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Period: 50,000 BCE to
Pre-Colonisation
What happened during this time?
Indigenous people lived off what was available near them. They invented and used pit ovens, and wrapped various meats, vegetables, and grubs in bark to cook in the pit oven. What foods were introduced and why?
Foods were different depending where the community was.
eg. People near the sea ate fish and shellfish. They ate a diverse diet, with grubs, meat, and the first evidence of bread in the world. -
Period: to
British Colonisation
What happened during this time?
British migrants and prisoners came from Britain, and set up a penal colony. What foods were introduced and why?
They tried to set up foods like sheep and cows, but failed due to the harsh soil and weather conditions. Their main diets were Flour, Salted Meat, Oatmeal, and tea because they were both easy to transport from Europe because they didn’t go off, and they were staple foods from Europe. A popular food was Damper, a staple of Australian bush food. -
Period: to
Gold Rush
What happened during this time?
When gold was discovered in Australia, people came from Europe, Asia and America in search of fortune. Many asian and Chinese migrants also set up shops, introducing many different flavours. European migrants came to bring their food as well. What foods were introduced and why?
Chinese migrants brought Soy sauce, Ginger, Woks for cooking, and steamers.
Pie floater, and many different pies and pastries came from Europe, introducing the first ‘Fast Food’. -
Period: to
World War 1 and after
What happened during this time?
Food packaging and transportation became a lot faster and cheaper, enabling people to bring food from further away. What foods were introuduced and why?
Eggs, Butter, Flour, and sugar became much easier to access. Desiccated Coconut and Corn Flakes were introduced as well. Vegemite was created, as well as Lamingtons. -
Period: to
World War 2 and after
What happened during this time?
A wave of European migrants and refugees came to Australia, bringing many more different foods and flavours. What foods were introduced and why?
Coffee, Capsicm, Zucchini, Olives, Eggplant, Artichoke, and garlic was introduced by the greek. Pastas were introduced by many different Europeans as well. -
Period: to
Introduction of Fast Food
What happened during this time?
US fast food companies became more prevalent in Australia leading to easier access to unhealthy foods. What food was introduced and why?
Many different fast foods from different companies, such as burgers, fried chicken, and Mexican food. -
After the vietnam war
What happened during this time?
After the end of the Vietnam War, the white Australia policy was ended, leading to large amounts of migration from many countries such as Vietnam. What foods were introduced and why?
Stir Fry, Pho, and many other foods primarily from Vietnam were introduced due to the many migrants from Vietnam fleeing the war. -
Period: to
Present day
What happened during this time?
Recently, delivery services have increased in popularity due to Covid-19, leading to the increase of people eating more unhealthy food. Also, many people are quitting their jobs due to a combination of wanting better wages, and inflation. What foods were introduced and why?
Pre-made food has drastically increased in popularity, such as food from fast food restaurants and pre-made meals because many people are quitting, many are forced to work more.