Australia's Past: From First Peoples

A Journey Through Time Year 3 History Learning About Our Country's Story

What is History?

History tells us about the past It helps us understand what happened before we were born We can learn from old stories, pictures, and objects History is all around us!

Think About This

What do you know about Australia's past? Who do you think lived here first?

Australia's First Peoples

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lived here first They have been here for over 60,000 years They are the traditional custodians of the land They knew how to care for the country

Living with the Land

First Peoples knew where to find food and water They moved with the seasons They took care of plants and animals They passed down knowledge through stories

Aboriginal Art Activity

Look at Aboriginal dot paintings What animals can you see? What stories might they tell? Try making your own dot patterns

Timeline: Australia Before 1788

European Explorers Arrive

In the 1600s, European ships came to Australia They were exploring and looking for new lands Captain James Cook mapped the east coast in 1770 This was the beginning of big changes

The First Fleet - 1788

In 1788, the First Fleet arrived from England It had 11 ships with over 1,000 people Many were convicts sent to Australia as punishment They started the first European settlement

What Would It Be Like?

Imagine arriving in a new place far from home What would you need to survive? How would you feel?

Meeting of Two Worlds

Aboriginal peoples and Europeans met for the first time They had different ways of living Sometimes they helped each other Sometimes there were problems and misunderstandings

Two Different Ways of Life

{"left":"Aboriginal peoples lived in harmony with nature\nEuropeans wanted to change the land for farming\nAboriginal peoples shared the land","right":"Europeans wanted to own pieces of land\nAboriginal peoples moved with the seasons\nEuropeans built permanent towns"}