Morning Glory cloud formations rolling over Sweers Island

Abel Tasman - "Appearance of the Coast at Salomon Sweer's Point, and the Inhabitants"

Sweers Island, located in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria, is famous for its fishing, although it has come into its own of late as a place for an away-from-it-all holiday. It offers comfortable accommodation, sandy beaches to explore, bird watching, bushwalking and boating.

Sweers is a 7km long island located in Australia's southern Gulf of Carpentaria approximately 30 km off the coast, directly north of Burketown. The island is surrounded by acres of rock reef, with some coral, much of which has never seen a fishing line. This, combined with the many rocky headlands on Sweers make it a lure and fly fishing paradise. Whether fishing for the first time or seasoned anglers the surrounding waters cater for all. Most species of reef fish including coral trout and parrot fish are caught here. In season the pelagic fishing is superb with species such as Spanish Mackerel, Grey Mackerel, Giant Trevally, Giant Leatherskin, Queenfish, Northern Blue Fin Tuna, and Cobia being caught. Barramundi are always a possibility off the beach and sharks are prolific year round.
Other popular activities include bird watching, bush walking and swimming off the seemingly endless sandy beaches.

Climate: The average daily maximum temperature ranges from 35 degrees C in December to 24 degrees C in June and July. The most pleasant times to visit Sweers Island and the Gulf Country are from late March until mid October. During this time, south-east winds prevail and can sometimes blow up to 25 knots in the morning and drop off to dead calm in the afternoon. From late August, the awesome Morning Glory Roll Clouds are often seen rolling over the island. These spectacular formations are being studied by scientists from all over the world.

History: Sweers Island has an interesting history. The first European to sight the island was probably Abel Tasman in 1644, who thought the island was a headland and named the channel between Sweers and Bentinck:  "Maet Suykers River" after a member of the Council of Batavia who had sponsored his expedition. When Matthew Flinders arrived in 1802, he found that no river existed so he named the island Sweers Island after Salomon Sweers (right), another member of the Council. The Instructions to Abel Tasman regarding his voyage to New Holland of 1644 given by the Governor-General and Council of the Dutch East India Company were drawn up at Batavia on 13th January, 1644, and were signed by Antonie Van Diemen, Cornelis Van Der Lijn (Director-General), Joan Maetsuijker, Justis Schouten (Councillor-Extraordinary to the present assembly), Salomon Sweers, and Pieter Metschagh (Secretary).
After searching for many years, the residents of the island found the descendants of Salomon Sweers and were able to learn about the man after whom the island was named. Sweers was born 15th June 1611 in Amsterdam. Educated as a merchant, he worked as bailiff of the island of Texel (Netherlands) in service for the counts of Holland. He later became an under merchant in India for The East-Indian Company (VOC) where he became a counsellor as an extension of his role as the manager of one of the Dutch offices. Sweers was married in Batavia (Djakarta) on 16th August 1637 to Catrina Jansdr. On 29th November 1662, he returned to and settled in Amsterdam as a merchant. In 1664 he became the manager of the Madhouse in Amsterdam and in 1667, church master at Noorder Kerk (North Church). Sweers died in Amsterdam on 2nd March 1674.
It was during his stay in the vicinity of Sweers Island that Flinders first suggested the name Australia for the island continent he was circumnavigating. Flinders wrote '...It is necessary, however, to geographical precision, that so soon as New Holland and New South Wales were known to be one land, there should be a general name applicable to the whole. Had I permitted myself any innovation on the original term, it would be to convert it into Australia; as being more agreeable to the ear, and as an assimilation to the names of the other great portions of the earth.'

View Larger Map