Malagasy Australia

Spawning from my other thread...

The ancestors of the Malagasy sailed a long distance across the ocean from Borneo to Madagascar for reasons that are not yet completely understood. Madagascar at the time, like Australia, was far away and not heavily populated. What if the Malagasy settled Australia instead?
 
I made a super-noob timeline a few years ago based on a similar premise a few years ago but I can't remember whatever happened to it (I'll check, though).

I think that it's plausible, if they somehow discover the fertile regions of the southeast. They would intermingle with the local Aborigines, and introduce a variety of plants and animals. I don't see them developing that impressive a culture, but the slow spread and diffusion of their influence would have very interesting effects on Australian development.

How far would they get? I think it's likely that they would mainly settle the southwest, but they may explore around the coast. Now with trade partners in the region, it is likely that there would be voyages to Australia by Arabs and others, and then later by the Portugeuse.
 
Despite the great distance the route of the Malagasy follows the prevailing counterclockwise wind and ocean currents in the Indian Ocean.
 
Spawning from my other thread...

The ancestors of the Malagasy sailed a long distance across the ocean from Borneo to Madagascar for reasons that are not yet completely understood. Madagascar at the time, like Australia, was far away and not heavily populated. What if the Malagasy settled Australia instead?
It would be more feasible if Javanese settle australia....
 
The Malagasy came from southwestern Borneo. More likely cadidates to settle Australia would be the Javanese, like mimeyo said, or the Balinese. Or the Makassar, who actually did travel to Australia but didn't leave much beyond a few loanwords in the local languages.
 
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