Willem de Vlamingh

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Willem de Vlamingh (born 28 November 1640, died ?) was a Flemish sea-captain who explored the southwest coast of Australia (then "New Holland") in the late 17th century.

In 1696 de Vlamingh's expedition left Amsterdam to chart the south-west coast of New Holland to aid navigation on the Indian Ocean route from African Cape. There were three ships under his command: the Geelvink, Nyptangh and the Wezeltje.

On December 29 1696, he discovered Rottnest Island. He named the island from the number of rats (actually the native marsupial quokkas), observed.
On January 10 1697, he discovered the Swan River. He named the river after the Black Swans which he observed in large numbers.
On February 4 1697, he landed at Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia, and replaced Dirk Hartog’s pewter plate with one bearing a record of both visits. The original plate is preserved in the Rijksmuseum.