In 1493 the Pope gave Portugal the half of the world that included eastern Australia. By 1770, the Dutch had claimed the western, northern and southern coastlines of the continent - and Cook claimed the east coast for the British in 1770. But unlike the Europeans who claimed New Holland as their own, many nations of indigenous people had already been living there for tens of thousands of years...Shipwrecks, Sailors and 60,000 Years is the prequel to Grim Crims and Convicts. Jackie French touches on just about everything human that has happened on the Australian continent prior to British settlement. Illustrations, cartoons and jokes on every page. www.dymocks.com.au Site accessed 03/08/06.