Child recovery expert Col Chapman was always confident Alan Langdon and his daughter Que would be found in Australia.

LISTEN ABOVE: Child recovery expert Col Chapman spoke to Tim Dower

The pair were missing for almost a month after setting sail from Kawhia in catamaran.

A full-scale search was launched and then called off.

But they surfaced yesterday in New South Wales.

Mr Chapman told Tim Dower there's some information he can't release because of New Zealand laws and court processes but he thinks Mr Langdon would rather be in Australia.

"There is a tension from Mr Langdon in New Zealand and he was trying to avoid that."

He said he always believed Mr Langdon was heading for Australia.

"Based on his past history and knowledge that we had, and his preference for living in Australia, we believe there was no point in him remaining in New Zealand on the run. A man of his age can not go on the run and remain hidden with a 6-year-old little girl."

Mr Langdon denied he'd intended to sail to Queensland to live "off-grid". He said he had planned to sail to the Bay of Islands, but he was forced to change course when one a rudder broke.

"We were heading north and once the rudder broke we were heading back to New Zealand, but the wind blew us here," he told the Times.

"Australia was the best target, the biggest target and the best option.

I didn't really care what part I got to."

He said he had access to materials on board for boat repair, however the sea was never calm enough to allow him time.

"I have fibreglass and resin on board. I have everything I need to fix [the rudder], but I just didn't get a chance."

Mr Langdon said he didn't know where in Australia he was when he sailed into a New South Wales town with his young daughter on Wednesday, the Times reported.

"I didn't know where we were and I had no way of contacting anyone," Langdon said.

"I have a handheld GPS but it only gives a location."

Mr Langdon said they made themselves known to authorities as soon as they were on land.

"When we came in the police were down here doing something else," he told the Times.

"We went over to them but they were a bit busy and sent us to the harbour master.

"He wasn't there, so we went somewhere else, then we called some people and then people came to see us."

He confirmed they didn't have a radio or satellite phone and said he believed their emergency beacon may have "taken a walk" when he was loading the boat in New Zealand.

The pair used one of the catamaran's two hulls to sleep and one for storage.

Mr Langdon said they were both health and he was surprised at the media interest in their journey.

"There is a bit of mass hysteria going on," he told the Times.

"She [Que] did a 56-day trip before she was one, so 27 days isn't particularly big.

"I thought people might have been worried but I didn't think they'd call out planes."

He said their journey was "uncomfortable" but they didn't tackle anything "particularly tough".

"A couple of times there were swells climbing the mast, but that was only a couple of times.

"A few times waves broke over the deck.

"It was interesting steering with one rudder, but it's the skipper's responsibility to not show their crew any signs of fear or trepidation."

Mr Langdon said they were planning to live on the boat at the Bay of Islands and had packed dry supplies to last them for months.

"I've got a little gas cooker and had some noodles when it was calm and we were at anchor. There is a fire extinguisher below deck. There is lots of water, but fire and boats never really mix.

"It was never calm enough to have a three course meal."

The Langdons, who are both Australian citizens, are expected to travel north to Port Kembla Harbour for quarantine on Thursday afternoon.

It's not clear if Mr Langdon will face any charges.

Que doesn't have a passport and the pair didn't enter the country legally.

Mr Chapman is waiting in line to talk with Mr Langdon across the Tasman.