FLINDERS AT TACKING (900 wide X 600 high Oil) ......Back to gallery

In 1802 Matthew Flinders charted his progress along the exposed coastline North from Port Jackson, he noted the smoke signals of the Indians announcing his progress that probably unnerved him, as it had Mendonca and Cook before. The “HMS Investigator” must have appeared as great alien bird to the onlookers. The conquerors write history but the place retains the sense of wailing and brandishing spears to scare the intruder away, and on this day at this place they succeeded. Despite the clear signs of discharge of a great river and the sighted rocks of a possible entrance, at Tacking Point the vessel was turned away into the gathering dusk, not to return and investigate further.