Was 'Boomerang' really invented in Australia?
- theexploreroffice
- Sep 27, 2025
- 2 min read

The short answer: No.
The oldest boomerang discovered wasn’t found in Australia at all — it was unearthed in Poland, carved from a mammoth tusk, and is roughly 40,000 years old. By comparison, the oldest boomerangs found in Australia are around 12,000 years old.
Two Kinds of Boomerangs
There are actually two very different kinds of boomerangs:
Returning boomerangs – lightweight and aerodynamically shaped to curve back to the thrower.
Non-returning boomerangs (kylies or karlies) – heavier, longer sticks designed to fly straight.
While returning boomerangs are famous today, non-returning sticks were far more common historically, especially for hunting.
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