La Trobe Academy researchers have completed the largest and most comprehensive mitochondrial Deoxyribonucleic acid study of Aboriginal Australians in a bid to meliorate understand their beginnings.

DNA samples of 594 cocky-declared Ethnic Australians from around the country were analysed and classified into mitochondrial haplogroups - genetic groups that share a mutual antecedent and often show a distinct distribution.

The findings have been published in the Journal of Homo Genetics.

Dr John Mitchell from La Trobe's Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, who led the study, said the research revealed there was a loftier level of genetic diversity amongst Ancient Australians.

"This comprehensive genetic survey of Ancient Australian mitochondrial Deoxyribonucleic acid supports long-term settlement of Australia by the ancestors of the Aboriginal Australians," Dr Mitchell said.

"All indigenous haplogroups were found to be aboriginal, with estimated ages greater than 40 chiliad years, and all were widespread throughout the continent."

PhD pupil Nano Nagle, who was first author of the publication, said previous mitochondrial Dna studies on Aboriginal Australians usually involved less than 100 participants who were mostly from the Northern Territory and single locations in Western Commonwealth of australia and New Southward Wales.

"Therefore we had very trivial information with regards to the distribution patterns of these indigenous haplogroups," Ms Nagle said.

"Nosotros also had express data from Due south Australia and Queensland and none, until now, from Victoria, despite some of these states having large populations of Aboriginal Australians."

Ms Nagle said Aboriginal Australians were i of the most poorly studied populations from a human being evolution perspective, despite existence one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world.

"There has been ongoing debate for years amidst archaeologists, anthropologists and geneticists near when they arrived in Australia and the path they took to get here. "

"Our inquiry found their migration to Australia was both ancient and complex, with at least two routes of entry.

"It supports previous findings that Aboriginal Australians arrived in Commonwealth of australia up to 55,000 years ago via the Indonesian island chain, only nosotros plant no evidence of any subsequent significant immigration until 1788.

"Our findings confirm they were isolated in Commonwealth of australia for tens of thousands of years before European colonisation."

Lesley Williams, an Aboriginal Elder and advisor to the written report, said Ancient people were increasingly interested in finding out nigh their genetic history.

"I'yard not surprised, but still heartened, to discover that this DNA assay supports what our parents accept taught usa over many generations that we have lived here in Australia since the Dreamtime."

Media contact: Anastasia Salamastrakis 0428 195 464