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Discovery of Tasmania and New Zealand
Abel Tasman discovers Tasmania and New Zealand. -
Exploration of the east coast of Australia
Captain James Cook explores the east coast of Australia, which he calls New South Wales. -
Penal colony established
Britain establishes a penal colony in Sydney Cove. -
‘Rum Rebellion’
The ‘Rum Rebellion’ overthrows Captain William Bligh. -
Gold is discovered
Gold is discovered in New South Wales. -
Battle of the Eureka
Battle of the Eureka Stockade, Ballarat -
Most Australian women can vote
South Australian women gain voting rights; by 1901 most Australian women can vote. -
Federation of colonies
Six colonies federated into the Commonwealth of Australia. -
Period: to
World War I
World War I: 330,000 Australians serve; 60,000 are killed, 165,000 wounded. -
Trans-Australian railway
Opening of the Trans-Australian railway. -
Move-in of the federal parliament
Federal parliament moves from Melbourne to Canberra. -
Period: to
World War II
World War II: Australian Air Force active in Britain; navy operates in Mediterranean; soldiers fight in North Africa and the Pacific. -
Olympic Games
Olympic Games held in Melbourne. -
Citizenship
Australia grants citizenship to Aboriginal people. -
Aboriginal people can vote
Aboriginal people can vote in federal elections. -
Abandonation of the policy
‘White Australia’ immigration policy is abandoned. -
Sydney Opera
Sydney Opera House is finally completed. -
Lands returned to aboriginals
Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) are returned to Aboriginal owners. -
Rights are recognized
Aboriginal people's land rights are recognized. -
Rejection of the prototype republic
Referendum rejects prototype republic. -
Olympic Games
Olympic Games held in Sydney. -
Supportment of the us military
Australian government supports US military action in Iraq. -
Apologation
Prime Minister Rudd apologizes to the Stolen Generations -
Bushfires in Victoria
173 people killed by bushfires in Victoria. -
The Liberal Party wins the elections
Kevin Rudd ousts Julia Gillard as leader of the Labor Party and becomes prime minister. The Liberal Party wins the elections later that year and Tony Abbott becomes new prime minister. -
Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Australia.
Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Australia.