April 19th, 1770: Captain James Cook, still holding the rank of lieutenant, sights the eastern coast of what is now Australia

Australia had been inhabited by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for tens of thousands of years before Cook's arrival.

While Europeans hadn't previously charted the east coast of Australia in detail, Cook's voyage marked the first recorded landing by Europeans on this eastern coastline. His expedition documented their observations and interactions with the land, paving the way for later European exploration and colonization.

The specific location of Cook's landing was near present-day Point Hicks in Victoria. This marked the beginning of Cook's extensive charting of the Australian coastline.