Ancient Australia: Timeline

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a rich history in Australia. According to the most recent archaeological evidence, Aboriginal peoples have been living on this land for at least 65,000 years, confirming what Aboriginal people have always known, that they are the world’s oldest continuous living culture. The historical timeline in this link has been compiled by the Australian Museum’s Indigenous Education Project Officer, Renee Cawthorne. It focuses primarily on Aboriginal history in Australia prior to the arrival of Europeans.

This easy to read timeline gives a history of Indigenous Australians from 65,000 BCE to 2017 CE.

Search this Australian Aboriginal timeline for any word, by Aboriginal topic or within specific years; from before 1788 to present day.

The viewpoints about the origins of the First Nations people of Australia was once entangled with the wider debate regarding the origins of all modern humans. During the 1980s and 1990s, the two main viewpoints were the ‘Out of Africa’ and ‘Multiregional’ models. However, new fossils and improved DNA research have resulted in these models becoming obsolete. Read through this article to learn more.

An unprecedented DNA study has found evidence of a single human migration out of Africa and confirmed that Aboriginal Australians are the world’s oldest civilization. Read through this article to learn more.

The date of earliest occupation of the Australian continent is constantly changing. New excavations and improved dating techniques push the date further back into the distant past. Footprints in the sand, artefacts in ancient shelters and items such as this piece of ochre all provide evidence of the vast human history of the continent. However, this is just part of the story, because Aboriginal people traditionally believe they have been here in their country since the time of creation and, prior to that, the continent was a ‘land before time’. Read this article to learn more.