Australia, referred to as one of the oldest stable landmasses on earth, has been free of mountain-building forces for around a hundred million years. This country has been excluded from the super continent 'Gondwana'. The Portuguese were the ones who originally knew about the mysterious 'Terra Australis'. One of them, named Luis Vaes de Torres, sailed the narrow strait between the tip of Cape York and New Guinea in the 16th century. Accompanying him were Dutch navigators Dirk Hartog, Van Diemen and Abel Tasman. Together, they mapped much of the coastline but hardly showed enthusiasm in settling in a hostile and barren continent.

Captain James Cook was the first to spot the fertile east coast in 1770. He was from the British Royal Navy, then in command of his ship, the 'Endeavor'. He was fortunate enough to have several scientists and a botanist aboard his ship. The men made amazing discoveries of plants and animals, never seen before.

On his departure from the Botany Bay, Cook traveled north and charted the coastline. His reports revealed that the east coast was fertile and suitable for settlement. He named the land New South Wales and claimed it for the British Crown in the name of King George III.

In the meantime, since his ship needed to be repaired, he had to stop at Queensland. Cook made himself quite homely with the local aborigines and was impressed at their life styles.