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Captain Cook claims Australia for the British
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First colony built in Sydney Cove
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First free settlers arrive for a new life in Australia
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New colony set up for convicts on Tasmania. Free settlers soon follow.
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By now, about half the people living in Australia were born there.
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By now all six provinces or territories are "self-governing"
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Gold discovered in Australia - even more settlers arrive. Population now nearly half a million.
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A new province is set up - called Victoria (named after Queen Victoria)
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Four of the five provinces of Australia granted "self-government"
They manage most of their own affairs but are still part of the British Empire. -
Queensland, the last colony to be created, comes into existence.
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Now over 80% of people in Australia were born there.
The six colonies meet to draw up a set of rules about how to run Australia as a united country, independent of Britain. -
The Commonwealth of Australia comes into existence.
All the territories form one 'Federation' with its own Parliament. But the British monarch remains the head of statel.