History of Australia

First people to leave Africa

70,000 BCE

70000 years ago, the first people to leave Africa were the indigenous people who were going to Australia. This lead to the first open ocean crossing performed and was 30000 years before the Americans migrated.

Arrival of first people in Australia

65,000 BCE

In 65000 BC, the first human civilization arrived in Australia.

First evidence of people living in Australia

60,000 BCE

The earliest evidence of people living in Australia was found in Arnhem Land, Kakadu national park and dates back to 60000 years ago.

Trade and barter

50,000 BCE

There is proof that the indigenous Australians used to trade and barter items to get all of their resources and daily essentials.

Homes and shelters

48,000 BCE

There is physical evidence of rock shelters that were carefully carved out by hand and were hollowed out 40000 years before British Stonehenge. The rock shelters are still there to see today.

Earliest human remains found outside Africa

42,000 BCE

Mungoman, the earliest human found, was found in Australia and is believed to be over 42000 years old, was approximately 40 years old and 6 ft tall. Mungoman also had a preferred hand and used a spear as showed in his hand.

Giant animals

40,000 BCE

There is evidence of giant animals that were roaming the land because of rock paintings created by Indigenous Australians. this also shows that they were relating to the world around them and making unfamiliar things familiar by painting and recreating them in art.

Tools

35,000 BCE

There have been a lot of tools found that the indigenous Australians used like spears, boomerangs and other ground edge tools that show ingenious design and functionality.

British colonisation

1788

The American industrial revolution caused the British to colonise Australia. This had a huge impact on Australia's original inhabitants because they were driven from their homes and their land and food was stolen from them. There was also a problem of diseases. Since the Indigenous Australians had no immunity to these, a lot of them died.

Federation of Australia

1901

In 1901, the Australian commonwealth was put into effect.

Stolen generations

1910

in 1910, a policy enabling the British colonists to steal 'half' indigenous children to re educate them and convert them to English. this had a huge impact and the wounds are still healing.

Sorry day

May 26, 1998