History of Australia

European Exploration: Dutch

May 30, 1606

First Europeans to sail to Australia were the Dutch (Netherlands)

Commonwealth of Australia#3

Mar 29, 1627

Melbourne served as the national capital until Canberra was completed

European Exploration : British

Mar 28, 1770

Captain James Cook sailed around Australia
Cook named the area New South Wales
Ignored the Aborigines living there & claimed the land for England
Sailors also mapped the coast eastern Australia

First Fleet

Mar 28, 1787

British ships called the “First Fleet” left England with convicts to establish a prison colony

Firt Fleet

Mar 28, 1788

British prisoners settled in Australia

Port Arthur, Tasmania

Mar 29, 1833

From 1833, until the 1850s, it was the destination for the hardest of convicted British and Irish criminals, those who were secondary offenders having re-offended after their arrival in Australia.

Commonwealth of Australia#1

Mar 29, 1861

government officials created boundaries for the colonies that are still in place today

New South Wales

Mar 29, 1868

British transported prisoners to Australia

Commonwealth of Australia#2

Jan 1, 1901

the Commonwealth of Australia was established.

Australia Act

Mar 29, 1986

all legal ties with the British Empire were severed