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Invasion and Wars
Captain James Cook claims possession of the whole east coast of Australia for the British Crown. Many history classes and books start teaching Australian history from this point on. -
Captain Phillip Arrives
Captain Phillip raises the Union Jack at Sydney Cove to start a penal colony. Aboriginal resistance flares within a few days of arrival of the tall ships. -
First Conflict
29 May: The first conflict between the First Fleet arrivals and Aboriginal people takes place near Rushcutters Bay, Sydney. Two convicts are killed. -
Arabanoo Captured
Arabanoo is the first Aboriginal person captured by Europeans. -
Aboriginal Population
Interactive Indigenous Language MapPhillip estimates an Aboriginal population of 1,500 people living in the Sydney Region. The total Aboriginal population is believed to be between 750,000 and 1 million. -
Small Pox Epidemic
A smallpox epidemic decimates the Eora Aboriginal people of Port Jackson, Botany Bay and Broken Bay. -
Bennelong & Colbee Captured
Governor Phillip captures two Aboriginal men - Bennelong and Colebee. Colebee escapes but Bennelong is kept at Government House for five months. -
Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars
The Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars between Aboriginal people and white invaders start in NSW. Led by Pemulwuy and his son Tedbury, Aboriginal people raid stations or assault sheep and cattle because the growing number of colonists occupied more and more land. Many times they used firesticks to set the bush on fire, destroy buildings, and burn crops. The guerrillia-like wars continue until 1816. -
Pemulway
Pemulwuy spears Phillip’s gamekeeper, John McEntire, and Phillip orders the first punitive expedition. -
Bennelong Taken to England
Bennelong and a boy named Yemmerrawanie are taken to England by Phillip. They perform the first Aboriginal song to be heard in Europe. Bennelong meets George III. Yemmarrawanie dies in England. In 1795 Bennelong returns to Australia. -
Richmond Hill Battle
The Richmond Hill battle is considered to be the first recorded battle between Aboriginal people defending their country against the British. -
Mythical Pemulway
After being shot seriously twice, and surviving both times, Pemulwuy is considered unable to be killed by bullets. -
The Black Wars
Beginning of a six-year period of resistance to white settlement by Aboriginal people in the Hawkesbury and Parramatta areas. Known as the ‘Black Wars’. -
Colonists Threatened
Governor King orders Aboriginal people gathering around Parramatta, Georges River and Prospect Hill “to be driven back from the settler’s habitation by firing at them”. -
Pemulway Killed
Pemulwuy is shot by two settlers. Tedbury continues the resistance. -
Bungaree sails with Flinders
Bungaree (Bungary) is the first Aboriginal person to circumnavigate Australia as a member of Matthew Flinders’ historic journey of exploration (1802-03). Bungaree is one of the very few Aboriginal people whose exploits have been documented in newspapers, journals and books of early colonial Sydney. Bungaree died in 1830 and was buried at Rose Bay, NSW. -
Tasmania Colonised
Tasmania is occupied by white people. The Black Wars of Tasmania last until 1830 -
Tasmania Massacre
William Moree, a lieutenant of the New South Wales Rum Corps, orders to open fire at Risdon Cove, Tasmania, on a group of about 300 Aboriginal people who are probably hunting kangaroos. Between 30 and 60 Aboriginal people are killed. The Lieutenant tries to cover-up the incident, claiming only 3 had been shot. Hostilities increase - the slaughter of Aboriginal people in Australia has begun. Settlers are authorised to shoot unarmed Aboriginal people [2]. -
Disposession Continues
Most of the Cumberland Plain west of Sydney is occupied by colonists. The Darug people are being dispossessed of their land. -
Mission Labour
Aboriginal people begin to be moved onto mission stations where they can be taught European beliefs and used as cheap labour. Settlers try to control growth of the Aboriginal population with a policy of absorption. -
Bennelong dies
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New Frontiers
Colonists, assisted by Aboriginal people, cross the Blue Mountains and create new hostilities as they pass through Aboriginal lands. The path the colonists take is in fact a long-established Aboriginal route that had been in constant use for thousands of years. -
Controlling Attacks
Attacks on farms by Aboriginal people on the edge of Sydney. Macquarie sends a punitive party to arrest ‘offenders’. They attack a camp near Appin at night and 14 Aboriginal people are killed including Carnabyagal.
4 May: Macquarie announces a set of regulations controlling the movement of Aboriginal people. No Aboriginal person is to appear armed within a mile of any settlement and no more than six Aboriginal people are allowed to ‘lurk or loiter near farms’. -
Conflict over hunting rights
There are a number of large scale killings as conflict over dispossession of land and erosion of hunting rights continues.
Windradyne leads Wiradjuri resistance that will last for two years along the Murray River. -
resistance to disposession
There are a number of large scale killings as conflict over dispossession of land and erosion of hunting rights continues.
Windradyne leads Wiradjuri resistance that will last for two years along the Murray River. -
Bathurst Wars
August: Martial law is proclaimed in the Bathurst area when seven Europeans are killed by Aboriginal people led by Aboriginal man Windradyne, and conflict with them is seen as a serious threat. Soldiers, mounted police, settlers and stockmen frequently attack Aboriginal people. As many as 100 are killed in a massacre at Bathurst. Martial law stops in December. This conflict became known as the “Bathurst War”. -
Western Colonies
A colony is set up in Perth, on the south-west coast of Australia. -
Bungaree Dies
Bungaree dies. He came from the Broken Bay area and was a go-between in colonial Sydney where he was known because he liked to dress in military and naval uniforms given to him. -
Yagan's resistance
Yagan leads Nyoongar resistance in Western Australia for three years. -
Yagan beheaded
Yagan is killed. His head is cut off and pickled. It is then sent to England as a museum curiosity.
