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Defining Moments

Learn about the events, people and ideas that have shaped and defined Australia.

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  • 10
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  • Before 1700
  • 1700–1799
  • 1800–1899
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  • 2000s
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Defining moment
Piece of ochre. At least 65,000 years ago

Evidence of first peoples

Defining moment
A scientist and an Aboriginal ranger collect a sample of Gwion Gwion rock art for dating, Northern Kimberley About 30,000 years ago

Earliest known rock art

Defining moment
Pigmented, wooden boomerang. About 20,000 years ago

Earliest evidence of the boomerang

Defining moment
Map of Tasmania by James Sprent, 1859. About 12,000 years ago

Separation of Tasmania

Defining moment
A dingo on Fraser Island, Queensland. About 5000 years ago

Arrival of the dingo

Defining moment
Macassans at Victoria, Port Essington, drawn in 1845 by H.S. Melville 1700

Trade with the Makasar

Defining moment
Painting by John Hamilton Mortimer showing from left: Dr Daniel Solander, Sir Joseph Banks, Captain James Cook, Dr John Hawkesworth and Lord Sandwich. 1770

Cook claims Australia

Defining moment
The First Fleet entering Port Jackson, January 26, 1788, by E. Le Bihan. Drawn in 1888 1788

The First Fleet arrives at Sydney Cove

Defining moment
The smallpox virusunder a microscope. 1789

Smallpox epidemic

Defining moment
South Sea Whalers boiling blubber / Boats preparing to get a whale alongside, 1876, by Oswald W. Brierly 1791

Start of whaling

Defining moment
Pemulwuy 1792

Pemulwuy resists the colonists

Defining moment
Merino sheep. 1797

Merino sheep introduced

Defining moment
Portrait of Captain Matthew Flinders, RN, 1774-1814, by Toussaint Antoine De Chazal De Chamerel. 1801–03

Flinders circumnavigates Australia

Defining moment
Painting of the convict uprising at Castle Hill, 1804. 1804

Castle Hill Rebellion

Defining moment
Victoria Pass, Blue Mountains, by Eliza Thurston,1861 1813

Europeans cross the Blue Mountains

Defining moment
The Plains, Bathurst, by John Lewin, about 1815 1815

Founding of Bathurst

The National Museum of Australia acknowledges First Australians and recognises their continuous connection to country, community and culture. This website contains names, images and voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.