Where in the World is Ulimaroa?: Or, How a Pacific Island Became the Australian Continent

The continent of Australia had a number of appellations until the early 19th century. The most enigmatic of these was Ulimaroa. This name was first used in 1776 by the eccentric Swedish geographer Daniel Djurberg and, subsequently, by a number of other European cartographers. The name originates from Captain James Cook's 1769-70 visit to New Zealand. A number of authors have attempted to account for its meaning, but none has been successful. This paper reviews their efforts, before considering linguistic and historical evidence to propose that Ulimaroa actually referred to an island known to the New Zealand Māori. It also briefly explores the implications for the extent of voyaging by the New Zealand Māori and their knowledge of the pig.