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First Fleet arrives in Botany Bay
The First Fleet, a group of 11 ships sent from Britain, arrived at Botany Bay in New South Wales, Australia. Led by Arthur Phillip, the First Fleet was entering this uncharted land for a few main reasons: to find another place other than the Thirteen Colonies (now known as the USA) or their own prisons back in Britain (since they were very overcrowded) to send convicts, to expand the British Empire, and to claim the territory before other countries could. -
First Fleet arrives in Sydney Cove
Phillip decided that Botany Bay was unsuitable to establish a colony and took his ships to Sydney Cove. -
Unofficial beginning of the colony
On the day that is now Australia Day, the British raised the Union Jack and declared that the colony was a success. -
Official beginning of the colony
The Colony of New South Wales was officially founded! -
Aboriginals are captured
Phillip captured Woollarawarre Bennelong and Colebee, two Aboriginal men. Colebee escaped but Bennelong was kept at the Government House for 5 months. -
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Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars
The Hawkesbury and Nepean War was fought between the Aboriginals (led by Pemulwuy) and the settlers in New South Wales. Caused due to the British colonising more and more Australian land, this series of conflicts saw the colonisers come away victorious, resulting in approximately 500 causalities, almost 200 of them being deaths. -
Bathurst War
The Bathurst War was fought in Bathurst, NSW, between the Wiradjuri people and the British, due to the colonisers taking land from the Aboriginals and depriving them of food sources. After 12 months of fighting, the British won the war at the expense of approximately 120 deaths. -
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Black War
The Black War was fought in Tasmania and was caused by the British colonising traditional Aboriginal hunting grounds. This violent conflict killed 600-900 Aboriginal people and more than 200 Europeans, and ultimately ended with the colonisers gaining full control over Tasmania. -
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Port Phillip District Wars
The Port Phillip District Wars was a string of about 6 brutal battles between Europeans and Aboriginals at the Port Phillip District in Victoria. The cause of these wars is unknown, but it is likely that the Aboriginals were angered by the British colonising more and more of their land, as that was the reason for so many conflicts before this. Overall, these wars killed not many colonisers, but hundreds of Aboriginals. -
Pinjarra Massacre
The Pinjarra Massacre occurred in Pinjarra, Western Australia when a group of about 60-80 Binjareb people were attacked by 25 settlers led by Governor James Stirling. This was in response to attacks from the Binjareb people; both groups were bent on destroying each other. -
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Kalkadoon Wars
The Kalkadoon Wars was a series of brutal conflicts between the Kalkadoon people and the Europeans. This war was fought in the Mount Isa region in western Queensland and resulted in British victory. The colonisers had begun to settle in the Kalkadoon lands, and while the relationship between the two groups was civil at first, the Kalkadoons resorted to war as the number of settlers increased. 900 Kalkadoons were either injured or killed, and 6 Europeans were killed. -
First annual Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Service
This day was the first annual Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Service. Victoria was the first state in Australia to formally recognise the sacrifice and service of the Aboriginals. -
First time Aboriginals join the Anzac Day march in Canberra
For the first time, Aboriginals joined the Anzac Day march in Canberra with a banner that said, “Lest we forget the frontier wars”, and were met with much applause and support.