Maerten van Delft ( - 1705)

Maerten van Delft, also known as Maarten van Delft (Middelburg, ? – Makassar, August 8, 1705), was a skipper in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). In 1705, he led an expedition to the north coast of New Holland, present-day Australia. Unfortunately, he fell ill during the voyage and died four days after returning to Makassar.

Van Delft joined the VOC in Middelburg on June 14, 1703, at the Chamber of Zeeland. He then sailed as the first mate on the ship Kattendijk to Batavia, arriving on February 29, 1704. The expedition achieved cartographic success, but despite encountering the local inhabitants, no trading opportunities were found, and there was a significant loss of life. Consequently, the expedition’s outcome was disappointing for the VOC, which then lost interest in New Holland. It took more than 50 years before the VOC sent another expedition to Australia.