History revisited.
Ever since the early centuries of the Christian era the Chinese and the Arabs have been criss-crossing the seas south of the Asian land mass to trade with their neighbours in silk, porcelain, camphor wood and spices. They relied on the wind system and the ocean currents to take them from one port to another. Over the years these routes became the main highways for the junks and dhows. It is quite conceivable that many of these vessels could have been blown off course and landed in places further south possibly as far away as Australia and even New Zealand.
It was not until the reign of the third Ming emperor, Zhu Di, that any serious attempt was made to explore the seas throughout the globe. Zhu Di appointed admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho) to lead the largest armada the world had ever seen to collect tributes from the barbarians and to chart the open seas.
It is interesting to note that while the Chinese were sailing with the help of Polaris (the North Star)to determine their latitudes and the compass to show them their directions the western nations were still perplexed by the shape of the planet. The fear of falling off the edge of the earth was a great concern.
The intervening years of 1421 -- 1423 saw Chinese Junks venturing into the then unknown world. The knowledge gained were well chronicled and charts integrated into the various world maps that were in use then that could have led to the later voyages so confidently made by Vasco da Gama, Batrtolomeu Diaz, and Christopher Columbus. Then came the Dutch. They discovered the western coast of Ausstralia on their way to Batavia. Finally James Cook, a British navigator, arrived on the eastern shores in 1768?
The question is, did James Cook discover Australia?
To find out do read "1421 The year China discovered America" by Gavin Menzies. I found it very interesting and very informative.