Australia's First Inventors

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders

migrated to Australia over
50 000
years ago

one of the most scientifically advanced societies of their time

boomerang

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• invented 25 000 - 50 000 years ago
• complicated aerodynamics
• the first man-made object to fly

resin

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• beaten out of grass and heated over fire
• black sticky substance hardened as it cooled
• used to bind rock to wood

stone tools

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• first to sharpen stone as sharp as any blade found up until 1788
• first to use stone to grind seeds
• used for hunting, fishing, making clothes, cooking, cutting wood and making other tools

didgeridoo

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• first wind instrument
• complicated design
• uses vocalisation and circular breathing to create unique sound

bush medicine

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• made poisonous seeds edible
• created analgesics and antiseptics
• remedy for scurvy

chewing gum

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• used the sap from spruce trees
• Europeans added sugar and became popular around the world

woomera

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• made using hollowed wood and stone
• designed to help throw a spear 3 times further and with more power