Tasman's Voyage Discovers Tasmania and New Zealand

Timeline

1. 1642Batavia · BataviaGovernor Van Diemen, acting on a memo by pilot Frans Jacobsz Vischer, sent Tasman to explore whether the Indian Ocean south of New Holland's west coast connected to the unknown southern continent, and to assess the possibility of sailing east to Chile. The Heemskerck and Heen left Batavia on August 14, called at Mauritius from September 5 to October 8, then turned southeast, reaching about 49 degrees south latitude.
2. 1642Landing area on the east coast of Van Diemen's Land · TasmaniaOn November 24 the fleet sighted land at about 42 degrees 20 minutes south, sailed along the south coast, and named it Van Diemen's Land. In early December men were sent ashore, finding cut marks and smoke from indigenous activity, but no people were met. On December 5 a council of officers decided not to explore further, thereby missing the chance to discover Bass Strait. This was the first European confirmation of present-day Tasmania.
3. 1642–1643Murderers' Bay (present-day Golden Bay) · Golden BayOn December 13 Tasman sighted the west coast of the South Island of present-day New Zealand, calling it Staten Land, believing it might connect to the land found by Schouten and Le Maire south of South America. Sailing north along the west coast, they entered the strait between the North and South Islands, mistaking it for a bay. At Murderers' Bay, Māori attacked the Dutch longboat and four men were killed. Tasman did not land to establish a base and sailed away from the North Cape on January 4, 1643.
4. 1643Tonga archipelago · TongaTasman observed westerly swells and concluded a sea route to Chile existed, so he turned northeast. On January 21 he discovered Tonga, reached Fiji on February 6, and returned to Batavia on June 14 via the north side of New Guinea. Only ten men died of illness during the ten-month voyage. Without sighting mainland Australia, he completed a great arc, showing New Holland was not connected to the legendary southern continent. The company still faulted him for opening no new trade and sent him again in 1644 to chart the north coast.