Australia and Its People: Citizenship Test Section Guide

Part 1 of the Australian citizenship test, Australia and Its People, covers the broadest range of material in the whole test. From 65,000 years of Indigenous history through to modern multicultural Australia, it asks about who Australians are, where they came from, and the symbols that unite them. Expect a good share of your 20 test questions to come from here.

What Part 1 Covers

This section of the official study guide, Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, is divided into several key topic areas:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: the world's oldest continuous cultures
• European exploration and settlement: from Captain Cook to the gold rush
• National symbols: the flag, coat of arms, anthem, and national days
• Australia today: states, territories, population, and multiculturalism
• Key dates and milestones: Federation, women's suffrage, and other turning points

Because the topics span thousands of years and dozens of facts, this is the section where targeted practice makes the biggest difference. Take our free Australia and Its People practice test to identify exactly which sub-topics you need to revise, and read the source material in the official Our Common Bond PDF.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the original inhabitants of Australia and have the oldest continuous cultures in the world. Archaeological evidence shows they have lived on this continent for at least 65,000 years.

Before European arrival, there were hundreds of distinct Aboriginal nations across Australia, each with their own language, laws, and customs. The Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are culturally distinct from Aboriginal Australians, lived on the islands between Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The Dreaming

Central to Aboriginal culture is the Dreaming (also called the Dreamtime), which encompasses the spiritual beliefs, creation stories, and laws that have guided Aboriginal peoples for tens of thousands of years. The Dreaming explains how the land, animals, and people were created and provides the framework for social and moral order. It connects the past, present, and future and ties Aboriginal peoples to their land.

Diversity of Nations and Languages

At the time of European settlement, there were an estimated 250 distinct language groups and around 700 dialects spoken across the continent. Each nation had its own territory, laws, and spiritual traditions. This diversity is an important test topic: the citizenship test may ask about the variety of Indigenous cultures rather than treating them as a single group.

Impact of European Arrival

European settlement from 1788 had a devastating impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Smallpox and other diseases, dispossession from traditional lands, and frontier conflict caused massive population decline. Government policies in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the forced removal of children from their families (now known as the Stolen Generations), caused lasting trauma that affects communities to this day.

For a deeper look at this topic, including the specific facts most commonly tested, see our dedicated guide: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples: Citizenship Test Guide.

European Settlement

The European history of Australia begins with exploration and colonisation. These are some of the most frequently tested facts in the entire citizenship test, so pay close attention to the dates.

Exploration and the First Fleet

• In 1770, Captain James Cook charted the east coast of Australia and claimed it for Great Britain
• On 26 January 1788, the First Fleet of 11 ships arrived at Sydney Cove, carrying convicts, marines, and officials. This date is now commemorated as Australia Day
• Captain Arthur Phillip was the first Governor of New South Wales
• The colony was set up as a penal settlement, a place to send British convicts

Convict Transportation and Free Settlers

Over the following decades, approximately 162,000 convicts were transported to Australia. However, free settlers also began arriving in growing numbers, attracted by the opportunities of a new land. By the 1840s, free settlers were outnumbering convicts in most colonies.

The Gold Rush

The discovery of gold in New South Wales and Victoria in the 1850s transformed Australia. The gold rush drew hundreds of thousands of immigrants from around the world, including large numbers from China, Europe, and North America. This wave of migration sharply increased Australia's population and diversity, and laid the economic foundations for several major cities.

Australia's National Symbols

Questions about national symbols are among the most straightforward in the test, but only if you've memorised the facts. Here is what you need to know:

The Australian National Flag

• Features the Union Jack (representing Australia's historical links with Britain), the Commonwealth Star (seven-pointed star beneath the Union Jack), and the Southern Cross constellation
• The Commonwealth Star has seven points: one for each of the six states and one for the territories

Other Key Symbols

• National anthem: "Advance Australia Fair"
• National colours: green and gold
• Floral emblem: the golden wattle
• National gemstone: the opal
• Coat of arms: features the kangaroo and emu (chosen because neither animal can easily walk backwards, symbolising a nation always moving forward)

National Days

• Australia Day, 26 January: marks the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788
• Anzac Day, 25 April: commemorates the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in 1915 during World War I, and honours all Australians who have served and died in wars and peacekeeping operations

Australia Today

The test also covers modern Australia: its geography, a high-level view of government structure, and its identity as a multicultural nation.

States and Territories

Australia has 6 states and 2 mainland territories:

• States: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania
• Territories: Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Northern Territory (NT)

The capital city is Canberra, located in the ACT. It was purpose-built as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, which both wanted to be the national capital.

Multicultural Society

Australia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Since 1945, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia from every continent. Today, nearly half of all Australians were either born overseas or have at least one parent who was born overseas. The test may ask about Australia's commitment to multiculturalism and the expectation that migrants respect Australian values and laws while maintaining their own cultural traditions.

Key Dates to Remember

Dates are heavily tested in Part 1. These are the ones that come up most, so commit them to memory:

• 65,000+ years ago: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples first inhabited Australia
• 1770: Captain James Cook charted the east coast
• 26 January 1788: First Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove
• 1850s: Gold rush in New South Wales and Victoria
• 1 January 1901: Federation, when the six colonies united to form the Commonwealth of Australia
• 1902: Australian women gained the right to vote in federal elections (among the first in the world)
• 25 April 1915: Anzac troops landed at Gallipoli
• 1967: Referendum to include Aboriginal peoples in the census and allow the federal government to make laws for them

Sample Questions

Test your knowledge with these sample questions from Part 1. Try to answer each one before revealing the correct answer and explanation.

Study Tips for Part 1

Part 1 is the most fact-heavy section of the test. Here's how to approach it efficiently:

1. Make a Date Timeline

Write out all the key dates in chronological order: 65,000 years ago, 1770, 1788, 1850s, 1901, 1902, 1915, 1967. Stick it on your fridge or bathroom mirror. Within a few days of daily review, these dates will be locked in.

2. Use Category Tests to Isolate Weak Spots

Don't waste time re-studying topics you already know. Take the People category tests in the app, review which questions you get wrong, then use focused practice to drill only those questions until you master them.

3. Learn Symbols as a Group

National symbols are easy marks, but only if you study them together. Make a mental checklist: flag (Union Jack, Commonwealth Star, Southern Cross), anthem ("Advance Australia Fair"), colours (green and gold), flower (golden wattle), gemstone (opal), animals on the coat of arms (kangaroo and emu). Run through it from memory until you can recall every item without hesitation.

4. Read the Study Guide Section by Section

The free study guide in the app breaks Our Common Bond into manageable sections with progress tracking. Read the "Australia and Its People" chapters first, then test yourself. This read-then-practise cycle is the fastest path to retention.

5. Understand, Don't Just Memorise

The test may phrase questions differently from how you studied them. If you understand why the gold rush mattered (population growth and diversity) or why the kangaroo and emu are on the coat of arms (forward progress), you'll be able to answer questions regardless of how they're worded.