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73,000 BCE
First Settlers
People have lived in Australia for over 75,000 years.The first people who arrived in what is now Australia were the Aboriginal people. The aboriginal people came by boat from the islands of Indonesia. -
The beginning
The first European to land at Australia is Dutch explorer Captain Willem Janszoon. -
Western Australia
English explorer William Dampier explores the western coast of Australia. -
Colonization
The first fleet of British ships settled in at Sydney, New South Wales who established the penal colony. The scientific exploration of the continent would later be the establishment of other Australian colonies. -
Change
The name of the island is changed from "New Holland" to "Australia". -
Independent
Australia becomes fully independent from the United Kingdom.