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Captain James Cook charts the east coast in his ship HM Endeavour. Cook claims it as a British possession and names eastern Australia "New South Wales".
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British Navy captain Arthur Phillip founds a penal settlement at Sydney. He had arrived with a fleet of 11 vessels, carrying nearly 800 convicts. The Aboriginal population at the time is thought to number several hundred thousand.
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Colony of Western Australia established at Perth by Captain James Stirling.
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South Australia established, with Adelaide as its capital.
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Gold is found at several locations leading to gold rushes throughout the decade. The population increases three-fold in 10 years to pass the million mark. An influx of Chinese leads to restrictions on their entry. Aborigines are treated very badly and their numbers collapse.
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Australia becomes the first country to introduce the secret ballot - or 'Australian ballot' - for elections.
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Australia and England play the first-ever cricket Test match in Melbourne.
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The country is unified. The Commonwealth of Australia comes into being on 1st January.
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Canberra is founded and designated as the capital.
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Outbreak of World War I. Australia commits hundreds of thousands of troops to the British war effort.
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