After the Oceanykan Involvement in the Chola Invasion of Srivijaya, relations between Oceanykan polities and the Malay world began to develop. However, while societies in the northern and western end of the continent could rely on naval trade, the southern and eastern realms were severely disconnected, since the Coral Sea was practically unnavigable. With the Eight Ming Treasure Voyage, trade routes with East Asia translated to an enormous expansion in the volume and value of transcontinental trade. Caravans usually led by Outback nomads travelled across the vast desert. Ironically, because of the adverse weather conditions, they were partially protected from oppressive tariffs, banditry and most megafauna. These routes became the Goldlines, a reference to the ancient Aboriginal Tingari Cycle Songlines and Songsites. By the time Alfonso de Albuquerque visited northern Australia in 1513, these routes were already a steady source of southern products (especially luxuries such as bullion and southern velvet) from which the Europeans could reliably import and export goods.
There were four main routes within the Goldlines;
- The Western Route took traders from the south-western Aboriginal realms to modern day Awalee (Derby), usually along the coast. This was the only route which could reliably be traversed by sea, owing to the naval power of local states which protected traders from piracy. However, the same conditions exacerbated problems with privateering. It was this route's viability which allowed Aboriginal states to gain unprecedented economic superiority over their eastern rivals.
- The Bosphorus Route is the shortest and quickest way to cross the Outback, taking a straight path from the city of Bosphorus to Awalee. However, it also traverses the Great Australian Desert, a particularly harsh portion of the Outback.
- The Central Route goes from the regions of Greater Cestlep and the Murray-Darling Basin to Old Farenday (Darwin). This is a long, hard trip with a stop at New Dublin (Alice Springs). However, it connects the most important northern trade centre to the most important economic regions in Oceanyka.
- The Eastern Route connects the South-East and the Great Dividing Range to the ports of Karnes and Vilrray. This route was unable to be traversed by sea due to the Coral Sea's treacherous waters and the continuous presence of pirates. Beginning in the 17th century, however, European sailors began to navigate through this region, protected by their technologically superior warships and aided by more developed navigation techniques. It was the eventual domination of this trade route which allowed the British Empire to colonise Australia.