Australian History

Contrary to what some people might think, Australia has a fascinating history!

Australia was first home to one of the world’s oldest indigenous peoples, the Aborigines, who mainly occupied the south and south-east of Australia, and the Torres Strait Islanders who inhabit the Torres Strait Islands at the northernmost point of Queensland. To find out more about Australia’s indigenous people click on our Aboriginal people link.

Australia, in western terms,  is only a relatively young country, first glimpsed by the outside world in 1606 when Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon sighted the coast of the Cape York Peninsula. However, it wasn’t until 1770 when Captain James Cook first mapped the east coast of Australia, calling it New South Wales and claiming it for Great Britain, that the first landing took place.

The first penal colony was established on the 26th January 1788, when Captain Arthur Phillip founded Port Jackson. This day later became known as Australia Day.

Tasmania wasn’t settled until 1803 and Western Australia in 1829, with the separate colonies of South Australia (1836), Victoria (1851) and Queensland (1859) all formed out of the original New South Wales territory. The Northern Territory was founded in 1911. It wasn’t until 1848 that penal colonies ceased to be established.

The 1950’s saw the Gold Rush begin in Australia, while between 1855 and 1890 the six individual colonies established responsible government, running their own affairs although still remaining part of the British Empire. Consequently on 1 January 1901 the federation of the colonies was created and the Commonwealth of Australia was born. By 1911 the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was formed from a part of New South Wales and the new federal capital of Canberra was established.

Mining along with sheep farming and grain soon became important growing enterprises in Australia’s economy, attracting settlers from Great Britain and beyond who wanted to benefit from Australia’s lucrative land.

Australia fought on the side of the Allies in both the First and Second World Wars, and in 1942 they adopted the Statute of Westminster which Britain had instigated in 1931, and which formally ended most of the constitutional links between the two countries.

More moves have been made since the 1931 statute to move away from British control, and in 1986 the final constitutional ties ended with the passing of the Australia Act however, Australia is still a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II remaining Queen of Australia. 1999 saw a referendum held to establish an Australian republic, although this was marginally rejected.

While the links between the two countries grow increasingly tenuous, there is still a strong link between them, both emotionally and culturally.

See our guide for information on Australian facts, including geography, climate and geology.

For more information on Australia’s history, see:

• Wikipedia: History of Australia
• European discovery and the colonisation of Australia – Australia’s Culture Portal
• Wikipedia: Timeline of Australian History