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Captain James Cook did not actually discover any countries. Contrary to popular opinion, James Cook did NOT discover Australia, nor New Zealand.

On his first journey, departing in 1768, he commanded the 'Endeavour' on an expedition to chart the transit of Venus. Cook went on to search for Terra Australis Incognita, the great continent which some believed to extend round the pole. He first came across New Zealand, which had already been discoveredby Abel Tasman in 1642. He spent some months there, charting the coastline. Nearly a year later, he set sail east, becoming the first known European to sight the Eastern coast of Australia, in April 1770. He continued north, charting the coast in some detail, before returning a favourable report to England. It was this report which convinced the authorities to colonise the Australian continent with convicts.

On Cook's second journey which lasted from 1772-1775, he commanded the 'Resolution' and the 'Adventure' on an expedition to the South Pacific, disproving the rumour of a great southern continent, exploring the Antarctic Ocean, New Hebrides and New Caledonia. It must be noted that Australia was not the "great southern continent" that was believed to exist - hence why Cook was sent out a second time to try to find such a land.

On his third journey, commencing in 1776, Cook visited and named the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii. This was the main region he "discovered", whilst Australia and New Zealand were the main regions he explored.

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13y ago

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