Aboriginal legends, songs and dances tell of powerful spirits who created the land and people during the Dreamtime. There was no written Aboriginal language and, in fact, most of the 600 tribes spoke different dialects and rarely met except on ceremonial occasions. The tradition of the Dreamtime, however, was a unifying force and rock paintings depicting this creation period can be found dotted throughout the country. Some of the most striking and best preserved of these can be viewed at rock galleries in Kakadu National Park and other parts of northern Australia. The arrival of white people gradually brought an end to the traditional Aboriginal way of life, when settlement began to encroach on tribal lands. Today, most Aborigines live in cities and towns or in isolated settlements near tribal lands. Few continue their nomadic ways. In recent years, white Australians have become more sensitive to the plight of Aborigines, resulting in increased health and educational services, greater recognition of Aboriginal land rights and a growing appreciation of Aboriginal culture. Specialised galleries display Aboriginal art, tools, musical instruments and artefacts. These are highly valued and avidly sought by collectors all over the world. Settlement
After the American Revolution and following independence Britain had nowhere to dispose of his unwanted citizens and a quick solution had to be found. Overcrowded jails and a lack of raw material for ship building and other industries encouraged the British Government to claim the new-found land and develop it as a penal colony where convict labour could produce crops and supply materials for England. Captain Arthur Phillip, who became Australia's first governor, led the First Fleet of 11 ships with 736 convicts and their guards into Port Jackson, now known as Sydney Harbour, in 1788. Those who survived the long voyage were confronted by untamed land and food shortages. Despite the severity of their sentences, many convicts were transported for offences as moderate as stealing food, poaching wildlife on private land or causing political unrest. Fewer than three per cent were convicted of crimes of violence, 38 per cent were first offenders. The majority were from urban metropolises such as London, Manchester, Liverpool, Dublin and Glasgow. A total of 160,000 convicts were brought to the Australian colonies until 1852 when transportation ended. Many convicts who completed their sentences chose to stay in Australia as farmers and labourers. Free settlers trickled in from 1793, lured by the promise of cheap land and convict labour.