Queensland's history - Pre 1600 - 1700s
Pre-1600
Aboriginal occupation of Australia is believed to predate 50,000BC. The first recorded contact with Indigenous Australians occurred in 1606.
1606
Captained by Willem Jansz, the Dutch ship the ‘Duyfken’ sails into the Gulf of Carpentaria. While exploring the western coast of Cape York, the ‘Duyfken’ crew has the first recorded European encounter with the Aboriginal people of Queensland.
1770
Captain James Cook sails along and maps the eastern coastline in the ‘Endeavour’ stopping twice – near what is now the Town of 1770 and Cooktown.
Last reviewed 28 August 2009
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