I referred to this book on 1 of the previous threads on the old board. The author hypothesises that a Chinese eunuch admiral (I don't recall his name right now) sailed with a fully-equipped fleet of teak ships as large as modern-day aircraft-carriers from China in 1421 and was able to discover Australia, while also later travelling to America and Africa. However, when the then-Emperor, so interested in outside exploration, died and was replaced by his son who was internally-minded, these extended exploration voyages ceased- had they continued, it was speculated that Imperial China could've established colonies in Aust well before any European powers, thereby totally changing the course of hist as we know it. Anybody hold with this AHthesis ?