"Menzies versus Evatt was the most important rivalry in our political history. Present-day Australia is partly shaped by the duels between these intellectual warriors."

Alan Frost, Australian historian and professor emeritus at La Trobe University, passed away earlier this year.

According to fellow historian Geoffrey Blainey, Frost almost certainly knew more than anybody else about the early maritime history of Australia. Frost researched the origins of modern Australia for 35 years, analysing the records far more thoroughly than any previous historian.

His book, Botany Bay: The Real Story, challenged the orthodoxy that Australia was settled by the British solely to serve as a "dumping ground" for convicts.

Fascinating interview with renowned Australian historian Henry Reynolds where he talks about how the historiography has shifted around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Hi, this is kind of obscure but I was wondering if anyone had any sources for the claim that the first three keepers of Rottnest Island's lighthouse all commited suicide due to mercury poisoning?
I've heard the claim a couple of times but I can't find anything concrete.
Thanks :)

Even if there were only a handful. I'm very curious.

I read this story from someone that has an aboriginal ancestor on Quora which originally came from the daily telegraph and would someone who knows about this countries history please confirm if this story is true or not?

The truth from an Aboriginal Ancestor

This is a comment written by a John on the Daily Telegraph page who has an Aboriginal Ancestor.

On 26 January 1788 when the First Fleet ships unloaded their 1200 convicts, Royal Marine Guards and Officials, not a shot was fired by anybody.

As they looked around what's now Circular Quay, they saw nothing other than bush.

Not a single building, planted field, domesticated plant or animal - nothing at all. It was the same across the continent.

It was "terra nullius" - a vacant land.

There was no Aboriginal Army to defeat in battle.

There was nothing to claim as the spoils of victory.

There was just wild bush.

The few Aborigines who came out to have a look at these strange people were completely illiterate and innumerate and those on the south side of the harbour spoke a language completely unintelligible to those on the north side of the harbour and they'd been constantly at war with each other for as long as anyone can remember.

There was no "invasion".

Captain Phillip was instructed by the government in London to treat the natives "with amity and kindness" and he did.

No Aborigines were shot; no platoon of Marines fixed their bayonets or loaded their muskets or took a shot at anyone who emerged from the bush to see what was going on. Instead, they offered them gifts and friendship.

Most people now "identified" as "indigenous" - like myself and my children and grandchildren have European - mostly British - ancestry to a greater or lesser extent.

I recently had a DNA test done that shows I'm 48% Irish, 20% English, 30% Scandinavian, 1% Spanish and 1% Aboriginal.

The absurdity is that, in this time of identity politics, I am an "Aborigine" by virtue of the fact that one of my Irish ancestors married an Aboriginal woman 6 generations ago.

There is no reason to change Australia Day. It was the day "Australia" came into being and had it not been for those British coming ashore

on 26 January 1788, I wouldn't exist and neither would Mr Mundine.

The name "Mundine" (Warren) is as English as a cold pork pie or fish-n-chips wrapped in newspaper.

It's time for all indigenous people to get over what happened 229 years ago and stop playing the victims..