In 2022, Dutch-Australian historian Dr Nonja Peters resolved a longstanding maritime mystery by identifying Jan Fransz of Hoorn as the skipper of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) vessel Leeuwin on its 1621 voyage from Amsterdam to Batavia.
The Leeuwin sailed along the south-western coast of Australia in 1622, contributing to early European mapping of the continent. Its name survives in several Western Australian geographical features, including Cape Leeuwin.
Peters’ breakthrough followed renewed research using digitised Dutch archival records. A diary entry dated 8 March 1621 by Dutch antiquarian Arnoldus Buchelius identified Jan Fransz as the vessel’s skipper. The discovery provided documentary evidence that had eluded earlier maritime historians.
The research attracted considerable Australian media attention. This report, prepared by media monitoring company Isentia for Curtin University in December 2022, documents 24 media mentions across newspapers, online publications and radio, including ABC Radio Perth, 6PR and The West Australian.
The report illustrates both the historical significance of Peters’ discovery and the contribution of digitised archives to research into the earliest Dutch maritime connections with Australia.
Source: Isentia, Media report: Leeuwin skipper, 15 December 2022 (14 pages). Includes media coverage summaries and newspaper reproductions relating to Dr Nonja Peters’ research.
Leeuwin was one of the first ships to chart parts of the south WA coastline in 1622. It inspired the naming of Cape Leeuwin, the Leeuwin Current and many more significant sites in WA.
About the author
Dr Nonja Peters is a historian, anthropologist and museum curator whose research has made a significant contribution to Dutch-Australian migration history and cultural heritage.
For her full biography and an overview of her research, publications, exhibitions and international collaborations, see:
Dr Nonja Peters – Historian of Dutch-Australian migration, heritage and cultural identity
