Australian History: Ancient (Pre 1788)
Australia was not always in the location and shape it is recognised today. Millions of years ago, it was part of the the great land mass called Gondwanaland. Later on, the continent of Australia began to drift away from this great land mass and around the Mesozoic era, dinosaurs roamed the land. After the death of dinosaurs, mammals began to dominate and the first signs of mankind can be traced back with the "First Australians", the Aboriginal people.
Gondwanaland - The continent of Australia was once part of the greater land mass called Gondwanaland, when todays seven continents were connected to form two continents; the other being Laurasia.
Bunyips - For thousands of years Aboriginals have told stories about fearsome booming monsters that lived in swamps.
Dinosaurs - During the dinosaur era, the Rhoetosaurus was known to live in Australia although no skeleton of a dinosaur has been found.
The First Australians - Aboriginals were the real founders of Australia because they came to this land thousands of years before white people discovered it.
Aboriginal Culture - Australian Aboriginal culture is one of the oldest and longest surviving cultures, that has dated back to at least 50,000 years.
The Dreamtime - Aboriginals believed that the world was made by the Ancestors, back in the Dreamtime.
French Exploration of Australia
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