, the cape name is used for the northern tip of Vanderlin Island
C. Maria 14°52′S 135°44′E / -14.867, 135.733 (Maria Island) An island, not a cape, now called Maria Island
Groote Eylandt "Big island" sighted 1623, named 1644 14°00′S 136°35′E / -14, 136.583 (Groote Eylandt)
Arnhems Landt Arnhem Land The ship Arnhem which explored the area, which was named after Arnhem 13°S 136°E / -13, 136 (Arnhem Land)
Krokodillen Eÿlandt Crocodile Islands crocodiles 11°53′S 135°05′E / -11.883, 135.083 (Crocodile Islands)
Van Diemen Baai Van Diemen Gulf Anthony van Diemen 12°S 132°E / -12, 132 (Van Diemen Gulf)

Western Australia

Dutch name English translation Date Reason for naming Coords Notes
Dorre Eylanden Dorre Island 25°03′S 113°06′E / -25.05, 113.1 to the north of Dirk Hartog Island, appears on 1697-1726 map
Dirck Hartogs Ree cap. Dirk Hartog Island Dirk Hartog 25°50′S 113°05′E / -25.833, 113.083
Houtmans Abrolhos Houtman Abrolhos 1619 Frederick de Houtman, contraction of the Portuguese expression abro olhos ("open the eyes") or abri vossos olhos ("keep your eyes open") 28°43′S 113°47′E / -28.717, 113.783
Rottenest Eyland Rottnest Island December 29, 1696 Quokkas which appeared to be rats, hence 'rat's nest' 31°59′46″S 115°32′28″E / -31.99611, 115.54111 Named by Willem de Vlamingh
Zwaanenrivier or Swarte Swaene-Rivier Swan River January 10, 1697 Black swans 31°56′50″S 115°54′58″E / -31.94722, 115.91611 Named by Willem de Vlamingh
Landt van de Leeuwin Cape Leeuwin Leeuwin (galleon) 34°22′27″S 115°08′09″E / -34.37417, 115.13583 Name used for the land in the south west, now name only used for the cape.
Landt van P. Nuyts Nuytsland Pieter Nuyts 32°18′S 125°52′E / -32.3, 125.867

South Australia

Dutch name English translation Date Reason for naming Coords Notes
Landt uan P. Nuyts Nuytsland 16 January 1627 Pieter Nuyts 32°S 132°E / -32, 132 Nuytsland was the name used for the whole southern coast of Australia along the Great Australian Bight
I st. Francois St. Francis Island 1627 St. Francis 32°31′S 133°17′E / -32.517, 133.283
I st. Pierre St. Peter Island 1627 St. Peter 32°17′S 133°34′E / -32.283, 133.567

Tasmania

Dutch name English translation Date Reason for naming Coords Notes
Terre de Diemens Van Diemen's Land 24 November 1642 Anthony van Diemen 43°35′S 146°21′E / -43.583, 146.35
Wits Eylanden De Witt Island 1642 Johan de Witt 43°35′S 146°21′E / -43.583, 146.35
Sueers eylan Sweers island 1642 named after Salomon Sweers, member of the Council of India
eylan den Maet Maatsuyker Island 1st December 1642 named after Joan Maetsuicker, member of the Council of India 43°39′18″S 146°16′23″E / -43.655, 146.27306
Pedra branca 1642 "towards noon we passed two rocks of which the westernmost was like Pedra Branca off the coast of China" 43°51′S 146°58′E / -43.85, 146.967 (Pedra branca) Name is Portuguese in origin, although named by the Dutch Tasman
Boreels-eiland Boreel Head November 29, 1642 Pieter Boreel, member of the Council of India 43°14′S 148°00′E / -43.233, 148 (The Friars) Islands now called The Friars, Boreel Head is now the nearby cape on the south of Bruny Island
Storm Bay Storm Bay 1642 "[Tasman] had almost reached his intended anchorage when a heavy storm arose and he was driven out so far to sea that next morning he could hardly discern the land. It was from this incident that Storm Bay got its name." [1] 43°10′S 147°33′E / -43.167, 147.55 (Storm Bay)
Tasmans Eyl Tasman Island 1642 43°14′S 148°00′E / -43.233, 148 (Tasman Island)
Fredericks Hondricks Bay Frederick Hendrick Bay 1642 42°51′S 147°58′E / -42.85, 147.967 (Frederick Hendrick Bay) nearby NE cape on Forestier Peninsula still has the name Cape Frederick Hendrick, not near Frederick Henry Bay which is on the other side of the Tasman Peninsula which he never visited. The bay he called Frederick Henry Bay is now Marion Bay [2]
Marias Eylandt Maria Island December 4 1642 Maria Van Aelst, wife of Antonio Van Diemen 42°37′S 148°05′E / -42.617, 148.083 (Maria Island)
Schoute Eylandt Schouten Island December 4 1642 Justus Schouten, member of the Council of India. 42°18′S 148°16′E / -42.3, 148.267 (Schouten Island)
Vanderlins Eyl Vanderlins Island 1642 Cornelis Van der Lijn, member of the Council of India 42°13′S 148°18′E / -42.217, 148.3 (Freycinet Peninsula) not an island, actually Freycinet Peninsula. [3] When Tasman passed it he was heading east; did not see the connection to the mainland in the north.

Places named after the Dutch

Other places were given Dutch names by later explorers or colonists in honour of the Dutch. These include:

Reference

v • d • e
Australian places named by Dutch explorers in the 17th Century1
(Many names have been Anglicised; for these the original Dutch name appears in brackets)
Queensland
Staaten River (Staten Riuier) · Carpentaria
Northern Territory
Vanderlin Island (Cap Vanderlin) · Groote Eylandt · Arnhem Land (Arnhems Landt) · Crocodile Islands (Cocodrils Eÿlandt) · Van Diemen Gulf (Baÿa van-Diemen)
Western Australia
Houtman Abrolhos2 · Rottnest Island (Eyland Rottenest) · Swan River (Swarte Swaene-Revier)
South Australia
St. Francis Island (Eyland St. Francois) · St. Peter Island (Eyland St. Pierre)
Tasmania
Maatsuyker Island (Maetsuickers eylan) · Pedra Branca2 · Storm Bay · Maria Island (Marias Eylandt) · Schouten Island (Schoute Eylandt)
1(with the name still in use in either original or Anglicised version) 2Named by the Dutch, but a Portuguese name
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