Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were Australia's first inhabitants, and their cultures are the oldest continuous cultures in the world. The test often asks when they arrived, where Torres Strait Islanders come from, and how they connect with the land.
What to remember
- Australia's first inhabitants; the oldest continuous cultures in the world.
- Archaeological record: arrived between 65,000 and 40,000 years ago.
- Torres Strait Islanders come from islands between the northern tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea.
- About 3% of the population (glossary); more than 100 distinct Indigenous languages (p. 9).
Sample questions
Who were Australia's first inhabitants?Show answer
- Chinese migrants who came for the gold rush
- The convicts and soldiers of the First Fleet
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our Common Bond states that Australia's first inhabitants are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who have the oldest continuous cultures and traditions in the world.
According to the archaeological record, when did Aboriginal peoples arrive in Australia?Show answer
- Shortly before the First Fleet in 1788
- About 5,000 years ago
- Between 65,000 and 40,000 years ago
Between 65,000 and 40,000 years ago. The archaeological record indicates arrival between 65,000 and 40,000 years ago. Aboriginal peoples believe their creation stories begin with the beginning of time.
Where are Torres Strait Islander people from?Show answer
- Islands off the coast of Western Australia
- Islands between the northern tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea
- Islands in Bass Strait between Tasmania and the mainland
Islands between the northern tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea. Torres Strait Islander people are from the islands between the northern tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea. Historically, Aboriginal people are from mainland Australia and Tasmania.
Source: Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, p. 8. Read the full booklet on the Home Affairs website.