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European Exploration: Dutch
First Europeans to sail to Australia were the Dutch (Netherlands) in 1606, but they didn’t settle there -
European Exploration : British
Captain James Cook sailed around Australia in 1770 -
First Fleet
British ships called the “First Fleet” left England with convicts to establish a prison colony in 1787 -
Prisoners Settle
British prisoners settled in Australia in 1788 -
Commonwealth of Australia
Government officials created boundaries for the colonies that are still in place today in 1861 -
No Transportation of Prisoners to Australia
British transported prisoners to Australia until 1868 -
Commonwealth of Australia
The commonwealth of Australia was established. -
Immigration Restriction Act
Restricted migration to people primarily of European descent
This was dismantled after the Second World War. -
Aborigines
The federal government began to pass legislation to help the Aborigines -
Australia Act
All legal ties with the British Empire were severed