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First coal found by Europeans in Australia
In 1791, coal was discovered by an escaping convict, William Bryant. -
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The second European discovery of coal in Australia
William Clarke discovered coal on the coast of New South Wales in 1797. -
Coal: The first coalmine in Australia established
The first coalmine was established near the mouth of the Hunter River. -
Coal: Newcastle founded by Governer King
Governer King founded Newcastle in 1804 as a permanent settlement near the coalmine established in 1801. -
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Newcsatle coal used for salt production
Between 1804 and 1808, Newcastle coal was used for producing salt by boiling seawater, -
The First Steam Engine introduced to Australia
In 1813, a steam engine was installed in John Dickson's flourmill in Sydney. -
Textiles: The First Mill
Simeon Lord established a mill in Sydney in the year 1815. -
The Sophia Jane begins operation in Australia
In 1831, the Sophia Jane arrived in Australia from England. While it was being outfitted for its maiden voyage, the Surprise, another steamboat, became the first steamship to sale in Australian waters. -
Textiles: The Second Mill
In 1832, another textile factory was established in Blaackwattle Bay, Sydney. It produced 'the finest was well as the coarsest cloths'. -
A total of 36 steam engines in Australia
By 1840, there were 26 steam engines in flourmills and 10 in other industries. -
Iron & Steel: The First Foundry
In 1848, the first foundry in Australia was established. It was not profitable, however, and was closed in 1877. -
The Gold Rush: The Beginning
In 1851, gold was discovered in New South Wales and Victoria -
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The Gold Rushes
The Australian gold rushes began in 1851 and persisted for almost 100 years, until the last gold rush occured in the 1930s. -
Textiles: Output reaches 235,000 yards of cloth per annum
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Steamships operating regularly in Australia
By 1856, steamships were operating between Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Moreton Bay. Adelaide and Tasmania. -
Railways: The First Australian Railway Opens
In 1855, a railway opened between Flinders Street in Melbourne and Port Melbourne, known as Sandridge at the time, on 12 September. -
Railways: The First Steam-Powered South Australian Railway
On 12 April, 1856, the first steam-powered railway opened in South Australia, connecting Adelaide and Port Adelaide. -
Textiles: The First Tasmanian Mill
In the year 1873, the Waverley Woollen Mill located in Distillery Creek, near Launceston, was established and won one thousand pounds offered by the Tasmanian government for the first woollen goods manufactured in Tasmania from locally produced wool. -
BHP: BHP Established
In 1885, the Broken Hill Propriety Company Lmited was established. This marked the first major iron and steel company in Australia. -
Railways: The first Northern Territory railway
On the first of October, 1889, a 253 kilometre railway opened between Darwin and Pine Creek. (Complete with mandatory party hat for my birthdate.) -
BHP: BHP begins steelworks operation
BHP begins steelworks operation in Newcastle, NSW, on 2 June