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Captain James Cook claims possession of the whole east coast of Australia for the British Crown. Many history classes and books start teaching Australian history from this point on.
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Captain Phillip raises the Union Jack at Sydney Cove to start a penal colony. Aboriginal resistance flares within a few days of arrival of the tall ships.
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The first settlement was made at Risdon on 11/09/1803 when Lieut John Bowen landed with about 50 settlers, crew, soldiers and convicts.
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Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth set out, on May 11, to mount the "main" ridge from Emu Plains, and followed a route similar to that of the Great Western Highway and railway to Mt Victoria. They then followed a finger ridge to Mt York, arriving late on May 28.
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A penal colony was founded at Moreton Bay, now the city of Brisbane. Permission was granted to change the name of the continent from "New Holland" to "Australia".
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The whole of Australia was claimed as British territory. The settlement of Perth was founded. Swan River Colony was declared by Charles Fremantle for Britain.
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John Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner established a settlement at Port Phillip, now the city of Melbourne. William Wentworth established Australian Patriotic Association (Australia's first political party) to demand democracy for New South Wales.
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Province of South Australia proclaimed with its western border at 132° E.
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First Prussian settlers arrived in South Australia; the largest group on non-British migrants in Australia at the time.
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Victoria separated from New South Wales. The Victorian gold rush started when gold was found at Summerhill Creek and Ballarat.
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Van Diemen's Land name changed to Tasmania.
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The Overland Telegraph Line linking Darwin and Adelaide opened.
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The completion of the railway network between Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
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Australia becomes a federation. Edmund Barton becomes the 1st Prime Minister of Australia; the 7th Earl of Hopetoun becomes Governor-General. The first parliament met in Parliament House, Melbourne. The Australian National Flag was flown for the first time.
