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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. The Dutch made one landing, were attacked by Aborigines, and then abandoned further exploration -
European Exploration : British
Captain James Cook sailed around Australia. Cook named the area New South Wales. Ignored the Aborigines living there & claimed the land for England. Sailors also mapped the coast eastern Australia & Tasmania -
First Fleet
British ships called the “First Fleet” left England with convicts to establish a prison colony -
New South Wales
New South Wales was officially a penal (prison) colony consisting mainly of convicts, marines (guards), and the marines’ families. Only 20% of the first convicts were women. -
Port Arthur, Tasmania
For about 15 years it was the destination for the hardest of convicted British and Irish criminals, those who were secondary offenders having re-offended after their arrival in Australia. -
Commonwealth of Australia was established
Melbourne served as the national capital until Canberra was completed in 1927 -
Immigration Restriction Act
This act restricted migration to people primarily of European descent. This was dismantled after the Second World War. -
Federal government passing legislation to help the Aborigines
It was widely seen as affirmation of the Australian people’s wish to see its government take direct action to improve the living conditions of Aborigines -
Australia Act
All legal ties with the British Empire were severed -
No independent republic for Australia
55% of voters rejected the idea of becoming an independent republic.