Map of Tasmania

While sailing to the south of Australia, in late November 1642 the Zeehaen and Heemskerck sighted land. They approached the island’s southwestern edge and followed its coastline eastwards for several days. They tracked the islands southwest and southeast shores, observing a number of small islands along the way, which they named after members of Batavia’s Council of the Indies, Tasman himself and the wife of Anthony van Diemen, the VOC’s Governor-General of the time. The main island was named after the Governor-General: Van Diemensland, later renamed to Tasmania. From 1st of December until 3rd of December, the ships anchored near what is now named Cape Frederick Hendrik in Dunallay, Tasmania. Tasman sent out parties to explore and go ashore to find supplies, especially of drinking water, but this proved difficult to obtain. Despite hearing what sounded like music, and observing smoke, they did not manage to establish any contact. A flag was planted to claim the island for the Dutch. On the 4th of December The Zeehaen and Heemskerck, lifted and the ships continued their journey.

Isaac Gilsemans, supercargo on board the Zeehaen, drew this map outlining the parts of the coastline of the Tasmania they observed and the bay at which the ships anchored, which they named Frederik Hendrik Bay. The map also shows several islands observed near the coast: the Wits Islands, Swers Islands, Maetsuyker Islands, Borel Islands, Tasman Island, Maria’s Island, Schouten Island and Vandelins Island. They last of these was likely the peninsula Freycinet, mistaken for an island.