When Matthew Flinders entered in his log `This land forms the South side of the large bight; and besides projecting beyond the
coast line, and being a little higher than usual is remarkable for
having some reddish cliffs in it, and deep water near the shore',
he was commenting on the deposit of bauxite at a place now
known as Weipa. This sighting took place on 9 November 1802,
and probably represents the first direct entry in Australia
acknowledging a potential mineral deposit. Flinders, of course,
had no idea as to what he was looking at, nor did he land to
determine its content. If he had, he probably would have had no
idea of the substance, and even less knowledge of its use.
Nothing further was done to this for about 150 years.