DNA analysis suggests first Australians arrived about 60,000 years ago
By science reporter Jacinta Bowler
ABC Science
Topic:Indigenous Australians
17h ago
The scientific timeline of when Indigenous people arrived in Australia has changed significantly over the past few decades. (Wikimedia: Gwion Gwion rock paintings, TimJN1, CC BY SA 2.0)
Humans first travelled to the ancient landmass that would become Australia and New Guinea about 60,000 years ago via two routes, a new genetic analysis suggests.
The findings, published today in Science Advances, bring the date of when the First Australians arrived in Sahul — based on genetic evidence — much closer to those in the archaeological record of about 65,000 years.
According to Christopher Clarkson, an archaeologist at Griffith University, the question of when First Nations people arrived in Australia has sparked ongoing "fierce debate" in the fields of genetics and archaeology.
Until now, dates based on genetics placed arrival between 47,000 and 51,000 years ago.
"We've been pointing to this mystery of why is there this time gap, and why does the genetics not match the older archaeological record?" Professor Clarkson, who was not involved in the new study, said.
More:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-11-29/sahul-aboriginal-australia-65000-genetic-evidence/106054352