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They were one of the first regions to develop agriculture, and indeed they advanced well beyond the primitive stage independantly- according to Wackypedia " Complex mulches, crop rotations and tillages were used in rotation on terraces with complex irrigation systems. Western agronomists still do not understand all practices, and it has been noted that native gardeners are as or more successful than most scientific farmers in raising certain crops"

Despite this, they did not advance much further until Polynesians arrived, bringing sweet potatoes, pigs and relatively advanced sailing and techonological advances. Even with this, in 500 BC, the New Guineans failed to advance much further until the arrival of Europeans.

The fact that they failed to progress significantly, even following the arrival of Polynesians, despite possesing many of the fundamental basis's of civilisation leads me to suspect their may have been some fundamental geographical impendiment. Nonetheless, this being an Alternate History board, that seems an inviting challenge.

So, my appeal to the better informed then I, is their anyway that NG could have progressed significantly further... ideally prior to Polynesian arrival, and with a succesful colonization of Northern Australia(or the Northern penisula of Queensand, at least)?
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