How long have humans lived in the region that is now South Australia?

Humans have inhabited the region now known as South Australia for tens of thousands of years. Archaeological evidence found on the Nullarbor Plain indicates that human presence in the area dates back approximately 34,000 years, while Kangaroo Island has shown evidence of human settlement for perhaps 16,000 years.1

It is important to note that while these findings establish a long-standing history of Aboriginal occupation, other regions of Australia possess evidence of even earlier habitation. This suggests that South Australia may have been settled later than other parts of the continent, or that the region has simply undergone less intensive archaeological investigation. For millennia, these indigenous populations maintained numerous centers of settlement, particularly along the Murray River, and engaged in extensive trade networks that spanned vast distances across the continent.1