People reach Australia
The world's first voyage out of sight of land
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Madjedbebe in Arnhem Land is dated to around 65,000 years. Even with low sea level and the landmass of Sahul joined, the crossing from Wallacea required the planned use of watercraft — technology we have no physical remains of. Aboriginal Australians represent one of the longest continuous cultural traditions on Earth. Their arrival coincides with the loss of Australia's megafauna, with both hunting and human landscape burning proposed as causes.
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To reach Australia people had to cross open sea — even at low sea level it was at least 90 kilometres. Someone built rafts or boats and dared to set out. It is the oldest sea voyage we know of.
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Part of Terra Saga — the story of Earth on a timeline. terrasaga.org