Australian Timeline 1788 - 1988 By Halokitten 1788 First Fleet arrives in Sydney Cove Apr 26, 1788 Explorers sighted and named the Blue Mountains 1790 Second fleet arrived 1791 Third fleet arrived 1803 Matthew Flinders circumnavigated the Australian continent 1808 Rum Rebellion 1813 Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth crossed the Blue Mountains. 1824 The name of our continent changed fro “New Holland” to “Australia”. 1850 States of Australia (NSW, VIC, SA, TAS) were granted own constitutions. 1851 The Victorian Gold Rush started at Ballarat and Summer hill Creek. 1854 The Eureka Stockade 1867 Saint Mary MacKillop founded Sisters of Saint Joseph 1873 Uluru was first sighted by Europeans and named it Ayers Rock 1880 Bush ranger Ned Kelly was hanged. 1889 Completion of the railway network between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. 1890 “The Commonwealth of Australia” was drafted and accepted as a constitution by the U.K. 1901 Australia becomes a Federation. Edmund Barton is our first Prime Minister. 1901 The White Australia Policy was introduced (starting the stolen generation debacle) 1902 Women could vote in Federal elections 1913 Canberra was officially named as capital of Australia. 1914 Australian soldiers are sent into World War I 1915 Australian soldiers land at ANZAC Cove on Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. 1918 WWI ends - 60 000 Australians died. 1920 Quantas is founded as an Australian airline. 1922 Vegemite is first made! 1932 The Harbour Bridge in Sydney is completed and opened. 1939 WWII starts - Australian troops sent overseas. 1942 WWII Battle of Kokodatrail - (Australian soldiers halt Japanese approach to Port Moresby). 1942 Daylight savings time introduced. 1945 WWII ends. Japan and Germany surrender. 1949 Indigenous Australians allowed to vote. 1950 Australian soldiers sent to Korea to help South Koreans in war. 1956 Television is launched in Australia. 1964 Australian troops sent to the Vietnamese war. 1972 Australia recognised the PRC (China). 1973 Opera house is opened by Queen Elizabeth II. 1973 The white Australia Policy is dismantled. 1973 Vietnam war ends. 1974 Cyclone Tracy destroys Darwin. 1988 Australia celebrates its bicentenary. New Parliament house opens in Canberra.