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Travel in Australia and New Zealand

History of Australia
By:Andrew Keet

The first Australian residents are believed to have arrived between 40 000 and 70 000 years ago. The remains of the "Mungo Man" are believed to be 40 000 years old and are the oldest that have been uncovered to date. However, archaeological findings suggest that there were almost three quarters of a million people inhabiting this vast continent before the arrival of European settlers and explorers. Their existence is attested to by physical remains, as well as the folktales passed from one generation to the next.

This population had divided itself into nations, each speaking their own language, which were further divided into clans. Most of the languages spoken by each of these 250 nations are now extinct. The majority of the inhabitants lived in the south and west regions of Australia, close to water sources. They were, essentially, hunter-gatherers. However, they understood the impact of their lifestyle on the land, and they used the resources sparingly. As a group, ancient indigenous Australians are referred to as Aborigines.

In 1606, a Portuguese explorer, de Queirós, sighted Australia from New Guinea and named it La Australia del Espiritu Santo. Other sightings of its coastline also took place over the years, rousing an interest in this mysterious island. One explorer whose interests were piqued was the Dutchman, Abel Tasman. He was the first person to reach the area now know as Tasmania and New Zealand, and the first person to sight Fuji. His most famous journey took place in 1642. His extensive voyages enabled him to play an integral role in mapping Australia out for future visitors.

It was really only when other European explorers arrived in the mid- to late-1700's that Australia gained any sort of global recognition. James Cook's exploration of this coastline led to the discovery and charting of Australia's eastern coastline in 1770, a significant advancement in the colonising of this land.

The arrival of the Europeans spelt bad news for the indigenous tribes. A battle for territory as well as the perceived dangers of both sides led to the death of many. The Aborigines were slaughtered en masse in what was considered to be genocide, even being killed by having their food and water poisoned.

It was only in 1962 that the first Aborigine communities were granted the right to vote for the government of the land that they had established and cultivated. In 2008, the Prime Minister of Australia made a formal apology to these people for the tragedies inflicted upon them.

Today, Australia is a land of variety; people of all pasts, languages, races and religions are united on a platform of national pride. The cultural variety that has been born from the rich historical value of Australia has contributed positively to its heritage, making for a fascinating destination.

Andrew Keet has lived in Australia for more than 40 years and is intrigued by Australian Etymology - http://www.australiaforever.org/etymology.html.






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