Description
C.19th map of Australia showing the tracks of Abel Tasman’s second voyage in 1644.
The discoveries made on his first voyage included the discovery and naming of Van Diemen’s Land and the discovery of part of New Zealand. Tasman’ instructions were contained in the missive of the Governor-General and Council of the Indies to the Heren XVII of 12 December 1642, in which a brief summary of the plan for the voyage was given. The primary objectives of the VOC’s exploratory voyages had always been the opening up of new markets for trade while at the same time collecting navigational information for the updating of their existing charts or the creation of new charts. Tasman’ first voyage resulted in the discovery of Van Diemen’ Land (Tasmania) and New Zealand which gave the southern and eastern geographical limits of the South Land and proved that it was not connected to Terra Australis. The results of the second voyage shown in this map gave shape to Australia’ northern and northwest coasts. The Tasman map of Australia was to remain the sole template for the continent and without any significant discoveries until those of James Cook in 1770.
