The Australian Continent has Thousands of Years of Rich History. Here are Some Basic Facts.

If you're planning on traveling to Australia, you're probably doing a ton of research: where to go, what to bring, and how you'll get there. Some prospective travelers leave some pretty important information out of their sleuthing, information having to do with the place to which they're headed. However, knowing about a land and its people will greatly enhance your experience anywhere you go, and it will make your interactions with locals more meaningful.

Here are a few key facts about Australia's history you should know before you get there.

Aboriginal Australians are commonly believed to have come to Australia at least 40,000 years ago, which makes theirs one of the longest surviving cultures in human history. In fact, the oldest known human remains were found in a dry lake in New South Wales.
Before the arrival of humans, Australia was populated with what's known as megafauna, animals that were much larger versions of ones we consider to be of normal size today. An example of this is the diprotodon, a hippo-sized marsupial. Some megafauna, like the red kangaroo, are still around, but may went extinct, presumably due to humans.
The first known European landing on the Australian continent was that of Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon and his crew in 1606. They landed on the west coast. A Spanish crew landed later that year.
British Lieutenant James Cook and the crew of the HMS Endeavour landed on the east coast on April 19, 1770.
Within two decades, eastern Australia became a penal colony for banished British convicts.
In the 1800s, agriculture and gold prospecting brought prosperity to the country.
Australia became a commonwealth on January 1, 1901.
Australia fought in World War II on the side of the Allies.

This is in no way a comprehensive history, but just an overview. Knowing just a little about the population will go a long way when you're traveling throughout Australia.

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