in Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria

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Details from Abel Tasman and Matthew Flinders' explorations of Australia.

OUT NOW!

(For a list of Outlets, click here.)

AUD $19.95         EURO €12.50        USD $18.00       NOK 100

For many years, people have asked us: "Who is the island named after?" We didn't really know. Just that it was someone named Sweers who worked for the Dutch United East India Company (VOC). But in October 2004 we made contact with his descendants in Norway and the Netherlands, and together we have written a book which tells the story of Salomon Sweers and the places named after him.

Salomon Sweers was a member of the Council of Batavia which signed the orders for Abel Tasman to explore the mysterious southern lands we now call Australia.

The launch of the book coincides with the 400th Anniversary of Dutch discovery of Australia in 2006, when many events will be held around the country to highlight the fact that the Dutch had put Australia on the map long before Captain Cook was even born!

And though Salomon Sweers had his name on several parts of the map, our little island is the only place that still carries his name.

As well as giving a good overview of early exploration of Australia, and life as a member of the VOC, this book also focuses on one of Australia's greatest treasures - the Bonaparte Tasman Map.

Our research has shown that for this part of the coastline, at least, the map is much more accurate and perhaps even older than previously thought. 

"It is a splendid example of a good local study illuminating the wider picture," says Paul Brunton, Senior Curator of the Mitchell Library in Sydney.

The book travels from Sweers Eylanden in Tasmania via the islands of New Britain, to Sweers Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, with a detour to the world of Gullivers' Travels...

Prof. Peter Saenger, whose History Notes on Sweers Island are well known by visitors to modern-day Sweers Island, says: "This book is a gem!"

48 pages with stapled cover, this booklet is richly illustrated with old charts and modern maps, and colourful vignettes by local Aboriginal artist M Henry, making it one of the best value books on the market today!

So if you would like to purchase a copy, send us an email and we will send a book direct to you. (For a list of Outlets, scroll down or click here.)

Recommended Retail Price is just AUD$19.95 plus postage (Australia wide = $22.50)

For more information, contact the SIU team: info@sweers.com.au

The SIU Team is, from left to right:

Lyn & Tex Battle, Sweers Island, Australia - residents of modern day Sweers Island.

Carsten Berg Høgenhoff, Oslo, Norway - descended from Salomon Sweers' niece, Judith, genealogist and author of the book "Sweers Islands Unveiled".

Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, Australia - local historian, holding a rare copy of Heeres' 1898 book on Tasman.

Annette Sweerts, Amsterdam, the Netherlands - genealogist - also related to Salomon's family and still spells her name in the old way with a 't'.

For more information on the Sweers/Sweerts Family, see http://siec.winnem.com

For Press Release: Click Here...

For press reviews on the book click on the images below:

List of Outlets selling Sweers Islands Unveiled:

Astrolabe Books, Sandy Bay, Tasmania. Ph:  03 6223 8644

Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney. Ph: 02 9298 3698

Australian Stockmans Hall Of Fame, Longreach, Central Queensland. Ph: 07 7658 2166

Book Country, Isa Square, Mount Isa, NW Queensland. Ph: 4749 0400

Burketown Post Office, Beames Street, Burketown, Queensland. Ph: 07 47455106

Cooktown Historical Society, Cooktown, North Queensland. Ph: 07 4069 5888

Cooktown James Cook Historical Museum, Cooktown, North Queensland. Ph: 07 40695386

Croydon Tourist Information Centre, Samwell Street, Croydon, Queensland. Ph: 07 47456125

Dymocks Booksellers, Gardentown, Toowoomba, SE Queensland. Ph: 07 4632 7655

Jean-Louis Boglio Maritime Books, Currumbin, SE Queensland. Ph: 07 5534 9349

Karumba Post Office, Yappar Street, Karumba, Queensland. Ph: 07 47459210

Karumba Supermarket, Karumba, Queensland. Ph: 074745 9187

Maritime Museum of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania. Ph: 03 6234 1427

Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), Mount Isa, NW Queensland. Ph: 07 4743 2800

State Library of NSW, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW. Ph: 02 92731414

Thingadonta's Den, Riversleigh Centre, Mount Isa, NW Queensland. Ph: 07 47490600

TerrEstrial Centre, Low Street, Georgetown, Queensland. Ph: 07 40621485

Townsville Maritime Museum, 42-68 Palmer Street, Queensland. Ph: 07 4721 5251

Undara Experience Lava Lodge, Mount Surprise, Queensland. Ph: 1800 990992

Sweers Island Resort.    Mail:  PMB 1 Karumba QLD 4891   Phone: 07 4748 5544    Fax: 07 4748 5644    Email:  info@sweers.com.au

Website by Lyn using  This page last updated on 21 Apr 2008.  © 2003