🛶 Two routes into Sahul ~60,000 years ago

A massive mtDNA dataset (2,456 mitogenomes) supports the long chronology: people reached Sahul ~60 ka via two paths — a northern route through Wallacea into New Guinea and a southern route toward Australia.

Most lineages in New Guinea/Near Oceania trace the northern path, while roughly two-thirds of Australian lineages reflect the southern path. Together they explain why Australia and New Guinea share deep ancestry yet show early regional splits.

Takeaway: Sahul wasn’t peopled once — it was settled early, by at least two migrations, leaving distinct northern and southern ancestry trails.

Source: Gandini et al., 2025. Genomic evidence supports the “long chronology” for the peopling of Sahul.