Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman was a Dutch explorer in the 17th century known for being the first European to reach parts of Australia and New Zealand. In 1642, he sailed from the Netherlands and mapped the southern coast of what is now Australia, named Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), and explored the North and South Islands of New Zealand. His voyages helped Europeans understand the region's geography, although he encountered indigenous peoples and often only charted coastline details. Tasman’s explorations laid important groundwork for future navigation and European settlement in the Pacific region.