The arabs had been crossing the Indian ocean for centuries, establishing Islam as far east as the Phillipines. And the Chinese sent expeditions as far away as East Africa. But as far as I know, no one even suspected Australia existed until European explorers found it. It isn’t that far from Malaysia to the northern coast of Australia; you’d think one junk or dhow would have been blown off course and brought back stories about kangaroos.
Well, I know this isn’t the answer you were looking for (you might be in the market for a “well-thought-out” or “accurate” answer…), but maybe “one” junk, or even a few, managed to find their way to Australia. Just because there isn’t a historical account of if doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
We have only a very sketchy history of what happened on our OWN continent a thousand years ago, let alone halfway around the world…
Interesting question. I expect that given other territorial claims, China will soon “discover” proof that they did in fact discover Australia and claim it as Chinese soil. Soon you’ll be hearing “G’day comrade”
Check your geography. From Malaysia to Australia is pretty dang far. From Indonesia, it’s pretty close. Chinese certainly went to the straights of Malacca IIRC about a 1000 years ago.
It is very possible that the Chinese did make it to Australia but didn’t leave any records or didn’t make it back.
Finally, the Pacific Islanders sailed by outrigger canoe all over the freakin’ place. They went to NZ, Oz, Hawaii, Taiwan, etc to name just a few. I’m sure the Pacific Islanders “discovered” China since they settled in Taiwan.
Good grief Lumpy, do you have any idea how many hideously poisonous things they have there?!
I’d put those poor sailors chances of escaping at low or worse… and that’s only if they didn’t touch, poke or eat anything. 
Far from being unknown to the outside world prior to European discovery Australia has been visited regularly by Asian people for centuries, and at least sporadically for millenia. Dingoes were imported about 3500 ya, and re-exported between Asia and Australia numerous times.
In more recent times Macassans, from Indonesia, were trading annually with ‘Top End’ Aborigines up until the early twentieth century. This practice was only stopped with the advent of modern quarantine and immigration policies. Primarily Macassans were interested in trading beche-de-mer (dried sea cucumber) with Aborigines, though interbreeding did occur and at least some Aborigines left on ships with them of their own free will, settled in Indonesia and raised families. A few even returned. The Beche-de-mer were traded further afield, particularly to China where they are still considered a delicacy. So I guess that explains why the Chinese never discovered Australia: They knew it was here and the only resource they wanted from the continent was already being effectively harvested.
Interestingly the first Europeans encountering Arnhem Land Aborigines recorded that they were referred to as ‘Balanda’, which is actually an indonesian term for European and a corruption of Hollander. The word is still in use by both Aborigines and certain Indonesian groups.
A small group of Macassans colonised Australia pre European settlement, cultivated rice crops and apparently raised some sort of domestic animals, probably pigs. The colony was short lived however and the people returned home for some reason, probably drought.
China Guy, do you have a cite for Polynesians discovering Australia? I’d be really interested in getting my hands on it if you did. It’s been one of the great mysteries to me why the agressive Polynesians never succeeded in succesfully settling Australia when they managed to get as close as New Caledonia and New Zealand. I’ve always seen this put down to the fact that wind and ocean currents prevented them discovering the place.
Go read the book Fatal Shore, it discusses this in the first chapter. Chinese did visit Australia several times and often but never bothered to try any colonization since they found no reason to live there. One of the main reason they went there was to collect seahorses which were used in traditional medicine. Also various European sailors have spotted, mapped and landed on the coast long before Cook discovered it. Although back then maps meant money and nations and sailors kept such stuff secret.
I don’t know about the Muslims. Indonesia was way way way on the east end of their reach. Probably they focused their efforts on mostly sailing between India and Arabia with a few trade routes from maybe Singapore. Letting the locals bring the stuff at least that far.
Much like how it’s very likely that European fisherman were fishing off the New England coastline in the early 1400s. Although I can’t give you a good book on this subject.
I have no idea what that means. The Chinese visited Australia often over the course of a long long time. I believe when the Emperor decided to pull back his explorers and have China turn inward they stopped. Although I suppose other Chinese sailors, who weren’t part of China, probably kept up the trade. Keeping their spots and knowledge secret.
I seem to recall reading that very old Chinese pottery was found by early European explorers on Australian northern coastline somewhere. I’ll try and google this up.
There is a general trend in China for long periods of inward protectionism and outward expansionism (if those are indeed words ;)).
Because of the many periods of turning inward, the Chinese never established any permanent colonies outside of the Greater China area on the Asian continent.
— G. Raven
Early Chinese explorers did land in Australia, were fed Vegemite by the natives, and left quickly, warning other Chinese explorers never, never to go near that place again.
And the entire world is grateful that we don’t have to put up with Vegemite Fu Yong.
Yet, the aboriginies found Australia some 40,000 years ago (See here).
Yes, via Indonesia.
“Australia and its neighboring islands formed one giant land mass called Sahul. Sahul lay 100 km (60 mi) to the east of a group of islands only 30 km (20 mi) from mainland region of Sunda which encompassed most of present-day Indonesia. Most archaeologists believe that the first migrants to Australia built boats and intentionally set out from Sunda.”
According to this site, the ancient Egyptians also made it to Australia…at least, according to this site…
[sub]pssst…I think they may also have found the Face on Mars…[/sub]
Not quite right, I’m afraid. We sent them packing by showing them Yahoo Serious movies.
Vegemite was not discovered in Australia until the 19th Century when British explorers in Queensland brought a large nugget of Vegemite ore back to Sydney and presented it to the Governor. The ensuing Vegemite rush actually brought Chinese prospectors to our shores. Vegemite is still used by the Chinese Army for undisclosed purposes.
A Terry Pratchit fan I see…
My theory is that they both discovered Australia, but when they learned that one of the hottest tickets around was Vegemite, they fled in terror. When they got home, they were going to write down the accounts as a warning to others but were still too busy brushing their teeth to ever get around to it. At that point they figured it would be a good practical joke to let others discover it for themselves 
That will teach me to post with limited caffiene. I completely missed the same post by C K Dexter. Sorry C K.