How did the first humans reach Australia?

The first humans reached Australia around 65,000 years ago, after a long journey that took them from their beginnings in Africa to the shores of a faraway and unfamiliar continent. 

They had travelled through Asia, as they crossed difficult landscapes and adjusted to new surroundings while the world's climate changed over thousands of years. 

The final part of their journey involved crossing the sea, which they probably did as they used simple boats or rafts, travelled through islands, and relied on their knowledge of the stars and ocean currents. 

Once they arrived on the northern coasts they became the first humans to step onto the Australian continent. 

However, the land they found was very different to modern Australia and was called Sahul.

Sahul is the name for the land that, during times of lower sea levels, joined what are now Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania. 

A vast prehistoric landmass existed during the Pleistocene epoch, when ice ages caused large amounts of water to freeze in glaciers and ice caps. 

Sea levels dropped, uncovering land bridges and allowing the movement of plants, animals, and eventually people. 

Early humans could travel more easily between areas that are now divided by water.

The different environments of Sahul, from tropical rainforests to dry deserts, offered many types of homes for the people living there. 

The plants and animals of Sahul were also special because many species like the kangaroo and the Tasmanian devil developed separately from the rest of the world. 

However, as the ice ages ended and the world warmed up, the glaciers and ice caps melted, causing sea levels to rise. 

The resulting climate shift caused the flooding of the land bridges and the splitting of Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania into separate land areas.

After arriving, these early Australians began to explore and settle in different parts of the continent. 

They moved along rivers and coastlines and they slowly made their way into the centre of the land. 

As they moved, they got used to each new environment. In the coastal areas, they became skilled at fishing, using nets and spears to catch fish. 

In the forests, they hunted kangaroos and other animals and gathered fruits and nuts. In the dry deserts, they worked out how to find water and food in such a difficult place.

As these early Australians settled in different areas, they created their own cultures, languages, and traditions. 

They shared stories about the land, the animals, and the stars that helped them make sense of their world and their role in it. 

Dreamtime stories like these told how the world was made and how people should live in balance with nature. 

One well-known Dreamtime story is about the powerful Rainbow Serpent that formed the mountains, rivers, and lakes. 

Another is about Tiddalik the frog that drank all the water in the world and caused a drought until he was made to laugh and let the water go.

The journey and settlement of the First Nations Australians is a remarkable story of exploration, adjustment, and survival. 

Over thousands of years, they influenced the culture and history of Australia, leaving behind art, stories, and traditions that people still value today.