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Period: 63,000 BCE to 38,000 BCE
Arrival of first Aboriginal peiple
63000 BC - 38000 BC. The first Aboriginal people arrived on the north west coast of Australia. The archaeological evidence suggests that Aboriginal people had constructed sea crafts to venture 50 miles across the ocean from Papua New Guinea to Australia. -
48,000 BCE
Second migration wave from Africa
The later second wave moved from Africa into the Arabian Peninsula and continued eastward following the coast of South Asia about 50,000 years ago. This southern wave kept rolling along reaching Southeast Asia, where one branch of people migrated to Australia and New Guinea, while other branches moved along the coast of east Asia. -
20,000 BCE
Indigenous Australians
Aborigine Australians thought to have arrived from Southeast Asia at least 40,000 years ago and by 20,000 B.C, are thought to have spread throughout the mainland and Tasmania. -
150
First map of the world
Around CE 150 a brilliant Greek astronomer named Ptolemy drew a map of the world. Ptolemy speculated that land masses might lie beyond the known European world. Like many others, Ptolemy believed there was a Great South Land to balance the landmass of the Northern Hemisphere. Ptolemy called his imagined land Terra Australis Incognita – the unknown south land. Gradually Europeans explored and pushed the boundaries of the known European world. -
1000
Trading with neighbouring explorers
For at least 40,000 years Aboriginal people lived isolated in Australia. But during the last millennium people from China, India, Arabia, Malaya and the Pacific Islands started to explore the oceans around them. It is most likely that these sailors visited the north coast of Australia and traded with Aboriginal people. -
Nov 16, 1313
Marco Polo alleged discovery
Marco Polo discovered a huge, unexplored southern land in 1313. -
Period: to
European contact
An estimated 54 european ships from different nations explored the coast of australia between 1606 and 1902. -
First European Contact
The Dutch East India Company (VOC) ship Duyfken, under Captain Willem Janszoon, explored the western coast of Cape York Peninsula. This was the first recorded landfall by a European on Australian soil. -
Second European contact
Dirk Hartog was a Dutch explorer and was the second European group to land on the west coast of Australia. On the 25th of October 1616, he visited Shark Bay and became the first European to set foot on what is now known as Dirk Hartog Island at the entrance to Shark Bay in Western Australia. They were the first to leave behind an artefact to record their visit. -
Abel Tasman explores Tasmania
On 24 November 1642, Tasman reached and sighted the west coast of Tasmania, north of Macquarie Harbour. He named his discovery Van Diemen's Land after Antonio van Diemen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. -
English Exploration
William Dampier was an English explorer. He arrived on the West Coast of Australia. -
Captain James Cook "discovers" the east coast of Australia
On the 29th of April 1770, a man called Captain James Cook "discovered" land. Captain Cook claimed the east coast of under instruction from King George III of England. It was then that eastern australia was called "New South Wales". He dropped anchor in the bay and started to look around this new land. People called this bay Stingray Bay but changed it to Botany Bay because of the many plants his botanists collected and recorded. Just 6 days later the French landed in the same place. -
First Fleet
The First Fleet: Over 252 days the First Fleet brought over 1,500 convicts from England to New South Wales, Australia. On the 13th of May 1787, the fleet of 11 ships set sail from England. It was led by Captain Arthur Phillip. The Fleet was made up of two Royal Navy ships, supply ships and six convict ships named the Alexander, Charlotte, Friendship, Lady Penrhyn, Prince Of Wales and the Scarborough. -
European contact with Van Diemans Land (Tasmania)
On the 3rd January 1788, a man called Captain Arthur Phillip of the First Fleet, having decided to sail ahead of the rest of the fleet to prepare for the new settlement, sighted the coast of Van Diemen's Land. -
Colonisation of Australia
Colonisation Of Australia: The colonisation of Australia was in 1788. Two years after the decision was made by Captain Arthur Phillip to take over 1,500 convicts to Australia. They They founded and settled in Sydney Cove. -
Pemulwuy leads the Eora against British Settlement
Pemulwuy was an Aboriginal that lived in the Sydney area in the Eora language group. He saw the British as invaders of Aboriginal land and was responsible for organising small groups of Aboriginal warriors to attack British farms, small towns and troops. -
Second Fleet Arrive
On June the 17th 1790, 5 of 6 ships of the Second Fleet arrive at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson -
Third Fleet Arrive
On July the 9th 1791, the first ship of the Third Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove. -
First Settlement in Van Diemen's Land
A settlement was founded at Risdon on the Derwent River in Van Diemen's Land by Lieutenant Bowen. -
Gold Rush
On the 2nd of December 1851, gold is found in Southern Australia. Entire settlements are deserted as folks rush to the gold mines. -
First european sighting of Uluru
Uluru was first sighted by Europeans and named Ayers Rock. -
Death of Truganini
Truganini was the last (official) surviving tasmanian aborigine. She lost her mother, sister and soon to be husband at a young age, all of them the victims of colonial violence. She was inteligent and resourceful and tried to protect other aboriginal survivors of the black wars.