Ep03: How Indigenous Australians transformed Sahul

In this episode of "A History of Australia," the speaker continues the discussion on the arrival and settlement of Indigenous Australians, focusing on theories of how they populated the continent, including those by Joseph Birdsell, Sandra Baudelaire, and David Horton. The episode explores the extinction of megafauna, discussing climate change, overhunting, and the use of fire as potential causes. The speaker then examines how Indigenous Australians utilized fire to shape the environment, referencing works by Rhys Jones, Bill Gammage, Bruce Pascoe, and others, and touches on the debate surrounding fire-stick farming and whether it classifies Indigenous Australians as farmers rather than hunter-gatherers. The episode concludes by highlighting the transformative impact of Indigenous Australians on the continent and previews future episodes on their technology, culture, and lifestyles.