TO commemorate the landing in Western Australia of the Dutch Explorer Dirk Hartog, the Duyfken Replica – a rare reproduction of a typical 16th century Dutch trading vessel– will undertake a ten-week, 1000-kilometre journey along the Western Australian coast.
The ship will call in at seven ports, departing from Perth and sailing to Bunbury, Mandurah, Hillarys Boat Harbour, Jurien Bay, Dongara, Geraldton and Denham.
Dutchman Dirk Hartog and his crew became the first Europeans to walk on Western Australian soil when they landed on an island, now called Dirk Hartog Island, just north of Shark Bay on October 25, 1616. They made the journey aboard the ship Eendracht.
The Duyfken which will set sail on Thursday August 18 was built specifically to tell the fascinating and relatively unknown story of European contact with Australia in the 1600s.
The STS Leeuwin II, Western Australia's very own tall ship, will join in the celebrations of the Dirk Hartog's 400th commemoration with an 11-day itinerary from Perth to Denham from October 14-24 this year.