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Sydney Morning Herald - Today - JULY 20 2017 - 8:55AM Aboriginal archaeological discovery in Kakadu rewrites the history of Australia (Extract) Jabiru, Northern Territory: Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for a minimum of 65,000 years, a team of archaeologists has established - 18,000 years longer than had been proved previously and at least 5000 years longer than had been speculated by the most optimistic researchers. The findings, which are already causing intense interest in archaeological circles across the world, have been peer reviewed by internationally recognised scientists and are published this week in the world's most prestigious science journal, Nature. One major significance of the discovery is that archaeologists will have to recalibrate previous assumptions about the journey out of Africa by modern humans. Most academics believe the trek began between 80,000 and 100,000 years ago, but until now there was no solid evidence that humans had reached south-east Asia - let alone Australia - for anything beyond 50,000 years. The discovery also confirms that Australian Aborigines undertook the first major maritime migration in the world - they had to sail a minimum of 90 kilometres across open sea to reach their destination whatever route they took in their long journey out of Africa. the Mirrar people of Kakadu agreed the remains could be removed for study, and placed back in the ground when the work was completed. The Mirrar people, supported by thousands of protestors, successfully forced Energy Resources of Australia to cease its mining project at Jabiluka in 1999 and to return the mine - which is within two kilometres of the dig site - to the natural landscape. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/aboriginal-archaeological-discovery-in-kakadu-rewrites-the-history-of-australia-20170719-gxe3qy.html