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What kinds of tools did Aboriginal peoples use for hunting and gathering?

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Aboriginal people of Galiwnku Island in Australia — Australian Aboriginal peoples Aboriginal people from Galiwnku Island gathering to watch the proceedings at which Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologized to the Aboriginal peoples of Australia for their mistreatment under earlier Australian governments, February 2008.

Aboriginal peoples utilized a versatile and portable array of tools adapted to their hunter-gatherer economy. Archaeologist Richard A. Gould categorized these into three types: multipurpose tools, appliances, and instant tools.1

Multipurpose Tools: These were lightweight and portable, such as the digging stick—used by women for gathering food and as a weapon—and the spear, often used with a spear thrower. Boomerangs were also used for hunting and fighting, and could serve to make fires.12
Appliances: These were larger items, such as base stones for grinding food or ochre, which were typically left at a site for repeated use.1
Instant Tools: These were fashioned from nearby raw materials as needed, including stone pounders or grass cushions used to carry loads on the head.1

Other essential implements included wooden dishes for carrying seeds, vegetables, or water; bark baskets; net bags; and various stone tools, bone needles, and sharkskin files. In some regions, people also utilized bark canoes, rafts, and dugout log canoes for water travel.1