List of towns and cities in Australia by year of settlement

Aboriginal people were hunter-gatherers and fire stick farmers who travelled between seasonal settlements inside country boundaries.

In 1788, the British Empire began colonising Australia, constructing permanent towns and farms.

Aboriginal people began living in permanent settlements, some by choice while others were forced.

Prior to British settlement, the area was inhabited by Yuin aboriginal people.

The Ashmore and Cartier Islands have never been inhabited, but are regularly visited by traditional Indonesian fishers.