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The first fleet lands
Life on board the Lady Penrhyn was hard, uncomfortable and crowded. Food was rationed and the women had only the clothing they were wearing. The women’s new clothing had not arrived in time before departure for all of them to have a clean change of clothes for the journey. Source: Sate library of NSW -
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The Stolen Generations
Thousands of children were forcibly removed by governments, churches and welfare bodies to be raised in institutions, fostered out or adopted by non-Indigenous families, nationally and internationally. They are known as the Stolen Generations. Source: AIATSIS website -
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The Gold Rush
The discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 revolutionised Australia as an influx of migrants arrived, and the wealth of the nation increased dramatically. At its peak, two tonnes of gold poured into Melbourne’s Treasury Building each week. Convict colonies were transformed into modern cities, and Australia’s multicultural identity began to take root. -
Eureka Stockade
Prompted by the diggers’ opposition to miners’ licenses, the Eureka Stockade was a short battle which took place in Ballarat on 3rd December 1854, in the midst of the Victorian Gold Rush. The event is often regarded as the birthplace of Australian democracy, as it marked a moment of revolt against oppression. The Eureka Flag is still considered as a symbol of Australian independence. -
Australian federation
On 1st January 1901, the Constitution of Australia was put into effect and united the British colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia as the collective states of the Commonwealth of Australia. Eight months later, the first Australian flag was hoisted above Parliament. -
Women get to vote
The vote for women in Federal elections came in 1902, making Australia the second nation in the world to achieve this, and shortly after, on its third attempt, the Women's Franchise Act was finally passed in NSW. Source: NSW parliament website -
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WWl
During WWI (1914-1918), large numbers of women were recruited into jobs vacated by men who had gone to fight in the war. New jobs were also created as part of the war effort, for example in munitions factories. Source: www.striking-women.org -
Gallipoli landing
On 25th April 1915, in the midst of World War I, Australian and New Zealand troops landed at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The Gallipoli campaign lasted eight months with 8,709 Australian fatalities. Anzac Day is a significant national day of remembrance and commemorates military casualties and veterans. -
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WWll
WWll changed the lives of women and men in many ways on the Home Front. Wartime needs increased labour demands for both male and female workers, heightened domestic hardships and responsibilities, and intensified pressures for Americans to conform to social and cultural norms. Source www.nationalww2museum.org -
Cathy Freeman wins gold
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman became an Olympic champion after winning gold in the 400 meters with a time of 49.11 seconds. Freeman was the second Australian Aboriginal Olympian, and she carried both the Aboriginal and Australian flags during her victory lap. She is ranked as the sixth fastest woman of all time. -
Sorry speech
More than a decade after the report “Bringing Them Home” was tabled, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a national apology to Indigenous Australians, particularly to the stolen generations, for former government policies which had “inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians -
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Julia Gillard
On 24th June 2010, Julia Gillard, the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and the country’s first female prime minister, was sworn into office by Quentin Bryce, Australia’s first female governor-general. Gillard remains the only woman to have held positions as deputy prime minister and prime minister in Australia. This affected women a lot because as you know she was the first female prime minster of Australia and that is a big milestone! -
Covid Started
The COVID recession hit women much harder than men, and will compound women's lifetime economic disadvantage. they were less likely to get government support – JobKeeper excluded short-term casuals, who in the hardest-hit industries are mostly women. Source: https://grattan.edu.au