A New Map of the World, Drawn from the l…

Thomas Kitchin’s double hemisphere world map drawn in 1771 showing the world prior to James Cook’s first voyage in which the east coast of Australia and New Zealand were charted.

Australia and New Zealand are shown with the discoveries of Abel Tasman’s first and second voyages in 1742-3. The southern and east coasts are show as hypothetical, according to the theories put forward by the French School of Theoretical Cartography which popularised the notion of an imaginary east coast of Australia extending from Van Diemen’s Land to the Solomon Islands. It was so influential in propagating its theories that the majority of cartographers at the time depicted Australia on their maps accordingly. This error was to remain until James Cook’s finally discovered and charted the east coast of the South Land in 1770.

From: William G. A general history of the world, from the creation to the present time.