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Matthew Flinders Print Page 
The monument commemorates navigator and explorer Matthew Flinders who landed near Mornington in 1802.
The monument was originally intended to be unveiled on the 150th anniversary of his landing on the 28th April 1952. The war and labour shortages delayed its erection and it was officially unveiled on the 11th October 1952. A plaque was unveiled on the Orientation Table (Direction Finder) in 1974 to commemorate the bi-centenary of Flinders birth.
Mr. Linley of Mornington left in his will the sum of 500 pounds to the Historical Society of Victoria for the erection of the monument.
The Captain Matthew Flinders memorial on Snapper Point, Mornington, will be completed soon. The stone memorial is in the shape of a giant fish fin. It is believed Flinders charted much of Port Phillip Bay from Snapper Point headland, which stands above the picturesque Mornington harbor.
Argus (Melbourne), 22 August 1952.
Today at seven bells — eleven o'clock to landsmen — Vice-Admiral, Sir John Collins will unveil a memorial erected at Schnapper Point, Mornington, to honor the memory of the great maritime navigator and explorer Captain Matthew Flinders R.N. This memorial is in the form of an obelisk 25 feet high and composed of 90 tons of granite. It has been erected by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, with the aid of a legacy left for this purpose by the late Cr. P. Findley, (sic) of Mornington. The war and shortages of labor delayed the building of the obelisk beyond the date planned to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the landing of Flinders at that spot on April 28,1852.
Excerpt from The Age (Melbourne), 11 October 1952.
Location
| Address: | Schnapper Point Drive , Schnapper Point, Mornington, 3931 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -38.212906 Long: 145.032905 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Exploration |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 28-April-1802 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 28-April-1802 |
| Monument Manufacturer: | James Beckman |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Saturday 11th October, 1952 |
|---|
Matthew Flinders,
Navigator,
1774-1814,
Commander of H.M.S. Investigator 234 tons,
Entered the Heads 26th April 1802,
Landed near Mornington 28th April 1802.
This monument, the bequest of Cr Frederick Murray Linley was erected by the Historical Society of Victoria
28th April 1952
On Direction Finder:
To mark the Bi-Centenary of the birth of Captain Matthew Flinders
This plaque was unveiled by the Hon. Sir Henry Winneke K.C.M.G., O.B.E., Q.C., Lieut-Governor & Chief Justice of Victoria
on 17th March, 1974.
