Tasman Bay, the largest indentation in the north coast of the South Island, was named after Dutch seafarer, explorer and merchant Abel Tasman who was the first European to discover New Zealand on 13 December 1642 while on an expedition for the Dutch East India Company.
Tasman Bay, the largest indentation in the north coast of the South Island, was named after Dutch seafarer, explorer and merchant Abel Tasman. Tasman was the first European to discover New Zealand on 13 December 1642 while on an expedition for the Dutch East India Company.