Impact of an earlier European settlement in Australia?

European explorers had visited/landed on the continent of Australia by the early 1600's however it was not until the late 18th century that there was any European attempt at actual settlement and colonization.

What if European settlement was done a century earlier in the late 1600's by either the British or Dutch? You'd have had an Australian colonial history closer in timeline to the settlement of the US.
 
The Dutch could have had Australian "Boers" who like the ones in South Africa end up under the control of Britain.
 
The Dutch could have had Australian "Boers" who like the ones in South Africa end up under the control of Britain.

That's actually sort of what I envisioned. Also the dutch settlements in North America that were also eventually taken over by the British.

I'm assuming Australia would have a larger population present day with a century head start of European settlement?
 
Australia may have a considerably large mestizo community depending on who is doing the colonizing.
One might even envision the Makassar's being the ones to establish settlements here, or perhaps another Asian power.
 
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