The first people in Australia were the ancestors of today's Aboriginal Australians, who migrated from Southeast Asia to the continent between about 50,000 and 65,000 years ago. Archaeological and genomic evidence supports this timeframe, suggesting one of the oldest continuous cultures on Earth originated there
. These early peoples are believed to have traveled by sea, making them among the world's earliest mariners, crossing from what is now Southeast Asia to the Australian landmass known as Sahul, which included present-day Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea during periods of lower sea levels
. The first arrivals likely settled initially in regions such as the Kimberley in Western Australia around 60,000 years ago and spread across the continent within several thousand years
. The Aboriginal Australians developed diverse societies, languages, and cultures adapted to various environments across the continent. At the time of European contact, there were about 600 distinct Aboriginal nations and 250 languages
. In summary, the first people in Australia were Aboriginal Australians whose ancestors migrated from Southeast Asia over 50,000 years ago, establishing one of the world's oldest continuous cultures through early sea voyages to the continent
