For thousands of years the Australian continent is isolated from the rest of the world. During this time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies develop their network of diverse cultures with separate laws and ceremonial traditions, home country, Dreamings and languages. In these societies, languages differ but communication with neighbouring groups is common.
The number of Aboriginal people living on the Australian continent before European migration is widely debated with figures ranging from 300,000 to one million. The Aboriginal population is estimated to have comprised some 700 different cultural groups, speaking 250 different languages.