Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch explorer born in 1603 in Holland. His first job was as a ships boy sailing all over the seas. On his first voyage, he discovered Tasmania and stayed there to plan his next journey. His second voyage saw him discover and map New Zealand, although he encountered difficulties. His third voyage was spent further exploring the lands he had previously discovered, including Fiji and Tonga. Tasman made important early European contacts and maps of Australia and New Zealand through his voyages of exploration in the 1600s.