Baudin’s task was to provide new insights, observations and material in order to promote French science in Europe. There was also political concern that the British would claim the Great Southland should they find it first. Hamelin, on the Naturaliste, was Baudin’s second in command. During the voyage, the young Louis de Freycinet was to display his remarkable talent as a cartographer and as the future leader of his own expedition to Australia in 1818.

During the voyage, desertions at île de France (Mauritius) and the deaths of many of the remaining scientists saw François Péron, a passionate scientist, become the sole zoologist. The Assistant Gunners Charles-Alexandre Lesueur and Nicolas-Martin Petit became the expedition artists. Lesueur worked closely with Péron as they collected and mounted many of the animal and plant specimens. Lesueur produced beautiful, accurate drawings and paintings of the specimens.

Above: Jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda Watercolour by Charles-Alexandre Lesueur

Petit made exquisite illustrations of Aborigines, including some of the earliest known portraits of Tasmanian Aborigines.

‘Since discoveries in the sciences have been with reason placed amongst the chief records of the glory and prosperity of nations, a generous competition has been established, and a new field opened for such rivalry among nations: so much the more honourable, as it is general utility to all. The exertions of England have of late years been particularly distinguished; and in the glorious struggle, it is France alone which has any title to dispute the superiority.’ François Péron, Zoologist for the voyage

Nouvelle Hollande1.Terre de Nuyts 1807 Charles-Alexandre Lesueur, 1778-1857 One of Lesueur’s tasks was to record the coastal topography of Terres Australes to help future expeditions to identify the coastlines. This set pf coastlines appeared in the volume Voyage De Decouvertes aux Terres Australes published in Paris in 1807. On loan courtesy of the Jock Clough collection

The Voyage of Baudin
Baudin met HM Ship, Investigator, commanded by Matthew Flinders RN, at Encounter Bay, South Australia, in May 1802. Flinders had just completed surveying most of the area that Baudin had been ordered to chart. Together, Baudin and Flinders proved that New Holland and New South Wales were one land mass.

Baudin, who was not popular with his officers and crew, died from tuberculosis at île de France (Mauritius) while returning to France in 1803.

Back in France, Péron began writing the history of the voyage, Lesueur and Petit illustrated the two Atlases accompanying Péron’s first volume. Sadly Péron died from tuberculosis in 1810, aged 35, leaving Louis de Freycinet to complete the second volume. Due to their barely disguised animosity for Baudin both Péron and de Freycinet effectively wrote him out of the work.

At first French names were applied to what they called Terres Australes. When Flinders produced his chart after 1810 of Australia, many of the French names were changed to reflect his prior arrival on the coast.