Lost Civilization: Ancient Submerged Landscapes Unveil Populated Vast Realm Off Australian Coast

A recently published study reveals the existence of a vast, habitable realm on the now-submerged northwest continental shelf off the coast of Australia, which connected the Kimberley and western Arnhem Land. This area, larger than New Zealand, likely formed a single cultural zone with similarities in technology, rock art, and languages. The landscape included archipelagos, lakes, rivers, and a large inland sea, and may have supported a population of 50,000 to 500,000 people at various times over the past 65,000 years. The findings highlight the need for Indigenous-led environmental management and the importance of Indigenous knowledge in adapting to changing climates.