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'Willem de Vlamingh' (born 28 November 1640, Vlieland - died ?) was a Dutch sea-captain who explored the southwest coast of Australia (then "New Holland") in the late 17th century.
In 1696 de Vlamingh's expedition left Amsterdam to chart the south-west coast of New Holland to aid navigation on the Indian Ocean route from African Cape. There were three ships under his command: the frigate ''De Geelvinck'', captained by de Vlamingh himself; the hooker ''De Nijptang'', under Captain Gerrit Collaert; and the galiot ''Weseltje'', under Captain Cornelis de Vlamingh, son Willem de Vlamingh. The expedition departed Amsterdam on 2 May 1696

★ On December 29 1696, he discovered Rottnest Island. He named the island from the number of rats (actually the native marsupial quokkas), observed.

★ On January 10 1697, he discovered the Swan River. He named the river after the Black Swans which he observed in large numbers.

★ On February 4 1697, he landed at Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia, and replaced Dirk Hartog’s pewter plate with one bearing a record of both visits. The original plate is preserved in the Rijksmuseum.
De Vlamingh's name is preserved in the names of a number of geographical features in Western Australia.

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References

References

★ Early Voyages to Terra Australis by R H Major, at Project Gutenberg of Australia

★ VOC Historical Society "Enriching Australian History" Series biography