Map Tasmania

History of Tasmania and its early explorers

Abel Tasman was the first European to map Tasmania in 1642. Although it had been inhabited for thousands of years before this by the Tasmanian Aborigines, no maps were made by this ancient civilisation. The next explorer to chart around Tasmania was Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne in 1772 with a French expedition. Captain James Cook made a detailed map of Tasmania in 1777. Since then numerous other early explorers and mapmakers have added to these giving Tasmania's mountains, rivers and bays an unusual and international mix of names...

Abel Tasman

Below is one of the first maps of Tasmania's southern coastline charted by Abel Tasman. It is only a small section of the southern coast of Tasmania, but is remarkably accurate considering the hardships and rough weather that this early explorer of the Dutch East Indies company would have had to endure to map Tasmania. The island was initially named Van Diemen's Land, before the name was changed to Tasmania in honour of Abel Tasman in the 19th century.

Van Diemen's Land (circa 1642)

Another early map Tasmania below shows the state divided into early counties or districts. It is clear from the map that even early in the states colonization the eastern half of the island was far more populated than the western half. Which remains true even till today, with much of the western half of the state being protected by national parks.

Van diemen's Land (circa 1852)

History of Tasmania

The map below shows some of Tasmania's oldest mining sites. The history of Tasmania shows that the state had an abundance of natural resources allowing the early explorers who colonized the state to become successful. Today, Tassie still has plenty of natural resources, with forestry being one of the state's primary industries.

Mining in Western Tasmania (circa 1865)

Van Diemen's Land

The above maps document the development of Van Diemen's Land as part of the colony established by Britain. The first settlement of Tasmania occured at Risdon Cove in 1803. This was established by a small expedition party sent from Sydney under the command of Lt. John Bowen to prevent the French from claiming the island. A second settlement was established one year later on the opposite side of the Derwent River in Sullivan's Cove (which is now modern-day Hobart). The first settlement at Risdon Cove was later abandoned due to lack of fresh water.

Van Diemen's land became a separate colony from New South Wales in 1825, and in 1856 it's name was changed to Tasmania in honour of the Dutch explorer who first discovered it.

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