 Before European settlement , the animist beliefs of Australia 's indigenous people had been practised for many thousands of years . Mainland Aboriginal Australians ' spirituality is known as the Dreamtime and it places a heavy emphasis on belonging to the land . The collection of stories that it contains shaped Aboriginal law and customs . Aboriginal art , story and dance continue to draw on these spiritual traditions . The spirituality and customs of Torres Strait Islanders , who inhabit the islands between Australia and New Guinea , reflected their Melanesian origins and dependence on the sea . The 1996 Australian census counted more than 7000 respondents as followers of a traditional Aboriginal religion . 
