Over the last 60,000 years, Sahul witnessed the first wave of global megafauna extinctions. The causes have long been debated: climate change, human impact, or a combination of both.We have mapped extinction and human arrival patterns across south-eastern Australia, revealing that in about 80% of the region, humans and megafauna coexisted for millennia. Extinction patterns were best explained by human presence and water access, with arid regions driving additional losses.

Australia’s modern wildlife is extraordinary, but the continent’s ancient megafauna was even more remarkable, featuring rhino-sized wombat relatives and giant birds. Understanding how and why these animals vanished has long challenged scientists. We launched FosSahul 2.0, an improved, quality-rated fossil database that includes nearly 12,000 dated records. This transparent, open-access resource helps standardise fossil data, offering new insight into Australia’s ecological pa