WA Colony By colony wa Jan 1, 1616 Dirk Hartog Arrived in WA Dirk Hartog the Explorer. Placed "The Pewter Plate" Jan 1, 1788 First Fleet Arrived Jan 1, 1820 British Government Planning to establish Colony Around 1820s Jan 1, 1829 WA Colony started Jan 1, 1850 Convicts requested 1850-1868 Jan 1, 1901 Aboriginals had the right to vote in all the colonies except .... except Western Australia and Queensland.