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Captain James Cook's voyage.
A number of European explorers sailed the coast of Australia, then known as New Holland, in the 17th century. However it wasn’t until 1770 that Captain James Cook chartered the east coast and claimed it for Britain. The new outpost was put to use as a penal colony and on 26 January 1788, the First Fleet 11 ships carrying 1,500 people, half of them convicts, arrived in Sydney Harbour. When penal transportation ended in 1868, 160,000 men and women came to Australia as convicts. -
James Cook claims Australia for Britain.
Captain James Cook lands on the more hospitable east coast of Australia and claims it for Britain. -
Aboriginal colonies.
Australia’s Aboriginal people were thought to have arrived here by boat from South East Asia during the last Ice Age, at least 50,000 years ago. At the time of European discovery and settlement, up to one million Aboriginal people lived across the continent as hunters and gatherers. They were scattered in 300 clans and spoke 250 languages and 700 dialects. Each clan had a spiritual connection with a specific piece of land. -
Sydney, Australia
Foundation of Sydney. -
Brisbane.
A penal colony is founded at Moreton Bay, now the city of Brisbane. -
Tasmania's penal colony.
Port Arthur opens as a penal colony in Tasmania. -
British troops.
British troops withdrawn from Australia. -
The first federal Parliament.
The first federal Parliament was opened at Melbourne in May 1901 by the Duke of York (later King George V). -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression hits Australia. -
Granted full rights as citizens.
Indigenous Australians are given full rights as citizens.
