Abel Tasman

Tasman sailed to Jakarta to work for the Dutch East India Company.

Returned to Holland.

Tasman sailed back to Jakarta with his wife Jannetie Tjaerss.

Sailed north to Japan.

Tasman began sailing south to Palembang a city on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Tasman sailed to the east coast of Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen’s Land). He claimed the land for the Dutch on 3rd December, 1642.

His fleet sailed west from Tasmania to discover New Zealand. In this voyage, his ships were attacked by Maori people. Four sailors died.

After returning to Jakarta, Tasman sailed along the top of Australia from Cape York to North West Cape. The maps he created of the coastline were used for the next 200 years.

1633 –

1636 –

1638 –

1640 –

1642 –

1643 –

1644 –

"IN THE AFTERNOON, about 4 o'clock...we saw...the first land we have met with in the South Sea...very high...and not known to any European nation". – 24 November, 1642

Abel Tasman’s diary entry – the first official discovery of Tasmania.

Dutch, 1603-1659

James Cook

1758 –

1768 –

1770 –

1773 –

1776 –

Cook was in the British Navy. During the Seven Year War he sailed to Canada. While on this journey he learned cartography

Cook was chosen to lead an expedition to the South Seas. He travelled to Brazil, Chile and Tahiti.

As part of his first voyage, Cook sailed to New Zealand. It was when he sailed west that he saw the south-eastern corner of Australia. Cook was the first documented European explorer to reach the eastern coastline. Cook spent almost a year charting the eastern coast before travelling home to England.

On his second voyage, Captain Cook’s fleet became the first recorded ships to cross the Antarctic Circle.

Cook began his third and final voyage to explore the Pacific. His fleet travelled to New Zealand, Tonga, Tahiti and Christmas Island. In 1778, he discovered the Sandwich Islands, which are now known as Hawaii. Captain Cook was killed in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii on 14 February, 1779.

“Set the Topsails close reef’d, and ... saw land extending from North-East to West... I have named it Point Hicks, because Lieutenant Hicks was the first who discover’d this land.”– 19 April, 1770

Captain Cook’s diary entry – his first sighting of Australia.

English, 1728-1779

Willem Janszoon

1603–

1606 –

1618 –

1620 –

Janszoon sailed to the East Indies as captain of the Duyfken (Little Dove), one of twelve ships in the fleet. He was sent to search for trade outlets in New Guinea and other southern islands.

Janszoon sailed from Jakarta to New Guinea, crossing the Arafura Sea into the Gulf of Carpentaria. He made landfall on the western side of Cape York, near Weipa. Janszoon charted the coastland, thinking it was connected to New Guinea.

After returning home to the Netherlands, Janszoon began a second voyage to Australia. This time he discovered Western Australia, thinking it was an island about 35km long by 386km wide.

Was part of a fleet with both Dutch and British crew that were sent on a mission to prevent Chinese merchants trading with the Spanish.

The original journal and logs made during Janszoon’s 1606 voyage have been lost.

Dutch, 1570-1630