Australia's past

1700   Fishing crews from Macassar and other parts of present-day Indonesia make seasonal camps on the northern coast and trade with Aboriginal people who live there.

1770    Before 1770 many sailors had visited Australia. These included Dutch sailors and also the English pirate named William Dampier. However, the areas they landed at made them believe New Holland, as it was then called, was a dry and worthless land.

1768    James cook was an outstanding seaman. Coming from a poor family who lived in Yorkshire, England, he joined the navy at the age of 27 and quickly rose to be in charge of an expedilion to the South Seas. There were two reasons for this expedition.

1788   In 1788, Britain lost the American colonies in the War of American Independence. The colonies became known as the United States of America, and refused to accept any more convicts.

1788   Lapeaurouse explores the east coast of Australia. The First Fleet sales into port Jackson. Aboriginal population is over 500 000. Colonisation of Australia begins.

1788   settlement in Australia.The First Fleet arrival, at Sydney Cove under. Captain Arthur Phillip to establish the First Fleet

1800   Gold has played a vital part in building Australia, Mary early discoveries were made the1800s, providing an increase in population and conluebuting to the wealth that helped Australia consider federation.

1804    David Collins establishes convict settlement at Hobart on the Derwent River van Diemen’s Land, named Gerorge Town, on Tamar River.

1804    David Collins establishes convict settlement at Hobart on the Derwent River van Diemen’s Land, named Gerorge Town, on Tamar River.

1890     If you went into a classroom of the 1890s, you would be hard pressed to find much in common with your classroom, except for the teacher and students. Even then you would notice a difference-it wasn’t uncommon for an 1890s classroom to have loo or more students.

1895     Waltzing Matilda, written in 1895, is one of Australia’s most famous songs, and an Australian icon. Go to the following internet website and find out answers to the these Waltzing Matilda questions.

1900      one of the greatest differences between life in the first decacde of the 1900s and life in the food people ate. Fresh vegetables were still (relatively) expensive, apart from potatoes, which were also eaten in large amounts.

1901       Creation of the common wealth of Australia. This was a federation of the states of New South Wales, Victoia, Tasman, Queensland , wesern Australia and South Australia.

1901       on the 1 of January 1901, Sydney was prepaed for the proclamation of Australia as a new nation. That first federal cabinet consisted of just seven members: Edmumd Barton(Prime Minister);Alfred Deakin (Attorney-General);sir James Dickson (Trade and Customs);sir George Turner (Treasurer);sir William Lyne(Home Affairs).

1901       on 29 April 1901, the government announced a competition to design the flag of Australia. Of the entries, five people, including a 14-year-old boy, were setected as winners and their ideas contributed to the Australian flag.

1911        We hart was the first person in Australia to be awarded a pilot’s licence, after teaching himself to fly. He also won Australia first air race.