A Short History of Australia

A Short History of Australia The Australian National Flag has three elements on a blue background: the Union Flag or Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star and the Southern Cross. The Union Jack in the upper left corner recognizes the history of British settlement. Below the Union Jack is a white Commonwealth or Federation star. It has seven points symbolizing the unity of the six states and the territories of the Commonwealth of Australia. Early History The first settlers arrived around 50,000 years ago. This was at a time when sea levels were lower and the land was less fertile. The central dry areas had not attracted settlers until about 25,000 years ago. The population grew more and more around 10,000 years ago as the climate improved. First Arrivals