How the First Nations Peoples of Australia adapted to an ever-changing environment

One of the most major environmental changes First Nations Australians faced was the rising sea levels between 18,000 and 7,000 years ago. 

As the ice caps melted and waters rose, vast stretches of land were covered by water. 

Rising waters submerged the land bridge connecting mainland Australia to what is now Tasmania. 

In the same way, the Torres Strait Islands emerged from land that used to be a continuous land bridge between Papua New Guinea and Australia. 

Because such changes, separated communities on the different land masses emerged.

However, the memories of these events were not forgotten. Through oral traditions, stories of these changes were passed down from generation to generation in traditional art forms, including the Dreamtime myths.

Another challenge First Nations Australians faced was the drying up of some areas. 

Although places like Lake Mungo, which once held water, became dry, the people did not simply abandon these areas. 

Meanwhile, archaeological evidence shows that people were able to stay seasonally in regions like the Willandra Lakes. 

That means that they would return to it when water was available, but then seek other regions during dryer times of the year.

During the Pleistocene epoch, Australia was home to a group of large animals called megafauna.

Some notable examples include the Diprotodon, a massive herbivore resembling a giant wombat and considered the largest marsupial ever to have lived; the Thylacoleo, known as the 'marsupial lion' and a carnivorous creature with powerful jaws and sharp claws; the Genyornis, a large flightless bird; the giant kangaroo Procoptodon, taller than modern-day humans; and the Megalania, a gigantic monitor lizard, one of the largest terrestrial lizards known to have existed.

Creatures like these, which are much larger than the animals we see today, roamed the land. 

As a result, First Nations Australians had to develop strategies for hunting in a way that provided them with a source of food, but also did not kill of the animals, as they would rely upon them for survival. 

The presence of these large animals required careful planning and understanding of the environment to ensure that communities could thrive alongside these giants.

However, despite their best efforts, these creatures, along with many others, eventual went extinct around 40,000 years ago.

This was due to both human hunting, but also because of continual climatic changes that reduced the habitat that these animals needed to survive.

Overall, the history of First Nations Australians is a story of strength, ability to adjust, and a strong connection to the land. 

Their deep understanding of the environment and their commitment to living peacefully with it offer lessons for all of us today.