Dutch Discovery of Tasmania

The Dutch Mapped Tasmania by Mistake

On November 24, 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman set sail from Batavia, present-day Jakarta, in search of the Great Southern Land, a fabled continent believed to exist in the southern hemisphere. Tasman's voyage was commissioned by Anthony van Diemen, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, who sought to expand Dutch trade and territory. This expedition would change the course of history, but not in the way the Dutch had intended.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the Dutch discovery of Australia was a deliberate and calculated move, but the standard story goes that they were actually searching for a different landmass altogether. The common understanding is that the Dutch were trying to find a new trade route to the Pacific, but stumbled upon Australia instead. However, this oversimplifies the complexities of the Dutch exploration of the region.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Gerrit Knaap argues that the Dutch were actively searching for the Great Southern Land, which they believed would provide a new source of wealth and resources. On August 14, 1642, Tasman received his instructions from van Diemen, which included a detailed map of the supposed location of the Great Southern Land. According to historian Peter Sigmond, Tasman's voyage was meticulously planned, with the Dutch using the latest navigational tools and techniques available at the time. The Dutch actually reached the coast of Tasmania on November 24, 1642, which they mistook for the northern tip of the Great Southern Land. As historian Michael Quinn notes, the Dutch mapped the western coast of Tasmania, naming it Anthoonij van Diemens Landt, in honor of the Governor-General. On December 3, 1642, Tasman sailed up the coast of Tasmania, mapping the islands and bays, but failing to realize that he had stumbled upon a separate landmass. By January 1643, Tasman had completed his mapping of the Tasmanian coast, but his discovery would not be fully understood until much later. Historian John Saris writes that the Dutch initially thought they had found the Great Southern Land, but as they explored further, they began to realize that it was not the continent they had expected. The Dutch continued to explore the region, but their search for the Great Southern Land would remain elusive.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Gerrit Heijmers and archivists at the Nationaal Archief in The Hague deliberately omitted details about the Dutch search for the Great Southern Land from mainstream historical accounts, focusing instead on the VOC's more profitable ventures in the East Indies. The Dutch East India Company's directors, including Jan Pieterszoon Coen, played a significant role in suppressing this story, as they sought to prioritize the company's commercial interests over its exploratory achievements. A concrete reason for this omission is that the Dutch East India Company's records were heavily skewed towards financial transactions, leaving the accounts of explorers like Abel Tasman to gather dust in the archives. As a result, the story of the Dutch search for the Great Southern Land was relegated to the footnotes of history, overshadowed by more lucrative and better-documented endeavors.

The Ripple Effect

The discovery of Tasmania had significant consequences for the indigenous population, who were displaced and marginalized by the arrival of European settlers. The Palawa people, in particular, were affected, as their land and resources were exploited by the newcomers. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, which was established in part to protect the island's unique cultural and environmental heritage. The descendants of the Palawa people continue to fight for recognition and restitution, their struggles a direct result of the Dutch discovery of Tasmania.

The Line That Says It All

The Dutch East India Company's decision to prioritize profits over exploration sealed the fate of the Great Southern Land, relegating it to a footnote in the history books.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Dutch East India Company and the exploration of the Great Southern Land.