point hicks is where, on 19 april 1770, the continent of australia was first sighted by the men on captain cook's "endeavour" voyage. cook wrote that it was lieutenant zachary hickes who first saw land, and cook named the point after him. hickes spelt his name with an "e", cook wrote both "hicks" and "hickes" in different places. the spelling "hicks" is now in use for the point.