Final answer:
The idea that Australia belonged to nobody before European settlement is false. Aboriginal peoples lived there for tens of thousands of years, maintaining a cultural connection with the land that European concepts of ownership failed to recognize. False
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Australia was land that belonged to no one prior to European arrival is false. Aboriginal people had been living in Australia for over 40,000 years before the Europeans arrived. They had established a way of life and a deep connection with the land, despite not having a concept of land ownership in the European sense. The Aboriginal peoples adapted to the continent's physical geography, carving out a sustainable existence and developing rich cultural traditions long before British colonization began. The notion of terra nullius, or nobody's land, was a European concept used to justify taking over territories that appeared uninhabited. However, this disregarded the presence and rights of the indigenous peoples. As a result of colonization, the Aboriginal population significantly declined and their lands were forcefully claimed by the European settlers.