Death of Matthew Flinders

My last two article have been about the remarkable achievements of Flinders, his good friend Bongaree and the cat Trim, who were the first “outsiders” to come to Bribie Island and then circumnavigate Australia. This article is about the final years of Matthew Flinders life and their part in the history of Australia and how they should be remembered.

In 1802/3 aboard the Investigator they explored the entire east and north coast of Australia, through a maze of treacherous coral outcrops across the top of Australia. Discovery of this sea route enabled ships sailing from the Pacific to India or South Africa to cut almost 40 days off future voyages.

Flinders and crew on Investigator made detailed maps of the coast and their many encounters with local people was greatly helped by Bongaree. The ship needed repair, so they went to Timor and returned to Sydney via the previously mapped West and South coasts. Bongaree was the first aboriginal to circumnavigate what they found to be one big continent that Flinders named Australia Flinders was then keen to return to England where he would be welcomed as a hero, promoted, and reunited with his new wife Ann. He left aboard the Porpoise which ran aground and sank off the east coast, so that Flinders and his faithful cat Trim had to be rescued and returned to Sydney. He then took the Cumberland, a small leaky colonial schooner on the trip back to England, calling in at the island of Mauritius, not knowing that France was at War with England, and was taken prisoner and held for 7 years, finally getting back to England in 1810 in failing health. He had not seen his wife Ann in over 9 years. They had a daughter in 1812 but Flinders struggled to complete his book “Voyage to Terra Australis”, which was finally published a day before his death on 19 July 1814 at age 40. His widow Ann lived for another 38 years. Flinders grave site was forgotten

205 years after his death the longlost record of Flinders burial were rediscovered in 2019 when building work began at Euston Railway Station in London. On the site of a large old cemetery the records of 60,000 largely unidentified bodies indicated the possible location of Matthew Flinders grave. Like looking for a needle in a haystack a huge archaeologic dig found the coffin plate and remains of Matthew Flinders in 2020. This was a remarkable achievement for researchers, historians and archaeologists, and further ongoing analysis and research may reveal much about his life and death.

There are several statues and memorials around the World and Australia paying tribute to the life of Matthew Flinders. On Bribie Island the bicentenary of his visit in 1799 was celebrated in 1999. There is a display and memorial stone at the Seaside Museum, a Talking

Monument at Banksia Beach, and a Matthew Flinders Gallery at the Arts Centre. Many books have been written about Flinders, and his cat Trim, and buildings, places and plants bear his name. There is even a bronze memorial to the well-travelled cat Trim outside the NSW State Library.

What we don’t have anywhere in Australia is a memorial to his aboriginal friend and companion Bongaree who contributed so much to the success of Australia’s exploration. Bongaree’s legacy appears all but forgotten.

There is just one small bust of Bongaree by Aboriginal sculptor Laurie Nilson in the Mosman Town Hall, Sydney. I found this interesting quote by Mr Janke, co-chair of the National NAIDOC committee, who said on ABC World Today.

and Bongaree on Bribie. It was a year of many great celebrations, and a is now 224 years since their first historic arrival on Bribie, just 11 years after

I think we should have a life size Sculpture of Bongaree, standing with Matthew Flinders and cat Trim, right here at the place that is called Bongaree in his memory. As we now move to recognise First Nations people, Bongaree is one of the most famous and the first to be called Australian. We should be very proud to have our Bongaree connection with him here on Bribie. Any other town would be proudly promoting their historical connection.

The year 1999 was the Bicentenary of the first historic landing by Flinders replica of the Sloop Norfolk was built in Tasmania by Bern Cuthbertson and sailed to Bribie for the celebrations. The photo of the Norfolk beside the “Ferryman” shows what a small ship it was.

A Bicentenary Committee, led by Margaret Guthrie established the Bribie Island Community Arts Centre with its Matthew Flinders Gallery and she wrote a book titled “The first tourist” and aTalking Monument was unveiled at Banksia Beach on 16 July 1999 to mark the 200th anniversary of their landing. Go and have a look and listen

The Bribie Island Historical Society are proposing to gift a life size sculpture of Bongaree, with Flinders and Trim, in a public location at Bongaree, with words and maps to tell residents and visitors the story of their great achievements. It the “First Fleet” came to Sydney, so we wonder why it taken so long to get the recognition that is due.

I have been writing these articles about different aspects of Bribie Island History for many years to make people more aware and respectful of what has gone before us that makes this such an interesting place to live.

Historical Society monthly meetings are on the second Wednesday of each month at 6;30 pm at the RSL Club. I have arranged for a direct descendant of Bongaree to be guest speaker at our April meeting. See more stories and photos of Bribie history on our Web Site Bribiehistoricalsociety.org.au and Blog Site http://bribieislandhistory. blogspot.com or contact us on bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail.com

Across

1 Expectation of failure (9)

8 Food intake (4)

9 Internecine conflicts (5,4)

10 Sound of something small falling into water (4)

13 Dress up (5)

15 Optimistic (6)

16 Fertiliser deriving from potassium (6)

17 Quite (6)

19 Wilful damager of another’s property (6)

20 Interior design scheme (5)

21 It’s made of horsehair (4)

24 Newspaper’s leader? (9)

25 Metropolis (4)

26 Closeness (9)

Down

2 The Odyssey, for instance (4)

3 Iniquity (4)

4 Stymie (6)

5 Steal apples from a tree on private land (6)

6 Indoor ball game (9)

7 Partner’s offspring (9)

11 Dominant position (9)

12 Intransigent — beat it, son (anag) (9)

13 Walked up and down (5)

14 Opposite, bear or expedition? (5)

18 Apply cement or plaster to a wall (6)

19 Maelstrom (6)

22 Forbidding (4)

23 Forest tree

7 Partner’s offspring (9)

Across

1 Expectation of failure (9)

8 Food intake (4)

9 Internecine conflicts (5,4)

10 Sound of something small falling into water (4)

11 Dominant position (9)

12 Intransigent — beat it, son (anag) (9)

13 Walked up and down (5)

14 Opposite, bear or expedition? (5)

18 Apply cement or plaster to a wall (6)

Across

1 Saying Cecil debated with head honcho (6)

4 A jerkin, thanks to the poet (6)

9 Finishes by sending letters out (7)

10 Care about opening sportsground for sprints (5)

Solution no 16,459

11 I'm taking time to create an impression (5)

12 Did it for Mafeking to ease the pain (7)

13 Only a priest can show character? (11)

18 Rashly floats about a thousand?Rubbish! (7)

20 Question the delivery of the publication (5)

22 Develop ideas for a stage whisper (5)

23 Act is run of the mill, normally (7)

24 Breaking bread with a big noise showing the way (6)

25 Fail to honour new green environmental head (6)

CRYPTIC SOLUTION 185

QUICK SOLUTION 185

Down

1 Secret enquiry sees a half-wit outed (6)

2 Country's aid in jeopardy (5)

3 They have a license to kill (7)

5 Its’ first recognises fools (5)

6 The nice tan is discernible for ages (7)

7 Sid? - He's responsible for the dinnerware (6)

8 Their interests are out of this world (11)

14 Electronic movement with feeling (7)

15 Respite the French is leading, for certain (7)

16 Apprehensive as fair notice is displayed (6)

17 Formidable clergyman coming back into the diocese (6)

19 Forbidding, the navy set conditions (5)

21 Sarcastic leading socialite never in doubt expounding (5)