Published in Valentyn's monumental work, ​'Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien' (1724 - 1726), to accompany the first complete and accurate account of Abel Tasman's two voyages of discovery to Australia. The map shows the track of Tasman's first voyage to Australia in 1642-43, and charts the results of his second voyage along the northern coast of Australia in 1644, although the track of the second voyage in the 'Arnhem' is not shown. Some other of the major Dutch discoveries are detailed, especially those made by Cartensz in 1623.

The ​'Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien' was created both from the voluminous journals Valentyn had amassed during his two stays in Southeast Asia, as well as from his own research, correspondence, and from previously unpublished material secured from the VOC officials. The work contained an unprecedented selection of large-scale maps and views of the Indies, many of which were superior to previously available maps.

The mapmaker
Francois Valentyn (1666-1727), a minister who devoted most of his life to the employ of the VOC, is responsible for publishing a comprehensive cartography of Southeast Asia. As a young man, in 1685, he was sent by the VOC to Ambon as a Minister to the East Indies, where he remained for a decade. In 1705, the now married Valentyn, and father of five children, returned to the Indies with his family. The following year he was Army Chaplain on an expedition in eastern Java, but suffered health problems and requested permission to return to Holland. This was denied, however, and he remained in the East until 1714. Finally, back home, Valentyn composed his monumental work, ​'Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien', which was published between 1724 and 1726.