We've been taught the myth of peaceful colonisation in
our schools for as long as I can remember. We were taught
that white settlers simply tamed the wilds of the Australian
outback creating order from chaos in a natural "progressive"
historical trend. Most of what we were taught focused on
the grit and determination of early explorers as they
charted the land.

Much of the real nature of what actually took place was
edited and revised for "family viewing" so to speak.
The real nature of colonisation was anything but peaceful.
However, we did not get to hear about it - certainly not
in my youth.

Today, for those still in doubt - all you need do is visit
any number of regional towns and places in Australia and
grim stories of massacres, poisonings, and enslavement are
recorded everywhere - in plaques and in visitor guides.

Taken as an individual incident, they may not inspire epiphany,
but when considered as a whole, the myth of peaceful settlement
is apparent. Our museums and libraries are full of historical
documentation for anybody really interested in the truth.
And the full history of our Indigenous People. You don't
have to rely on Senator Hanson's version of history.
She'd be better off sticking to fish and chips - something she
just may know something about.

Very well said AC, one thing we have in common a trace of aboriginal ancestry, mine is due to my Creole/Mauritian ancestor (great great grandmother) and an even greater life story, slave/convict/prosperous land owner. Seems the girls of the family had no trouble finding husbands from within the white squattocracy, from the only pic I have seen my great grandmother was a very beautiful young woman, and in the photo also very well dressed, for the males it was a different story, a formal photo of a grand uncle shows him a little shabby in his Sunday best. One point there is none, and there should be no present day guilt attributable to modern Australians caused by the wrongs of our colonial past. What is required is recognition of the past and those wrong committed. There is two approaches, one is to sanitise and minimise what took place, claim exaggeration just as ttbn does. The other is to ignore it and say well if anything did happen its in the past, now get over it, end of story, the Hanson approach. Imagine the reaction if I said; "Well why waste time with ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, besides Australia's contribution to past wars was minimal, lets all get over it, and consign such unpleasant events to the dust bin of history. Absolutely not!

From my point of view, the celebration of January 26th is an insult to Aboriginal people. For many years after WWII there was much consternation from many Australians with Japan, as they had not formally apologised for the war, many old diggers were bitter about that, they were demanding formal Japanese recognition of what happened, a bit of an apology was what was wonted.

Anyone care to explain why the ‘invaders’ were not tossed out in 1788?

1788, Cause, Great Great Grand Pappy Issy had a GUN! As did all the little Issy's have guns as well.

Bathurst NSW

"A massacre by settlers and convicts of Aboriginal women and children in early 1824, near the potato field of an ex-convict, sparked revenge attacks by warriors. On 14 August, Governor Brisbane declared martial law. Soldiers from the 40th Regiment joined an armed militia of settlers in a campaign of violence described in The Sydney Gazette as an ‘exterminating war’."

http://hydeparkbarracks.sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/story/windradyne-and-the-bathurst-wars/

Will someone of intelligence tell us why the ‘invaders’ in 1788 were not thrown into the sea by the vastly superior forces of the locals?

What is required is recognition of the past and those wrong committed.
Paul1405,
It has been recognised over & over & over again, many billions of Dollars worth in fact. This recognition came from people working & their efforts paid for land that the then isolated dwellers put no effort into whatsoever.
When will you pay recognition compensation for your non-indigenous's heritage ?