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First Recoreded Euroupean Landing
Dutch East India Company ship ‘Duyfken’ explored the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula. This was under Captain Willem Janszoon and is the first recorded landing of Europeans on Australian soil. -
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History of Europeans in Australia
A timeline of significant events in the history of Australia. -
Captain Cook's Landing
English captain, James Cook, charts the eastern coast and classifies it as “Terra Nullius” which is Latin for “Land belonging to no one”. He then claims it as property of the British Crown. -
Landing of the First Fleet
The first fleet arrives at Botany Bay. A considerable number of Aborigines gather at Point Solander to watch on as the boats arrive. The land is inspected and subsequently deemed unfit for colonisation. The boats are unanchored and continue on. -
Dembarkment of The First Fleet
Arriving at Sydney Cove the night before, Lt. Arthur Phillip takes a party ashore on the morning of the 26. The British flag is raised and the land is formally proclaimed as British sovereignty. Later that night Lt. Phillip and fellow officers drink to the new colony. -
Settlement of Van Diemen's Land
The island known then as Van Diemen’s Land was colonised in 1803 by the British. It was to be used as a Penal Colony and became part of New South Wales. Subsequently 75,000 convicts were transported to Van Diemen’s Land, roughly 40% of all convicts sent to Australia from that time. Many convicts served their sentences as assigned labourers or in gangs assigned to public work. Port Arthur was a prison in Van Diemen’s Land, situated on the Tasman Peninsula, and it was here that the most difficult -
Rum Rebellion
The Rum Rebellion was the name given to the Australia rebellion. It was and still is the only successful armed takeover of government in Australia’s history. 20 years to the date, after Lt. Arthur Phillip founded European settlement, Major George Johnston and John Macarthur overthrew the Governor of NSW, William Bligh. The military then ruled Australia until the beginning of 1810 when a new governor was sent out from England. -
City of Swan River (Perth) Created
Perth was originally known as the City of Swan River. The river was named by Dutch explorer William de Vlamingh in 1697 after the famous black swans the lived on the river. In 1829 Governor Stirling released a notice that read “…the first stone will be laid of a new town to be called ‘Perth’, near the entrance of the Swan River.” -
Colony of Victoria Created (separated from NSW)
Victoria was established in 1851 after breaking away from New South Wales, the colony it had been part of since the colonisation of Australia by the british. The border was established and based on the Murray River which had already separated a large part of the bottom of NSW from the rest of the colony. -
Gold Rush Begins
Gold is found at Fish River, NSW, on the 15th of February by assistant surveyor James McBrien. The find is then heightened by more discoveries at Ballarat and surrounding towns, therefore initiating the start of the Victorian Gold Rush. This sudden discovery brought worldwide fame and attraction to country Victoria while at the same time causing an influx of immigrants. Over the next ten years, the Gold Rush saw Victoria’s population triple. -
Eureka Stockade
Lead by Peter Lalor and Henry Ross, the Eureka Stockade is the rebellion that was fought as a protest against the actions of the government, the taxation they imposed and the expense of a Miner’s Licence. It is the largest conflict in the history of colonial Victoria with 27 people, the majority being that of the rebellion movement, killed. A fortress made of upturned carts and wood was built but it did little as the men were outnumbered by the authorities 2 to 1. The stockade was also the firs -
Convict Transportation Ends
The last shipment of convicts arrived in Western Australian in 1868. A total of 806 transported around 162,000 men and women. Transportation ended because the colonies had a large enough population to support and sustain themselves. Australia’s population had increased from 30,000 in 1821 to almost one million and no more convicts were required to help maintain the new country. -
Bushranger Ned Kelly is Hanged
Australia’s most infamous bushranger, Edward Kelly, is hanged in the (old) Melbourne Jail. After a long and hard battle against Victorian police, Ned was finally caught after a standoff with the authorities at a Glenrowan hotel where he fought in a suit of armour that was home-made from metal plates. It is estimated though that over 30,000 signatures were signed on a petition to save Kelly’s life. -
Federation
Australia separates from the British and becomes a federation with Edmund Barton as Prime Minister. Queen Victoria still retains the position as Head of State. Parliament meets in Melbourne and the Australian flag is flown, both for the first time ever. -
Women given Right to Vote and Stand for Parliament
Australia is the first country in the world to simultaneously allow women to vote as well as being able to run for federal parliament. This is thanks to the efforts of suffragettes like Vida Goldstein, Catherine Helen Spence, Mary Lee and many others. -
World War One
Australia partakes in World War 1 or the Great War as it was known by then, alongside its mother country England. The war was seen as a brilliant way to establish Australia as a new nation and many men enlisted. Australia’s involvement in the war is recognised heavily at their seven month campaign in Gallipoli as well as their fighting on the Western Front, most notably the Battle of Fromelles. Of the 416,809 men who went 60,000 were killed and 156,000 were wounded, gassed or captured. -
First Female Elected into Parliament
Edith Cowan from the electorate district of West Perth was the first woman to be elected into an Australian government. She pushed heavily for the rights of women and children and in the years after her parliamentary campaign served as an Australian Delegate at the 1925 International Conference of Women in New York. Her portrait is featured on the 50 dollar note. -
World War Two
Almost one million Australians served in world war two, with many more women than had enlisted during world war one. The allied forces fought against Germany, Italy and Japan, and the regime of Nazi extremist Adolf Hitler. The second world war also saw Australia come under direct attack with the bombing of Darwin in March 1942. 39,000 Australians died during this 6 year campaign with another 30,000 being taken prisoner. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War is the longest period of conflict Australian Soldiers have ever been involved in; it was also one of the most controversial. Compulsory National Service was introduced in 1964 for 20 year old males and the selection of conscripts was selected by lottery draws based on birth dates. If a man’s date of birth was drawn they were required to serve for a minimum of 18 months with a further three years on an active reserve list. Opposition to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War -
Indigenous Australians Given Rigth to Vote
In 1967 the constitution is amended to allow all aboriginal Australians to be counted in the census and recognised as full Australian citizens. They are also given the right to vote and for the federal government to legislate them. -
Julia Gillard becomes first female Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd is challenged by Julia Gillard as the head of the Labour party, and therefore the prime ministerial position. He loses the vote, meaning Julia becomes the first ever female Prime Minister in the history of Australia.
