Australia History: Important Dates of Early History

1605 - 1606 - First Dutch sightings of the coast
1616 - Arrival of Dutch ship Ecndracht at western coast
1642 - Abel Tasman's discovery of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania)
1688 - William Dampier's landing on north-west coast
1770 - Captain Cook's discovery of New South Wales
1788 - Foundation of first settlement (Sydney) by Governor Arthur Phillip
1789 - Establishment of New South Wales Corps
1792 - End of Phillip's governorship
1802 - First Australian wool taken to England by John Macarthur
1803 - Circumnavigation of Australia by Sir Matthew Flinders
1807 - Arrest of John Macarthur
1808 - Rum Corps Rebellion; imprisonment of Governor Bligh
1813 - First exploration west of the Blue Mountains
1817 - 1818 - Oxley's exploration of the Macquarie and Lachlan rivers
1825 - Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) became a separate colony
1826 - Capture of Matthew Brady and his gang
1827 - All of Australia claimed as British territory
1828 - 1830 - Captain Stuart's exploration of the Darling and Murray rivers
1830 - Governor Arthur's "Black Drive" against the Tasmanians
1835 - John Batman's treaty with the natives of Port Phillip; foundation of Melbourne
1836 - Port Phillip district declared open for settlement
1844 - 1845 - Captain Stuart's Journey to the interior
1851 - Victoria became a separate colony
1851 - Discovery of gold in Victoria
1854 - Battle at the Eureka Stockade
1859 - Queensland became a separate colony
1860 - John McDouall Stuart's exploration to the centre of the continent
1862 - Stuart's crossing of the continent from south to north
1869 - Finding of the "Welcome Stranger" gold nugget in Victoria
1872 - Completion of telegraph across the continent from south to north
1880 - Capture of the Kelly gang
1880 - Delivery of first frozen meat to England
1883 - Completion of railway between Victoria and New South Wales
1889 - Completion of railway between Sydney and Brisbane
1898 - William Ferrer's appointment as government wheat experimentalist. New South Wales
1901 - Establishment of the federal Commonwealth of Australia

Why is the year 1901 important in the history of Australia?

On January 1, 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia came into being. Before this, Australia consisted of a number of separate colonies. By the Commonwealth Act of 1 900, the colonies became a federation. The formation of the commonwealth marked the beginning of Australia as a full nation.