British Navy captain Arthur Phillip founds a penal settlement at Sydney.
Colony of Western Australia established at Perth by Captain James Stirling.
South Australia established, with Adelaide as its capital.
Australia becomes the first country to introduce the secret ballot - or 'Australian ballot' - for elections.
Australia and England play the first-ever cricket Test match in Melbourne.
Australia is Unified
Outbreak of World War I. Australia commits hundreds of thousands of troops to the British war effort.
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.
Olympic Games held in Melbourne.
The Citizenship Act is amended to remove swearing an oath of allegiance to the British Crown.
