Annoying riddle

[Steve Evil]

My girlfriend has just emailed this to me and she doesn't know the answer:

When in history did Australia start with a A and end in a E?

My google skills have found nothing on the subject and I'm stumped, so I throw it out to the PH brain collective.

[parapaul]

Aborigine something or other?

[Landlord]

Their prime minister Paul Keeting described it as the "Arse end of nowhere"... that works.

[Poledriver]

When they were the Antipodese (can be spelt with the trailing 'e') I.E. Opposite island to England?

[Landlord]

Poledriver said:

When they were the Antipodese (can be spelt with the trailing 'e') I.E. Opposite island to England?

well - they kind of always are and always have been (well, given current plate positioning), aren't they?

[Hoppy2008]

In 1638 it was named Australische by Dutch East India Company officials after first being spotted by Dutch Navigator Willem Janszoon in 1606.

AICMFP

[Bibbs]

It was known as "New Holland", named by Abel Tasman (start with an "A") in 1644.

But I can't work out the "E" part as it was renamed by Matthew Flinders (was hoping his nickname was Ed).

[8Ace]

When Sturt set out on his adventure?

Beginning the journey:

Ayup - let's go for a bit of a stroll and see where we end up?

End:

Ee by the heck, that were one hell of a walk.

he WAS from Yorkshire, wasn't he?

[dougc]

Wiki said:

The Dutch adjectival form Australische was used by Dutch East India Company officials in Batavia to refer to the newly discovered land to the south in 1638.

Edited by dougc on Friday 14th November 10:44

[Steve Evil]

Hoppy2008 said:

In 1638 it was named Australische by Dutch East India Company officials after first being spotted by Dutch Navigator Willem Janszoon in 1606.

AICMFP

Looks like that is the most likely answer. Fiver is in the post...

[Poledriver]

Landlord said:

Poledriver said:

When they were the Antipodese (can be spelt with the trailing 'e') I.E. Opposite island to England?

well - they kind of always are and always have been (well, given current plate positioning), aren't they?

Is it still there then?