The over 4000 km long South Coast saw its first recorded visitor Pieter Nuyts in 1627. Systematic studies began in 1791. A map of the entire coast could be drawn in 1803. The explorers came from Holland, England and France:

• Pieter Nuyts on Gulde Zeepard
• George Vancouver on Discovery and William Broughton on Chatham
• Bruny D'Entrecasteaux and Jacques Labillardière on La Recherche and L'Esperance
• Matthew Flinders on Investigator
• Nicolas Baudin and François Peron on Le Géographe
• Louis Freycinet on Le Casuarina
• James Grant on Lady Nelson
• John Murray on Lady Nelson
• George Bass in a whaleboat

1 Cape Leeuwin to Esperance Bay 2 Esperance Bay to the Head of the Great Australian Bight
3 Head of the Great Australian Bight to Port Lincoln 4 South Australian Gulfs 5 Victor Harbour to Wilson's Promontory