PALEOLITHIC ERA OR OLD STONE AGE
The nomadic Aboriginal inhabitants of Australia observed by Captain Cook in 1770 represented a very early stage of the Paleolithic Era or Old Stone Age which describes human existence from the beginning of human existence to about 10,000 BC.
Old Stone Age people did not understand the planting of crops and did not keep domestic animals for food. In order to survive, it was necessary for Old Stone Age people to become nomads who moved with wild animal herds and killed them for food. In Australia, we can read kangaroos for herds.
In addition to hunting wild animals for food, Old Stone Age people also obtained food by gathering edible vegetation and so earned the description hunter-gatherers.
Because of their nomadic lifestyle, Old Stone Age people built temporary shelters with materials such as fallen tree branches that disintegrated quickly after they moved on in pursuit of food. They created fire by rubbing sticks together, and usually clothed themselves in cold climates with animal skins. Tools such as axes were created from pieces of stone bound to a piece of wood resembling a handle.
Because of their nomadic lifestyles, Old Stone Age people usually travelled in small tribal or extended family groups.
These characteristics of humans who lived in the Old Stone Age largely fitted the Australian Aborigines as Captain Cook and Captain Arthur Phillip observed them.