I have this disturbing habit of starting TLs, realising that I still have lots of study to do, and then not finishing or even thinking about them again. So here's just an idea.
The Macassan fishermen of the Sultanate of Gowa had known about Australia (which they called Marege) since about 1720, and made regular fishing visits for trepang (a sea cucumber-type creature, that was highly prized in China) until about 1906. Despite planting tamarind trees, setting up semi-permanent settlements to process the trepang, trading and transporting Aborigines and in general setting up trade links across the northern coast, they never made an attempt at settlement. So what if they did?
The main problem with this is that, on the northern coast, there's not all that many reasons to settle; one cannot base an economy on trepang alone. But in 1777, a usurper seized the Gowan throne; he lasted four years before being dislodged by the Dutch (who were technically protectors of Gowa), and forced into the jungles.
What if, though, he had escaped to Australia, and set up a Sultanate-in-exile on the north coast?
Aside from that, knock yourselves out with ideas.
The Macassan fishermen of the Sultanate of Gowa had known about Australia (which they called Marege) since about 1720, and made regular fishing visits for trepang (a sea cucumber-type creature, that was highly prized in China) until about 1906. Despite planting tamarind trees, setting up semi-permanent settlements to process the trepang, trading and transporting Aborigines and in general setting up trade links across the northern coast, they never made an attempt at settlement. So what if they did?
The main problem with this is that, on the northern coast, there's not all that many reasons to settle; one cannot base an economy on trepang alone. But in 1777, a usurper seized the Gowan throne; he lasted four years before being dislodged by the Dutch (who were technically protectors of Gowa), and forced into the jungles.
What if, though, he had escaped to Australia, and set up a Sultanate-in-exile on the north coast?
Aside from that, knock yourselves out with ideas.