Australian Aboriginal Trade Network

Timeline

1. c. 1200–1210Central and western Australian ochre sources · Central DesertOchre from the central desert reached coastal and eastern peoples along established trade routes, and stone axe raw materials circulated similarly; trade was sustained by inter-group gatherings (corroborees) and ceremonial obligations, not purely market exchange.
2. c. 1205–1210Kimberley and Torres Strait coasts · Northern AustraliaCeremonial items such as northern coastal pearl shells (riji) were exchanged with inland peoples via the Torres Strait, forming a north-south trade corridor linking island and continental desert; crafts such as bark cloth and spear shafts flowed in the opposite direction.
3. c. 1205–1300Southeastern Australia · Southeastern AustraliaTrade routes also carried songs, ceremonial designs, and inter-group marriage arrangements, strengthening cross-regional social ties; the boundaries of each language group were defined by networks of trade partners rather than political frontiers.