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European's first documented visit to Australia.
Before 'landing day' in 1788, European voyagers had been exploring the world looking for natural resources (gold, coal, diamonds). The ship was called the 'Duyfken' ad was captained by Dutchman, Willem Janszoon. They battled with Australias indigenous peoples, leaving several of his sailors dead. They did not claim Australian land. -
Captain James Cook embarks for the Great Southern Land
Born: 7/11/1728 in Yorkshire, Great Britain and died 14/2/1779 was a British navel explorer who first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline in Australia. Cook was killed by Hawaiian natives as he attempted to kidnap their Chief of Hawaii. -
Captain Cook lands in Botany Bay
Captain James Cook, sailing the Endeavour for 8 months finally makes land on Australian shores (known today as Botany Bay). Ten days after landing, Cook recorded observing Indigenous Australian's. -
Joesph Banks recommends Botany Bay to Captain Cook
Joesph Banks, a British Scientist for the natural sciences recommended Botany Bay to Captain Cook as a suitable landing for the First Fleet. Banks was appointed to the Royal Navy for scientific exploration in the South Pacific and was pivotal in the European Settlement of Australia. Banks was a government advisor and was continuously called on for assisting the development of agriculture and trade of the colonization. -
Bungaree born
Bungaree, born 1775 - died 24/11/1830 was an Aboriginal Australian explorer, entertainer and Aboriginal Community Leader. He accompanied Mathew Flinders on several coastal survey journeys, employed as an interpreter, guide and negotiator. He was well respected and extremely popular among the European settlers, receiving 15 acres of land for his contributions. He spent his later years education European settlers about Aboriginal culture in welcoming ceremonies. -
First Fleet departs Portsmouth, England
The First Fleet were 11 ships, carrying 1,480 men, women and children. After three months at sea, the First Fleet landed at Botany Bay. The passengers were mainly British convicts, however there were some French, American and African convicts on board too. They were met by the Indigenous People, who had lived in isolation for over 40,000 years, in a hostile and uneasy environment. -
First Fleet land
The First Fleet was the name given to 11 ships that were the first to arrive in Australia from England on 24th January 1788. On 26th January the fleet moved to Sydney Cove for establishment. The voyage took 3 months and upon arrival, the voyagers had a stand-off with the aboriginal people of the land. After living alone for nearly 40,000 years, the aboriginal people of Australia were then forced to give up their land for the new settlers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnUNEkMsjfY -
Second Fleet arrive in Sydney Cove
The Second Fleet was contracted to a private business. Living conditions were atrocious! 267 passengers died on the journey and 480 were ill with malnutrition and scurvy. -
Smallpox outbreak!
European settlers brought contagious and infectious diseases. As Indigenous Australian's hadn't been exposure to European diseases, the outbreak of Smallpox decimated the Indigenous Australian population -
First Immigrant Free Settlers Arrive
Thomas Rose, wife and four children were granted 120 acres. Rose was a farmer from Dorset, England. Settling in Australia came with many Government contributions including: agricultural tools, two years provisions and grants of land free from tax. -
Mathew Flinders Circumnavigates Australia
Born 16th March 1774 and died 19th July 1814, Flinders was an English navigators and cartographer responsible for leading the first circumnavigation of Australia. On Flinders' three expeditions he established that Van Dieman's Land (now known as Tasmania) was an island. Flinders is credited as first suggesting the name 'Australia'. -
European settlement of Victoria
Prior to the European settlement of Victoria, the land was occupied by the Koori Indigenous Australians. Settlement occured in Sullivans Bay in Port Philip Bay and was named after Queen Victoria. -
Founding of Brisbane
The city of Brisbane was inhabited by the Jagera people prior to European Settlement and was named after Scotsman Thomas Brisbane. -
Victorian Gold Rush 1851-68
GOLD! Settlers found a vast supply of gold in the Australian land
At the time, Victorian town Ballarat was the richest place on earth in terms of gold production. Gold diggers arrived in Victoria from around the world including Europe, China, Pacific Islanders and even America! -
Eureka Stockade
The Eureka Rebellion was a rebellion in 1854, instigated by gold miners in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, who revolted against the colonial authority of the United Kingdom who were attempting to tax the miners for their gold. Was it fair for the United Kingdom to tax gold production? -
Crown Lands Act 1861
The Crown Lands Act allowed any person to select 320 acres of land after paying a deposit and agreeing to live on the land for three years. The Crown Lands Act limited Aboriginal land use. The Act was implemented by John Robertson, the NSW premier. Land entitlement disputes saw a rise in Bush ranger activty, fighting their right to land. -
Chinese migrants total 7% of Victorias population
Despite language barriers and racial persecution and untenable conditions, Chinese migrants still traveled to Australia in search of Gold in Victoria's minefields seeking prosperity. -
Victorian Aboriginal Protection Act Imposed
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European Discovery of Ayers Rock
Surveyor William Gosse traveled to Uluru and named this now World Hertidge landmark ‘Ayers Rock’. A popular past time was climbing Ayers Rock until the early 2000's. Ayers Rock holds a deep spiritual connection to the Anangu people, the traditional Uluru land owners. Whilst climbing Ayers rock isn't prohibited, it's not encouraged by the Anangu people or mainstream society. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbqHz__AWYM -
Bushranger Ned
Born in 1855, Edward ‘Ned’ Kelly was an Australian criminal bushranger of Irish decent. Kelly was convicted of killing three police officers and theft of horses. The colony of Victoria branded the Kelly gang outlaws. Kelly is infamous for wearing his home-made metal plate armour suit during a stand off with police in Glenrowan, Victoria 1880. He was captured and sent to trial. He was sentenced to death for murder. -
Australia becomes an independent federation 1901
On 1st January 1901, the British Parliament allowed the 6 Australian colonies to govern themselves as a part of the commonwealth of Australia. Sir Edmund Barton, a politician and judge was named the first prime minister of Australia. He served for 2 years before Alfred Deakin was elected as the second prime minister. 6 colonies were: Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. -
Immigration Restriction Act 1901 imposed
The Immigration Restriction Act 1901 disallowed people from non-European backgrounds entry to Australia. The act was passed by then Prime Minister, Edmund Barton, a conservative, white Australia politician. The act was designed to exclude migrants from China and surround Pacific Islander peoples from entering Australia. -
Edmund Barton becomes Australias first prime minister
Born 18/1/1849 in Sydney and died 7/1/1920. Served as Australia's first Prime Minister from 1/1/1901 to 24/9/1903.
Bartons primary task was organising the first Federal elections. After serving as Prime Minster, Barton became a judge for the High Court of Australia. Barton passed the 'Immigration Restriction Act 1901' which forbid the arrival of non-Europeans into Australia. -
Section 41 & White Australia Commonwealth
New laws were enacted during Australias Federation. Section 41 was a guarantee to vote in Commonwealth Elections, including women in South Australia who voted since 1895. Indigenous Australian's not on the electoral roll were ineligable to vote in Commonwealth Parliament. Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 explicitly stated that non European settlers were excluded from Commonwealth Voting Rights. -
Australia gets its first bank and own currency
Before 1911, each colony in Australia had their own currency. However, without banks money from people travelling to Australia from overseas and between colonies created a mixture and confusion to the value of money. People had to rely on bartering, trading goods, services and other currencies (mainly rum!).
Australias first bank, Commonwealth bank was formed at the end of 1910. The nations first currency was the Pound, based on the British currency system. -
Battle of Gallipoli 1915
From April to December 1915, British and French soldiers were at war with Turkey to secure a sea route to Russia. They failed, leaving many dead and injured on both sides. On 25th April every year, we remember those who died at Gallipoli and in military service for Australia since then. The average for an ANZAC solider was 24 hours. Listen to Jack Hazlitt, a ANZAC army Gallipoli runner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-viXzIk5Vc Further watching:
http://www.abc.net.au/gallipoli/eyewitness/ -
Indigenous Australian's at War
During the outbreak of the First World War, Indigenous Australian's wanting to enlist into the Army were rejected on racial grounds. Prior to 1970, little was known about Indigenous Australian soldiers. Over a 1,000 indigenous Australians served in the First World War despite their poor pay, lack of rights and poor living conditions. -
Grant POW during WW1 in Germany
After capture by the Germans in 1917, Grant was sent to Wünsdorf camp. Grant was subjected to racial experiments despite the raising ethical concerns by scientists. He was one of a 1,000 Aboriginal soldiers in World War 1. Further Reading: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/aboriginal-anzacs-racial-science-jihad-wunsdorf-pow-camp/8771110 Listen: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/earshot/douglas-grant:-the-skin-of-others/8742008 -
The Spanish Flu 1919
In January 1919, an epidemic broke out. The Spanish Flu was brought to Australia by soldiers returning from World War I, it was responsible for killing millions of people worldwide 11,500 Australians died from the Spanish Flu in 12 months. -
Indigenous Australians win right to vote!
All Indigenous Australians in all states of Australia were finally allowed to vote in Commonwealth Elections. Only seven years prior the Australian Government had authorised responsibility and declared the majority of the Territory Aboriginals 'wards of the state', meaning they required special care and protection. -
Australia turns to the dollar
In 1961 the Australian Government decided that changing currency to a decimal system would be better for the country and its people. Within 18 months the pound was completely taken out of the Australian currency system. -
Uluru handed back to its people
Uluru, named Ayers Rock by settlers, was handed back to the traditional owners of the land. -
Winmar's stand
Aboriginal AFL player Nicky Winmar, stood proud in front of fans who had been shouting racial abuse at him during a game. He lifted his jersey and pointed at his skin, shouting ‘I’m black and I’m proud to be black’. Before this, indigenous AFL players had endured racial abuse on the field from spectators and other players. Winmar’s stand, raised awareness to the racial issues in sport and opened the way for new rules to stop it from happening in the future. https://youtu.be/PjSSdMliOfI -
National Apology
On this day, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a formal apology to Australia’s Indigenous peoples. In particular the apology was made to the Stolen Generations whose lives had been damaged by the government in the past that forced child removal from families and the closing down of indigenous communities. https://youtu.be/b3TZOGpG6cM
