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Claimed by Great Britain
Although other explorers landed on Australia, Lt. James Cook was the first to explore the east coast and claim it for Great Britain to set up colonies. This would lead to establishing six different colonies and eventually becoming known as Australia. -
Crossing of the Blue Mountains
Blaxland, Lawson, and Wentworth were the first europeans to cross Australia’s Blue Mountains. This is significant because this allowed expansion of the settlement to the West. -
Gold Rush
Gold is found in many places in Australia leading gold rushes throughout the decade.This is significant because this helped the population of Australia increase to over a million people. -
Eureka Rebellion
Gold diggers were forced to pay a miner’s license fee whether they found gold or not, so a fight broke between the miners and the Colonial forces of Australia. Although the rebels lost the fight, it became the starting point of democracy in Australia. -
Depression
Banks failed and Australia faced unemployment and business losses. This is significant because it gave rise to the Australian Labor Party. -
Women’s Suffrage
Australia gave women the right to vote and allowed them to stand for parliament. This is significant because women were treated equal and Australia was the first in the world to give equal political rights to men and women. -
Australia United
The six colonies (Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia) united to form the Commonwealth of Australia. This is significant because a federal government was set up to take care of the colonies as a whole nation. -
White Australia Policy Ends
This policy intentionally favored immigrants only from English speaking countries. In early years, non-english speaking migrants were denied entry to the country. Through the years, this policy was broken down and eventually dismantled with the Migration Act of 1966. This increased access to non-European migrants and would lead to a rise in Australia’s population. -
Sydney Opera House Opened
The Sydney Opera House is formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II. This is significant because it is one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century and is the first time a piece of architecture gained universal presence. -
National Apology to the Stolen Generation
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologized to the Aborigines and Stolen Generation for all the wrongdoings the country did in the 20th century. In the mid-1800’s the government took aboriginal children away from their families in cases of abuse or of fear their people would become extinct. This apology was the first step in acknowledging the past and to help all Australians whether they were born there or not.
