Australian architectural styles

Europeans’ early contacts with Indigenous populations led them to misinterpret Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' ways of life.

Until the 20th century, a fallacy existed that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lacked permanent buildings and their own forms of architecture.

Labelling Aboriginal communities as 'nomadic' allowed early settlers to justify the takeover of traditional lands claiming that they were not inhabited by permanent residents.

A large body of evidence now indicates that a broad range of Indigenous traditional architecture forms (known as ethoarchitecture) and sophisticated knowledge of construction existed.

Imported exotic styles earlier than this can be found in a small number of historically significant Joss houses and synagogues.