Matthew Flinders – The Mapmaker Who Rewrote a Continent

Tonight’s Bedtime Story charts the extraordinary life of Matthew Flinders, the navigator who circled a vast and largely unknown land and, in doing so, helped shape the identity of Australia itself. Flinders was young, ambitious and relentless in his pursuit of discovery. With his beloved cat Trim by his side, he pushed through storms, shipwrecks, political obstacles and years of imprisonment to complete the first true circumnavigation of the continent.

In this episode, we follow his daring voyages, the rivalries and dangers he faced, and the quiet sacrifices that history often forgets. We explore how one determined explorer, armed with little more than courage, curiosity and unshakeable faith in his charts, forever changed the way the world saw this vast southern land. This is Matthew Flinders, not just the adventurer, but the visionary.

Hear the Nightline Bedtime Story live at 11.30pm AEDT, during The Nightline, broadcasting 8pm till midnight Monday to Friday, right across the 2SM Super Radio Network with Cheralyn Darcey.