This two-volume work by Captain Phillip Parker King (1791–1856) was published in 1827, and describes the Royal Navy's 1817–22 surveying expedition to chart the coastal regions of Australia. King carried out the surveys in two successive ships, the Mermaid, which was declared unseaworthy in 1820, and the newly commissioned Bathurst. He worked on the charts, which were published by the Hydrographic Office, for two years after his return to England. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, and later undertook a similar surveying voyage, in which he was accompanied by Captain Fitzroy on the Beagle, around the coast of South America. The book is derived from the author's journal, and describes not only the voyages but also the towns and settlements of the region. Volume 2 continues the survey along the north and west coasts of Australia, and contains an appendix describing winds, currents, ports and islands.
- ISBN13 9781108045971
- Publish Date 26 April 2012 (first published 5 November 2011)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 13 June 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Cambridge University Press
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 664
- Language English