Sahul

Sahul was a large, ancient landmass that included what we now call mainland Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, and the Aru Islands. It sat in the south-western Pacific Ocean, stretching from near the Equator down to the 44th parallel south. At its biggest, during times when ocean levels were very low, Sahul covered about 10,600,000 square kilometres.

Over the past few million years, parts of Sahul would appear and disappear because of changes in sea level caused by ice ages. When sea levels dropped, more land became visible, connecting these areas. Around 8,000 years ago, New Guinea separated from mainland Australia, and about 6,000 years ago, Tasmania became an island.

Sahul was home to many unique animals, most of which were marsupials, like wombats and kangaroos. The only other types of mammals were bats and rodents. Humans are believed to have reached Sahul at least 65,000 years ago, traveling from Sunda through the Wallacea region, and from there they spread across Oceania.

Usage

The name Sahul is used by archeologists. Another name, Meganesia, is often used by zoogeographers. Some people have used the name Greater Australia, but this has been criticised for focusing too much on what is now Australia and not enough on New Guinea.