1451

Documented journeys of Macassans (from present day Indonesia) to ‘Marege’ (Australia)

1588

It is known that, at this time, trade (as well as exchanges in culture and technologies) was well established between Aboriginal people North and Macassans.  This trade continued until 1906 when the South Australian Government stopped it.

1600

Dutch explorers investigated the coast of Western Australia.

1606

Earliest recorded contact between Europeans and Indigenous people. (Duyfken under Captain Willem Jansz – Cape York)

1642

Abel Tasman claims Tasmania (which he called ‘Van Dieman’s land’) for Holland

1768

Anticipating that Captain Cook would discover the great southern land he was issued with special instructions to "with the consent of the natives take possession of convenient situations in the name of the King... or if you find the land uninhabited Take Possession for His Majesty".

1770

April 29 Captain James Cook in the Endeavour entered Botany Bay. After an encounter with local people in Botany Bay Cook wrote that "all they seem'd to want was us to be gone".  He and his men explore and chart the east coast of Australian continent, and formally ‘claims’ that coast.

1786

August 18 the British Government chose Botany Bay as a penal colony.

1788

9 ships led by Arthur Phillip land in Sydney Cove. As a result, Great Britain established the prison colony of New South Wales, the first permanent European settlement on Australian soil.