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Australia becomes a Commonwealth
On January 1, 1901 Australia, composed of 6 separate colonies, comes together and becomes the Commonwealth of Australia. The population at this time was 3,788,123. -
The Gallipoli Campaign, WWI
Australia was asked to fight with the rest of the British Empire in World War I. The first true battle they and the New Zealanders fought in began in Gallipoli, Turkey on April 25, 1915 to secure the Dardanelle Straits from the Ottoman Empire. Doomed from the start, over 8000 Australian soldiers were killed within the campaign's first few days. Considered the country's "baptism by fire," the country rallied around the great loss and has not since fought so far from home. ANZAC Day is 4/25. -
Balfour Declaration of 1926
Signed by the British Empire, it made all members of the Commonwealth equal in status, meaning that they were no longer subject to British laws but their own. However, ties with the United Kingdom remained as a member of the Commonwealth. -
Canberra becomes the capital of Australia
In 1900 Australia needed a capital. A compromise was made that Melbourne would be the capital until a new city was created in New South Wales at least 100 miles from Sydney. Until Canberra's Parliament House was built Melbourne was the capital. In 1927 the House was finished and Canberra (the Australian Capital Territory) was made the capital. -
The Bombing of Darwin
When Japanese pilots bombed Darwin on this date, it marked the first time that Australia was attaxcked on its own soil. Darwin, being closest to Japanese-held Indonesia, would be bombed many more times and Australia would be attacked again vbefore the end of World War II. -
ANZUS Treaty
Signed on September 1, 1951, the ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand, and United States) Treaty created an alliance with the United States. They would assist each other in time of war. The treaty did not take effect until April 29, 1952. -
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Melbourne Summer Olympics
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End of White Australia Policy
End of White Australian PolicyIn 1973, the Australian government, headed by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, effectively ended a decades-old law that greatly restricted the immigration of non-white non-Europeans into Australia. -
Opening of the Sydney Opera House
Podcast About Sydney Opera HouseAfter winning a design contest in 1956 for the opera house in Sydney, Jorn Utzon designed the Sydney Opera House to look like sails in the wind on the harbour. On October 20, 1973 the Sydney Opera House was officially opened and reamins one of the most universally-recognized buildings in the world. -
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Sydney Summer Olympics
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First Female Prime Minister
Julia GillardOn June 24th 2010 Julia Gillard became the 27th (and first female) Prime Minister of Australia. -
Current Population
Current population of Australia is approximately 23, 300,000.
