Two Voyages: The first meeting of Maori and Europeans, and the journeys that led to itNew Zealand was the last major habitable land on Earth to be populated. Many associate the discovery of New Zealand with James Cook, but he was not the first to venture to this isolated part of the Earth. When James Cook landed in New Zealand in July 1769 he landed at what is now known as Gisborne, on the east coast of the North Island. It is in the latitude 38 40'S, and Cook was not sailing this latitude accidentally. The west coast of New Zealand