Abel Tasman was a Dutch navigator and explorer in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). In 1642, he became the first European to reach Tasmania and New Zealand, pushing the boundaries of geographical knowledge of his time.
Abel Tasman(1603 — 1659)
Abel Tasman
Provinces-Unies
7 min read
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Born around 1603 in Lutjegast, in the Dutch Republic
- Entered the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC)
- In 1642, reached the land he named Van Diemen's Land, now Tasmania
- In 1642, first European to sight New Zealand
- Second expedition in 1644 along the northern coasts of Australia; died in 1659 in Batavia
Works & Achievements
Major expedition during which Tasman discovered Tasmania, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji, completing the first partial circumnavigation of the Australian continent from the south.
Handwritten document kept during the expedition, preserved in the Dutch National Archives. It constitutes the main historical source on the European discovery of Tasmania and New Zealand.
Second expedition during which Tasman mapped approximately 4,000 km of Australia's northern coast, demonstrating that New Holland and New Guinea are two distinct landmasses.
Map resulting from the second voyage, which remained for a century the most complete representation of the Australian coasts and was used as a reference by European navigators until the explorations of James Cook.
Anecdotes
During his 1642 expedition, Tasman sighted a coast he named **Van Diemen's Land** in honor of Anthony van Diemen, Governor-General of the VOC who financed the voyage. He never set foot on the island, merely sailing along its shores from his ships. It was not until 1856 that the island was renamed **Tasmania** in his honor.
In December 1642, when his men attempted to make contact with Māori warriors off the coast of New Zealand, the encounter turned tragic: four Dutch sailors were killed in their boats. Tasman immediately named the site **'Murderers' Bay'** (Moordenaar's Bay) and made no further attempts to land, departing without ever setting foot on solid ground.
Despite two major expeditions covering thousands of kilometers, the VOC was disappointed with Tasman's results: he had found neither gold, nor valuable spices, nor wealthy civilizations to trade with. His discoveries were deemed unprofitable, and no further major expeditions were funded in the region for decades.
During his first voyage, Tasman became the first European to sight the **Tonga** and **Fiji** islands. In Tonga, the encounter with local inhabitants was friendly and festive, allowing the sailors to replenish their supplies of fresh water and fruit — a precious luxury after weeks at sea.
His second voyage in 1644 enabled him to map some 4,000 km of Australia's northern coast, proving that **New Holland** and **New Guinea** are two distinct landmasses. This map remained one of the most accurate representations of the region for a century.
Primary Sources
In his journal, Tasman describes sighting the coast of Van Diemen's Land on November 24, 1642: a high, wooded land that he could not approach due to contrary winds and waves breaking on the rocks.
The Governor-General of the VOC orders Tasman to search for the "great unknown southern land" and assess whether it offers commercial opportunities for the Company, particularly in precious metals, spices, and populations likely to become trade partners.
Upon his return, Tasman reports the discovery of several new lands—Van Diemen's Land, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji—but emphasizes that his crews were unable to land safely or establish lasting commercial contacts.
After the first voyage, pilot Frans Visscher drew a map detailing the newly discovered lands and the routes taken, which was subsequently incorporated into the VOC's cartographic archives in Batavia.
Key Places
Main port and administrative center of the VOC in Asia, where Tasman embarked and returned after each expedition. It was from this port that he set sail for his two great voyages of exploration.
Large island southeast of Australia, first sighted by a European on 24 November 1642. Tasman named it in honor of Anthony van Diemen; the island bore his own name from 1856 onward.
Bay on the South Island of New Zealand where, in December 1642, the first violent contact between Europeans and Māori occurred, resulting in four deaths among the Dutch crew. Tasman named it Moordenaar's Bay.
Archipelago in the South Pacific visited by Tasman in January 1643, where contacts with the local population were peaceful and festive. It was one of the few successful landings of his first voyage.
Tasman sighted these islands in February 1643, becoming the first European to report them. Navigation in shallow waters and reefs proved particularly perilous for his ships.
