Naming
Australia
Incorporated
Naming Australia Incorporated
A celebration of Spanish
contribution to the history
and naming of Australia
Luis Vaez de Torres
Nothing is known of his early life, except that he was a Spaniard.
As captain of the ship San Pedro, the so called Almiranta, he was second in command of the expedition of Pedro Fernandez de Quirós.
When Fernandez de Quirós left the island, Torres started the 8 June 1606 a navigation that took him along the shores of Papua New Guinea and Australia.
After unsuccessfully searching for the possible wreckage of Quirós' ship, during which time they discovered that they were on an island not a continent, they first sailed SW before being forced to the Northwest, reaching the Louisiades and Basilaki Island.
Unable to proceed further north, Torres coasted south to New Guinea (called Magna Margarita), naming San Juan Batista (Yule Island), entering Orokolo Bay, passing Malandanza (Umuda Island), Isla de Perros (Bristow Island) and sighting Long Reef off Cape York (called Volcan Quernado). He then crossed the Torres Strait, between 1-9 October 1606, afterwards coasting to New Guinea and doubling Cape San Pablo (Cape Valsch). After calling at San Juan de Prado and Cape San Lucas(in the region of Kaimana, Irian Jaya), he sailed North to Cinco Hermanas (Yef Pelee on Misool Island), Ternate and Manila, arriving 12 May 1705.
He arrived to Manila on 22 May 1607, and, probably, he spent the rest of his life in Manila.
According to Australian sailor and historian Brett Hilder, “After 370 years of research and some lucky discoveries we still only know Torres as a very fine and successful commander and discoverer”.
Click here to down-load a brochure on Torres & Quiros
Naming Australia Incorporated
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