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First Europeans to sail to Australia were the Dutch.
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Captain James Cook sailed around Australia.
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British ships called the “First Fleet” left England with convicts to establish a prison colony.
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New South Wales was officially a penal (prison) colony consisting mainly of convicts, marines (guards), and the marines’ families
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British transported prisoners to Australia until 1868.
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Canberra is founded and designated as the capital.
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The Great Depression following the Wall Street Crash hits Australia hard. Recovery is uneven, and the Labor government is defeated in the election in 1931.
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Australia leads intervention force in East Timor to counter pro-Indonesia militia violence after territory's independence vote. Relations with Indonesia worsen.
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Labor government abandons policy - introduced in 1990s - of holding all asylum seekers in detention centres until their cases are heard.
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Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull replaces Tony Abbott as prime minister after a successful Liberal Party leadership challenge.
