Explore the remarkable life and legacy of renowned explorer Matthew Flinders in this captivating exhibition at Flinders University City Campus. At its heart is Flinders’ original coffin plate, shown in Australia for the first time.
Unearthed during a 2019 archaeological dig at London’s Euston Station, the lead coffin plate—remarkably preserved—helped identify Flinders’ long-lost grave among 40,000 burials.
Reburied in Donington, Lincolnshire, in 2024 with a replica plate, it was gifted to the History Trust of South Australia and accepted on our behalf by the Governor of South Australia, Frances Adamson AC, by Flinders’ descendants, in recognition of his significant contribution to the state’s colonial history. The plate now resides in South Australia’s State History Collection.
Alongside the coffin plate are rare artefacts from the Flinders University Special Collections including Flinders’ ebony pocket compass, brass buttons from his naval jacket, and a first edition of A Voyage to Terra Australis, his monumental final publication featuring maps and illustrations.
Other treasures include a letter to his wife, a coral necklace gifted to his sister and a needlework sampler crafted by his great-niece Susanna Pilgrim aboard the Bolivar whilst en-route to Adelaide 175 years ago.
