Australia’s history stretches back more than 65,000 years, with the first human inhabitants believed to have arrived from Southeast Asia through land bridges and sea crossings. Indigenous Australians, comprising Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, developed rich and diverse cultures deeply connected to the land and environment. Aboriginal Australians spoke at least 250 languages, maintained oral traditions, and engaged in practices such as fire-stick farming and fish farming, some of which have been considered forms of agriculture. Torres Strait Islanders, distinct in their culture and language, were skilled seafarers who thrived through seasonal horticulture and the resources of their surrounding seas.

European exploration of Australia began in the early 17th century. The Dutch made the first documented landing in 1606, and over the next few decades, Dutch explorers mapped much of Australia's northern, western, and southern coasts. However, it was British Captain James Cook who charted the east coast in 1770 and claimed it for Britain under the name "New South Wales." Following this, the British government decided to establish a penal colony in Australia, with the First Fleet landing in Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. This event later became Australia’s national day.

The early settlers were mostly convicts, and the colony quickly evolved into a civil society. However, this period was marked by conflict with the Indigenous populations. The introduction of diseases, frontier violence, and acts of dispossession led to a significant decline in the Indigenous population. While no treaties were signed with Aboriginal groups, many Indigenous people resisted the invasion, leading to numerous clashes, with historians noting acts of genocide during these frontier conflicts. Over time, the Indigenous peoples' land was taken, and their way of life drastically altered.

This turbulent period set the stage for the development of modern Australia, influencing its social, cultural, and political landscape. The events of European colonisation and the effects on Indigenous Australians remain a pivotal chapter in the nation’s history.