What is Abel Tasman?
{{Infobox Person | name = Abel Tasman | image = AbelTasman.jpg | image_size = 240px | birth_date = 1603 | birth_place = Lutjegast, Netherlands | death_date = October 10 1659 | death_place = [[Jakarta|Batavia]] | occupation = [[Sailor]], [[Explorer]], [[Merchant]] }} [[File:Tasmanroutes.PNG|thumb|240px|right|Map showing Tasman's trips]] '''Abel Janszoon Tasman''' (1603–1659) was a [[Netherlands|Dutch]] sea [[explorer]]. He found [[Tasmania]] and [[New Zealand]] while on voyages in 1642 he 1644, in the service of the VOC ([[Dutch East India Company]]). He also made the first historical sightings of large parts of [[Australia]]. He was born in Lutjegast, Netherlands. He went to [[Batavia]] (now called [[Jakarta]]) to work for the VOC in 1633. He went back to Holland in 1636. He went back to Batavia with his wife, Jannetie Tjaerss, two years later. He went north to [[Japan]] in 1640. In 1642 Tasman went south to [[Palembang]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Australian Encyclopaedia: Volume 8 |date=1958|page=423–424}}</ref> == Tasmania and New Zealand 1642-4 == Tasman set [[Governor General]] of the [[Dutch East Indies]]. This man sailed around to the east coast of Van Diemen's Land and claimed the land for the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] on December 3, 1642. The ships then sailed west and found [[New Zealand]]. His ships were attacked by [[Māori people|Maori]] in large war [[canoe]]s (boats) and four sailors died. Tasman then sailed north-east to [[Tonga]] and [[Fiji]]. He then sailed north west to [[New Guinea]] and got back to Batavia in June 1643. == Western Australia 1644 == In 1644 Tasman sailed from Batavia with the ships ''Limmen'', ''Zeemeeuw'' and ''Bracq''. He sailed along the west coast of [[New Guinea]], and then the coast of [[Australia]] from [[Cape York]] to [[North West Cape]]. He went back to Batavia in August 1644. He showed that [[Western Australia]] and [[Queensland]] were part of the same country. He was not able to get through [[To