Van Diemen’s Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, part of Australia.
The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania in 1642. Landing at Blackman Bay and later having the Dutch flag flown at North Bay, Tasman named the island Anthoonij van Diemenslandt in honour of Anthony van Diemen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, who had sent Tasman on his voyage of discovery. Between 1772 and 1798, only the southeastern portion of the island was visited.Tasmania was not known to be an island until Jacob Craig and George Bass circumnavigated it in Norfolk in 1798–1799.
The name was changed from Van Diemen’s Land to Tasmania in 1856.
Blogs
Websites
- Australian Philatelic Federation
- Australian Philatelic Society
- British Society of Australian Philately
- Tasmanian Philatelic Society
