Sahul and Migration
What is Sahul?
Sahul was a big land that joined Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania when the sea was lower.
What was the Pleistocene epoch?
The Pleistocene epoch was a period of time that lasted from about 2.6 million years ago to 11,700 years ago. It was known for its Ice Ages.
What is rock art?
Rock art is pictures and symbols painted or carved on rocks by ancient people.
What does hunter-gatherer mean?
A hunter-gatherer is someone who gets food by hunting animals and gathering plants instead of farming.
What is the capital city of Australia?
Canberra
How did the first people get to Sahul?
They used simple boats or rafts to cross the ocean.
What was the weather like during the Pleistocene?
The climate was much colder, and large parts of the world were covered in ice.
What can tools and objects tell us about ancient people?
They show us how people lived, hunted, and made things.
What would the first people have brought with them to Sahul?
They likely brought tools, food, and materials to help them survive.
How many continents are there in the world?
How did people know where to go when crossing the ocean?
They used the stars, the sun, and the wind to guide them.
What kinds of animals lived in Sahul during the Pleistocene?
Many large animals, called megafauna, lived in Sahul, like giant kangaroos, diprotodons (giant wombat-like animals), and giant goannas.
What are shell middens?
Shell middens are piles of shells left by people who ate seafood.
How did people find food when they arrived in Sahul?
They hunted animals, caught fish, and gathered plants and fruits.
Which element on the periodic table has the chemical symbol "O"?
Oxygen
What is a "land bridge"?
A land bridge is land that connects two places when the sea level is low.
What is megafauna?
Megafauna means big animals, like giant kangaroos and diprotodons (giant wombats).
How do stories help us learn about Indigenous history?
Indigenous people tell stories that have been passed down for thousands of years. These stories teach us about their history and culture.
What did the first people do to stay safe in Sahul?
They built shelters, made tools and weapons to protect themselves, and worked together in groups to survive.
What is the only mammal that can fly?
A bat
Why was the sea level lower during the time of the first migration to Sahul?
During the Ice Age, a lot of water was frozen in glaciers, which caused the sea level to drop.
What happened to the big animals after people came to Sahul?
Many of the big animals disappeared, maybe because people hunted them or the environment changed.
Why is it important to protect old Indigenous sites?
These places are part of Australia’s history and help us learn about the first people who lived here.
How did the first people find water in Sahul?
They looked for rivers, lakes, and waterholes. They also learned how to find water in plants and underground.
What is the name of the process by which plants make their own food using sunlight?
Photosynthesis