Australia’s First Seafarers
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived across this continent and its coasts for over 60,000 years. Long before the Great Barrier Reef existed as we know it, people lived on the vast coastal plains that stretched far beyond the current shoreline.

A Changing Coastline
Around 10,000 years ago, after the last Ice Age ended, rising sea levels gradually flooded those plains, forming what we now call the Great Barrier Reef. First Nations peoples adapted to these changes, continuing to fish, travel, and care for the evolving sea and landscape.

Oral Histories of Sea Level Rise
Stories of these changes have been passed down through generations. These oral traditions are among the oldest continuous cultural records on Earth, aligning with modern scientific understanding.

What is Sea Country?
Sea Country includes reefs, seagrass, sandbanks, marine animals, the winds, clouds, tides, and stars. It is a deeply spiritual and cultural space, connected to identity, lore, and responsibility.

Who are Traditional Owners?
Traditional Owners are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with deep ancestral connections to specific land and sea areas. They care for Country through knowledge, customs, and law passed down for thousands of generations.