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First Europeans to sail to Australia were the Dutch ( Netherlands ) in 1606 , but they didn't settle there.
The Dutch made one landings were attacked by Aborigines , and then abandoned further exploration. -
Cook named the area New South Wales ignored the aborigines living there and claimed the land for england , sailors also mapped the eastern Australia tasmania.
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In 1787 , British ships called the " First Fleet " left England with convicts to establish a prison colony
In 1788 , British prisoners settled in Australia -
New South Wales was officially a penal (prison) colony consisting mainly of convicts, marines (guards) , and the marines families.
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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.
In addition, Port Arthur had some of the strictest security measures of the British penal system. -
In 1861 , government officials created boundaries for the colonies that are still in place today.
In January 1, 1901 , the Commonwealth of Australia was established. Melbourne served as the national capital until Canberra was completed in 1927. -
Immigration Restriction Act of 1901: restricted migration to people primarily of Europeon descent , this was dismantled afetr the Second World War.