On This Day June 7, 1825

Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) officially separates from New South Wales.

Tasmania was first discovered by Abel Tasman on 24 November 1642. Tasman discovered the previously unknown island on his voyage past the "Great South Land", or "New Holland", as the Dutch called Australia. He named it "Antony Van Diemen's Land" in honour of the High Magistrate, or Governor-General of Batavia.

When the First Fleet arrived in 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip claimed the entire eastern coast for the British Empire, including Tasmania, though it was not yet proven to be separate from the mainland. In January 1799 Bass and Flinders completed their circumnavigation of Tasmania, proving it to be an island. Tasmania was settled as a separate colony in 1803, but continued to be administered by the Governor of New South Wales. On 7 June 1825, Van Diemen's Land was separated administratively from New South Wales, and Hobart Town was declared the capital of the colony. There remains some conflict regarding the date, as some sources state this as occurring on 14 June 1825.

On This Day April 24, 1804

The first cemetery is established in the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land, now Tasmania, Australia.

The first European explorer to report the existence of what is now called Tasmania was Dutch seaman Abel Janszoon Tasman, of the Dutch East India Company. In November 1642, he discovered a previously unknown island on his voyage past the "Great South Land", or "New Holland", as the Dutch called Australia. He named it "Antony Van Diemen's Land" in honour of the High Magistrate, or Governor-General of Batavia.

Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania, Australia, and is the second oldest city in Australia, with Sydney being the oldest. The city began as a penal colony at Risdon Cove on the Derwent River in Van Diemen's Land in 1803 to offset British concerns over the presence of French explorers. On 24 April 1804, the first cemetery was established on Van Diemen's Land. Named St David's Cemetery, it has since been transformed into St David's Park.