This book places the Aboriginal occupation of Australia within a broad
framework of human evolution and habitation. The author discusses the
pioneering studies that delve into the mists of antiquity, and he
engages with current controversies, including the extinction of
megafauna, land management practices, and social development over many
millennia. The extraordinary achievements of Australian Aborigines are
revealed in all their complexity and the evidence surrounding the
identity of Australia's first occupants is re-examined. The discovery of
the 'Hobbits' of the Indonesian island of Flores show that proto-humans
were edging towards the great southern continent; their capacity to
cross the sea implies intelligence and organization, but how far did
their footsteps extend? This is just one of many challenging questions
brought to life in this absorbing account of Australia's pre-contact
history.