How did Aboriginal peoples live in Western Australia before European settlement?

Before European settlement, Aboriginal peoples in Western Australia lived as hunter-gatherers who possessed a deep, intimate knowledge of their environment, including the location of water holes, flora, and fauna. Human occupation in the southwestern region dates back at least 40,000 years, and populations were largely undisturbed until European contact.123

Social and Economic Life

Aboriginal society was characterized by a nomadic way of life, with movement patterns dictated by ecological conditions. In fertile areas, groups often maintained established camping bases, while in arid regions, they moved in small family groups between water sources.3

• Division of Labour: Tasks were generally divided by sex; men typically hunted large game, while women collected vegetable foods and hunted small game, providing the majority of the group's food intake.3
• Social Structure: Society was classless and egalitarian, lacking centralized political institutions like chiefs. Instead, social order was maintained through kinship obligations, unwritten laws, and a strong sense of self-regulation.45
• The Dreaming: Their worldview centered on the Dreaming, a comprehensive concept that linked the past, present, and future. This spiritual framework governed social life, ritual, and the responsibility to maintain the land’s fertility.136