-
Jan 1, 1300
Marco Polo talks about a great unexplored land.
Around 1300 Marco Polo described a Great Southern Land to other explorers. -
Period: Jan 1, 1300 to
Timespan of the Colonisation of Australia
-
Willem Jansz lands in Australia
Willem Janszoon landed in Cape York, Western Australia, the Northenmost point of Australia in his ship the Duyfken. This is the very first landing of a European explorerer to Australia ever recorded. -
Dirk Hartog lands on islands near Australia in 1616
Dirk Hartog landed on an island off the coast of Western Australia after his ship, the Eendracht, was seperated by a storm from the other ships accompanying. He found it to be uninhabited and left leaving behind a pewter plate saying when he had arrived. He also named the island Eendrachtsland after his ship but it is now called Dirk Hartog Island after Hartog himself. -
Wiliam Dampier sets out to explore the east coast of New Holland
William Dampier was ordered to explore the east cost of New Holland by King William III in HMS Roebuck. He landed on the west coast of Western Australia at shark bay just past Dirk Hartog Island. He then continued north to New Guinea but his ship was too damaged by the time he got to New Guinea and he was forced to abandon the mission without exploring the east coast of what was then known as New Holland. -
James Cook sights south-east corner of Australia
Captain James Cook was ordered by the Admiralty (The admiralty was in charge of th British Royal Navy) to search for Terra australis incognito or the unknown southern land. As he was instructed he did find it and sighted the south-east corner, what we now see as New South Wales and Victoria, in his ship the HMB Endeavour. By this time better routes and maps have been made and it is easier to travel from Britain to Australia. -
The First Fleet arrives in Botany Bay
The First Fleet left from Portsmouth, England on 13 May 1787. It was made up of 11 ships and carrried around 1500 convicts. Around 50 of these people were children. There was also around 400 animals. They had to take convicts to Australia because there was not enough room in the prisons to keep all the prisoners. They decided to establish penal colonies in Australia because that way they had more room in prisons in Britain and the convicts could not escape from Australia to go back to Britain. -
The First Fleet arrives in Botany Bay
I had been stealing things for nearly two years and I had a large stash ready. I was caught stealing three pennies from a table in someone's house while I was chimney sweeping. Now I am on this ship. It smells from all the animals and people being sick. I am starving because we only get tiny rashions. My wrists and ankles are sore from being chained to everyone elses but at least we have been let out into the fresh air. There are fires being set up. I know that I can start a whole new life here -
The First Fleet arrives in Botany Bay
I am a soldier guarding the convicts on one of these huge ships. We have been travelling for months to New Holland. We stopped at Rio De Janeiro to stock up on food and water. We then stoppped at the Cape of Good Hope but now we are about to be let out. Even with my heavy boots on I can feel the sand crunching under my feet. There are flies hovering about and tall trees. Captain Phillips is placing down a British flag up at a small ridge. I miss home but this country should be just as good. -
The First Fleet arrives in Botany Bay
Captain Arthur Phillips
It's been rough going on our trip but we've finally made it. Even some of us navigators and soldiers got ill on the trip. We walked onto the land and it was amazing to see the wildlife and feel the fresh air. We went up a small hill and at the top I was handed a very large British flag which I attached to the flagpole and raised with the cord. We had come here because of prisoners, prisoners of all people, but perhaps this land will one day become a thriving country. -
The First Fleet arrives in Botany Bay
They came on big boats. They all had white skin and big long weapons that looked like a piece of wood but made a loud noise. They tried taking our children away to huts where people spoke to them about things but we didn't let them. Then one day they started using their weapons. They a few of us but we thought back with our spears and boomerangs. There was a lot of fights her and there and they even kidnapped my friend Bennelong. I haven't seen him for days now and I'm very worried. -
George Bass and Matthew Flinders discover Van Diemen's Land
George Bass and Matthew Flinders discover that Van Diemen's Land, now known as Tasmania, is not connected to the mainland. George Bass also named Bass Strait. -
Matthew Flinders circumnavigates Australia for the first time ever
Matthew Flinders is the first person ever to circumnavigate Australia and finished his two year circumnavigation on the 9th June 1803. He made much more accurate maps which helped a lot with navigating. -
The gold rush begins
Gold was first struck near Bathurst in New South Wales. The gold rush then expands to Victoria and William Cambell finds Victoria's first gold in Clunes, a small town near Ballarat. -
Federation of Australia
The constitution of Australia took affect on this day. The Federation meant that Australia was now a seperate nation not just an English colony. This has had a huge impact on Australia and without Federation, Australia would still be an English colony. -
The very first elections held
The very first elections where held on the 29 March in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. The elections were for deciding the Senate and House of Representatives. Sir Edmund Barton lead the Labour party. The Labour party won and Sir Edmund Barton was the leader of the Labour party at the time and became the elected Prime Minister. -
The Prince of Wales opens the first Commonwealth Parliament
The Prince of Wales (soon to be King George V) read out a Message from his father King Edward VII to open the Commonwealth of Australia's very first Parliament. He read out the message at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton infront of many people and leaders. -
The Prince of Wales opens the first Commonwealth Parliament
George V
We finally arrived in Port Phillip Bay in our ship the Ophir. The city of Melbourne was decorated and there was tens of thousands of people waiting to see us. By 10:30am the streets were clear and everyone was crammed onto the pavement. At 11:00am we were to be driven to the Exhibition Building from Governement House through the streets of Melbourne in front of the crowds. I was beginning to feel nervous. I had a long speech to say from my father to open the first Australian Parliament. -
Britain declares war on Germany
Britain declared war on Germany after months of tension in Europe but Australia's involvement commenced at Cocos Keeling Islands (far North West of Australia). German battleship Emden was travelling to Keeling island to destroy the cable and wireless stations that were used for the Allies communication. 30000 Australian and New Zealand troops were being taken to Egypt wth a large naval escort including the destroyer Sydney was also scheduled to stop by at Keeling Island. -
Captain Glossop destroys German battle ship Emden in Australia's first involvement in World War 1
We were travelling towards Cocos-Keeling Islands when we received an S.O.S from the Islands. There were reports of a German ship coming to destroy the cable and wireless communication systems used by the Allies. I was ordered to take the HMAS Sydney destroyer in to stop the Emden. The Emden seemed to have mistaken my ship for another ship and took us on. They started firing first and our ship took some damage. Then we starting firing and the Emden was destroyed. I watched the Emden slowly sink. -
ANZACS arrive at Anzac Cove
-
22nd Battalion advance at Ville-sur-Ancre, France Part 2
Although I didn't wan't to I had to wound two men with my bayonet and capture the other six. Later I charged another enemy position with only my hand revolver and made sure they all came out and surrendered. I killed two that didn't surrender and captured the other thirty-two men. I was only here due to the conscription in Australia. I hate this place and this whole war but I must fight for my country. Sergeant William Ruthven was later awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts and bravery. -
22nd Battalion advance at Ville-sur-Ancre, France Part 1
My name is William Ruthven. I am a soldier in the 22nd Battalion. Our commander was severely injured moments ago so I am currently in charge of our Battalion. We are getting close to our target now, on our mission in France. All of a sudden there is a loud noise and flashing. An enemy machine gun is firing at us, not very far away. I hurled a bomb towards the machine gun then charged in. I struck the man shooting the machine gun with my bayonet then took hold of the machine gun. -
Germany surrenders and the war ends
On the 11th November 1918 it was announced that Germany had surrendered and the Prime Minister, William Hughes, announced that the Armistice was signed at 5:00am and all hostilities were to stop at 11:00am. -
How has Colonisation of Australia changed the way we live today?
I think that the colonisation of Australia by the British has greatly impacted the way we live today. We have many connections with England these days such as The Ashes, the Queen's Birthday public holiday, coins and car brands such as Aston Martin, Mini and Bentley. There is also a lot of english tv shows and people that are involved in our everyday life. This means that many people have relatives in England, are English or visit England a lot. Australia would be very different without England. -
Why did England colonise Australia?
England came to Australia mainly because they had too many people in prisons and not enough prisons, so they decided to take convicts to Australia and set up penal colonies.
