Australia 1788-1870, a timeline

The Aboriginal people had already inhabited the Australian continent for about 65 000 years before European settlement. Ancient rock paintings tell about their life on the continent. Go here to find the kidcyber pages about Australia's Aboriginal people
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/austaborigines.htm

 1788
  The First Fleet arrived and the penal settlement of New South Wales was established.

 1802
  Lieutenant John Murray took possession of land around Port Phillip (Victoria). The first settlers in this area were mainly farmers from Van Diemen's Land.

 1803  A penal settlement was established at Risdon's Cove in Van Diemen's Land.
1804 Hobart Town (Tasmania) is established

 1824
  A penal settlement was established near what is now Brisbane, Queensland. It was then a part of New South Wales. A settlement was started on Melville Island, but later abandoned.

 1825
  Van Diemen's Land became a separate colony.

 1829
  A free colony was started on the banks of the Swan River (now Western Australia).

 1836
  A planned, non-convict settlement was established in what is now South Australia.

 1842

 The British Parliament passed a Bill allowing New South Wales to have its own government. It was only partially representative, with two-thirds of the members elected and the rest appointed by the British government.

South Australia formally became a colony.

 1851
  Victoria became a separate colony.

 1855
  Van Diemen's Land was named Tasmania.
 1859  Queensland became a separate colony.

 1868
  A settlement was established at Palmerston (later became Darwin). The last convicts were transported to Australia.
 1870 Western Australia was given a partially representative government.

1901
 The Commonwealth of Australia becomes a reality with Federation.
Go here for the kidcyber pages about federation
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/federation.htm

If you use any of this information in your own work acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
Australia 1788-1870 (2000). [Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au

Back to Australia

updated September 2006