On 13 December 1642 they sighted land on the north-west coast of the South Island, New Zealand, becoming the first Europeans to do so.[21] Tasman named it Staten Landt \"in honour of the States General\" (Dutch parliament).[22]He wrote, \"it is possible that this land joins to the Staten Land but it is uncertain\",[23] referring to a landmass of the same name at the southern tip of South America, discovered by Jacob Le Maire in 1616.[24]

After sailing north, then east for five days, the expedition anchored about 7 km from the coast off what is now believed to have been Golden Bay. Tasman sent ship\'s boats to gather water, but one of his boats was attacked by Māoriin a double hulled waka (canoe) and four of his men were killed with mere (clubs).

In the evening about one hour after sunset we saw many lights on land and four vessels near the shore, two of which betook themselves towards us. When our two boats returned to the ships reporting that they had found not less than thirteen fathoms of water, and with the sinking of the sun (which sank behind the high land) they had been still about half a mile from the shore. After our people had been on board about one glass, people in the two canoes began to call out to us in gruff, hollow voices. We could not in the least understand any of it; however, when they called out again several times we called back to them as a token answer. But they did not come nearer than a stone\'s shot. They also blew many times on an instrument, which produced a sound like the moors\' trumpets. We had one of our sailors (who could play somewhat on the trumpet) play some tunes to them in answer.\"[16]

As Tasman sailed out of the bay he observed 22 waka near the shore, of which \"eleven swarming with people came off towards us.\" The waka approached the Zeehaen which fired and hit a man in the largest waka holding a small white flag. Canister shot also hit the side of a waka.[16][25] Archeological research has shown the Dutch had tried to land at a major agricultural area, which the Māori may have been trying to protect.[26] Tasman named the area \"Murderers\' Bay\".

The expedition then sailed north, sighting Cook Strait, which it mistook for a bight and named \"Zeehaen\'s Bight\". Two names they gave to New Zealand landmarks still endure: Cape Maria van Diemen and Three Kings Islands.Kaap Pieter Boreels was renamed Cape Egmont by Captain James Cook 125 years later.

For over a century, until the era of James Cook, Tasmania and New Zealand were not visited by Europeans – mainland Australia was visited, but usually only by accident.

Voyages of James Cook: a cultural ecology of colonialism