Whilst the area of Australia is not far behind that of the USA and Europe in size, its population is significantly smaller. Australia's population is approximately 20 million compared to 276 million in the USA and 583 million in Europe.  

With invasion, wars and battles occurred right across this country. Guerrilla warfare engaged by Aboriginal people was initially successful, however it was no match for guns, horses and large numbers of men that came. Retaliation by the invaders included massacres of whole clans, poisoning of food and waterholes, and the use of English law against them.

Aboriginal people continued fighting for their land and rights quickly adopting European tactics like letters, petitions and protest marches to demand justice. They also used the media to educate the wider community about their plight.

Education has always been an important part of Aboriginal culture. Elders passed on the culture and way of life to children through intricate stories and styles of play that developed and expanded, as the children grew older. This form of education gave the children all the knowledge and skills required to respect and care for their family, take part in ritual life, understand plants and animals, and to live in harmony with their land.

With invasion, the process of education changed dramatically. English replaced traditional languages. The educational focus changed from envelopment in the continuum of Koori culture with its attachments to land, ceremony and self sufficient hunting and gathering techniques, to an imposed and alien curriculum of reading, writing, maths and religion. This European education was limited in its scope as it rarely went beyond grade three level.

This education policy amounted to cultural extermination. Children were separated from their families, and the responsibility of teaching was stolen from the Elders. As a result traditional education virtually ended.

On some Aboriginal stations both the children and adults where expected to attend school. The children attended during the day and the adults either before or after their day's work. Religious instruction was enforced, with everyone attending church at least once a day and twice on Sunday.

The 1960s were a time of protest against racism around the world. In Sydney in 1965, Charles Perkins, the first Aborigine to attend university, joined with students and others in the "Freedom Rides" aimed at increasing the public awareness of racial intolerance in Australia.

The rides, to expose segregation and the shame of Australia's treatment of their Aboriginal people, drew on the non-violent protest literature of the Black American movement and its methods were applied to the Australian protests. The "Freedom Ride" bus was farewelled from Sydney University campus by the voices of Black Americans singing the stirring protest song "We Shall Overcome".

The May 27 1967 referendum followed a ten-year campaign spearheaded by Federal Council for the Advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI). The nation voted to give Aboriginal people citizenship rights in their own country. It appears that non-Indigenous people didn't have to be convinced that Aborigines deserved the rights to equality and there was an overwhelming "Yes" vote of more than 90% across the country.

Corroboree 2000 took place in Sydney during Reconciliation Week in May 2000 to mark the end of the ten-year official Reconciliation process. The Reconciliation Council presented to the Government its Reconciliation Document containing recommendations for co-existence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. In an overwhelming show of endorsement for Aboriginal people, approximately 250,000 people marched across the Harbour Bridge in support of Reconciliation.

For more information about Australia's indigenous peoples, please see the Indigenous Australians section of Suggested Readings.

The State Theatre, built in 1929 is worth a visit with its vaulted ceiling, mosaic floors and marble columns and magnificent theatre chandelier.

This is where the first white settlement of Australia began. Sydney Cove is now the terminal for Sydney's network of commuter ferries and the place where bus, ferry and train services intersect. Australia's best-known urban icons, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House are located on either side of Circular Quay.

The Rocks is a great place to wander around and enjoy the cobblestone streets, markets and restaurants, pubs and galleries. The Lord Nelson pub and brewery is still going strong almost two centuries after it first opened.

Please check the time differences, but a rough guide is, when you are in Sydney, the time difference is:

London –11 hours or 9 hours
New York –15 hours
Portland –18 hours
Tokyo –1 hour
Auckland +1 hour