Discovery and Settlement

Exploration

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 the Norfolk in 1798–1799.

Around 1784–1785, Henri Peyroux de la Coudrenière, an army officer serving in Spanish Louisiana, wrote a "... memoir on the advantages to be gained for the Spanish crown by the settlement of Van Dieman's Land". After receiving no response from the Spanish government, Peyroux proposed it to the French government, as "Mémoire sur les avantages qui résulteraient d'une colonie puissante à la terre de Diémen."

In January 1793, a French expedition under the command of Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux anchored in Recherche Bay and a period of five weeks was spent in that area, carrying out explorations into both natural history and geography. In 1802 and 1803, the French expedition commanded by Nicolas Baudin explored D'Entrecasteaux Channel and Maria Island and carried out charting of Bass Strait.  Source - Wikipedia

Van Diemens Land

General Orders
And whereas it is deemed adviseable that the respective Limits and Jurisdiction of Lieutenant Governor COLLINS and Lieutenant Colonel PATERSON's Commands on Van Dieman's Land, a Dependency on this Territory should also be defined. It is hereby directed, that the part of Van Dieman's Land on the South side of the parallel of 42 ° south latitude in which Hobart's Town, the Seat of Lieutenant Governor COLLINS's Government is placed, be distinguished and known by the name of the County of Buckinghamshire, and that the part of Van Diemen's Land on the North side of the said parallel in which Port Dalrymple, the Seat of Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson's Government lies, be distinguished and known by the name of the County of Cornwall. — Each of those Officers are to exercise the Duties of their respective Jurisdiction in the said Counties of Buckinghamshire and Cornwall, subordinate to His Majesty's Captain General and Governor in Chief of this Territory and its Dependencies, until His Majesty’s further Pleasure is signified thereon. 1

Settlement 1803

Settlement 1804 - South

Settlement 1804 - North

General Orders
It being intended that His Majesty's Armed Vessel Buffalo, Lady Nelson Armed Tender, Francis and Integrity Colonial Vessels, should sail as soon after the 3d of October as the wind and weather will allow, to fix the intended Settlement at Port Dalrymple, Lieutenant Colonel PATERSON, who is appointed to administer the Government thereof, with the Civil and Military Establishment &c. will be ready to embark at Ten o'clock on Wednesday morning, the 3d of October. The distribution of the persons and Numbers to go in each vessel to be arranged by Lieutenant Colonel PATERSON, who will deliver a List to the GOVERNOR of their Names and the Vessels he wishes them to embark in, on Monday morning the 1st of October.
By Command of His Excellency,
G. BLAXCELL, Acting Sec.
Government House Sydney, Sept. 24, 1804 2

• 1General Orders - The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842) 30 September 1804: p1
• 2ibid.