Before moving to a new country, it is important that you do some ground work to understand its culture and history. If you are considering moving to Australia, this same principle applies. Once you learn the history of the nation, you can better appreciate some of the beliefs, practices and traditions of the country. All this will make it much easier to blend in.
Australia has had an eventful history – from Aboriginal traditions and the first European explorer’s arrival, to the modern, diverse metropolitan cities today. Even though detailed historical records mainly cover the period starting at the establishment of Australia as a British colony, the continent had been inhabited by the Aborigines for over 30,000 years.
Other than the Aborigines, the Torres Strait Islanders were the other inhabitants of Australia that predated European settlers. Both the Aborigines and the Torres Strait Islanders had a well developed and relatively complex social system and traditions. Many practices were tied to their relationship with the land.
Whereas a good chunk of aboriginal history was lost during the early years when the natives were displaced by the settlers, there still are remnants of their rich past. Today there are museums and history research centres around Australia that work towards the discovery and preservation of aboriginal history. The museums are an important place to visit for anyone that would like to successfully go through the immigration process.
Who were the first Europeans to arrive in Australia? Contrary to what many might assume, it was not the British. Rather, it was Portuguese navigators and Dutch explorers. Records show that Dutch explorer Janszoon Willem set foot in Australia in 1606 . His more famous counterpart the Englishman Captain Cook James arrived in 1770. Cook sailed the length of the eastern coast claiming it for the British Empire. He renamed it New South Wales.
Unfortunately, the arrival of Europeans was not all good news for the natives. The demand for more productive land by the settlers grew and the discovery of minerals and natural resources kicked in. The natives were displaced, scattered and this had a negative effect on their continuity as a people.
The 1st of January 1901 is an important date in Australia’s history. This is when the continent’s different colonies became a single federation. Australia subsequently fought alongside Britain and the Allies during the Boer War and World War I. Australia had less than 5million inhabitants and many of the young men were enlisted in the war.
Thus, after the war, considerable strain was put on the country’s economy due to the resources used for the war as well as the loss of vital human resource from death or serious physical injury. The result was an economic depression characterised by high unemployment, poverty and a general decline in the quality of life. At the end of World War II, the immigration laws then coupled with aggressive marketing of the country saw Australia experience another wave of European immigrants, settling and contributing to the country’s wealth and production.
Australia today is a prominent member of the international community. The country has hosted the Olympic Games twice – Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000. The country has also played host to other major world events such as the Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup and the Commonwealth Games.
Read more about Australian Arts
References:
http://www.dfat.gov.au/aib/history.html
http://studyinAustralia.gov.au/Sia/en/LivingInAustralia/History
