History & Heritage
Uncovering the narrative of the world's oldest continuous living culture alongside colonial history, federation milestones, and modern political archives.
National Timeline
Pre-colonial (≥65,000 years ago)
Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples have inhabited the continent for over 65,000 years, maintaining among the longest continuous cultural histories on Earth across 250+ language groups.
Contact & Colonisation (1606–1901)
Following Dutch contact in 1606 and James Cook's 1770 claim, the First Fleet arrived in 1788. The 19th century saw the establishment of six colonies and the transformative Gold Rushes.
Federation & Modern Era (1901–Present)
The Commonwealth was proclaimed in 1901. Key milestones include the Mabo decision (1992), the Sydney Olympics (2000), and the National Apology (2008).
Heritage Register
Australia's heritage places are listed in the Australian Heritage Database. This includes the National Heritage List and Australia's 20 World Heritage properties.
docs/history.md. Last verified: May 2026.
Authoritative sources include the National Museum of Australia and the Australian Heritage Database.