Aboriginal people lived settled lifestyles in lush country or moved periodically as conditions necessitated. They exercised animal husbandry through the practice of fire stick farming, where they systematically burnt the land using complex rules to encourage particular vegetation or animals. Many groups shared common features in their lifestyle and material culture. They had similar social organizations and complex religious ideas which linked the people with the land through totemic beliefs. Their culture bears striking resemblance to the culture of other indigenous peoples, such as the Native American Indians.

Aborigines have been living in Australia for a long period of time. However there are varying beliefs about their origins. Aboriginal people themselves believe that they have always been there and sprang from the land. Their evidence lies in their oral history which they call the Dreaming that have been passed down for thousands of years. Western scientific evidence is continually pushing back the provable date of Aboriginal existence. The earliest data available suggests that fire stick farming was practised 120,000 years ago!
(Jonas, B., et al, 1994:40)