Waves of Migration to Australia

  • First Fleet

    First Fleet
    The First Fleet set sail from Great Britain and arrived in Botany Bay, near Sydney in 1788. The First Fleet consisted of eleven ships, which carried more than 1000 people. Most of them were convicts, their families and officers. They were the first European settlement in Australia
  • Transportation of convicts to Australia stopped.

    Transportation of convicts to Australia stopped.
    From 1788 to 1850, the Europeans had 'invaded' Australia for convicts to start a new life. A total of 160,000 convicts were sent to Australia, in 806 ships.
  • Gold Rush

    Gold Rush
    In early 1851, the Gold Rush era led Australia to be more populated. Britsh, Irish, Europeans and Chinese people had started to migrate to Australia to test their luck at finding gold.
  • Federations of Australia

    Federations of Australia
    Australia was no longer ruled by British government. In this year, the governement agreed not to allow non-Europeans migration. This was known as the 'White Australia Policy'.
  • End of World War I

    End of World War I
    On the 11th November, 1918, the first World War ended.
  • End of World War II

    End of World War II
    On the 2nd September, 1945, World War II ended and resulted in more than 1 million Europeans and British migrating to Australia. Australia offered people who were affected by the war a new life and a better future. The Britsh who migrated to Australia were under a scheme known as the 'Ten Pound Poms'.
  • End of Vietnam War

    End of Vietnam War
    After almost 20 years the Vietnam War ended in 1975.When the 'White Australian Policy' ended in Australia, Australia became flooded with immigrants from regions such as Indochina. Many escaped to refugee camps and came to Australia by boat, or if lucky enough, by plane.
  • End of Khmer Rouge

    End of Khmer Rouge
    Khmer Rouge was a war that lasted 4 years in Cambodia. It had caused families to seperate and cities destroyed. Many, who were lucky enough crossed the country's borders to seek refuge in Refugee Camps.
  • Tiananmen Square massacre

    Tiananmen Square massacre
    After Prime Minister Bob Hawke delivered an emotional speech on the Tiananmen Square massacre, he granted most Chinese students permanent residency in Australia.
  • Asylum Seekers

    Asylum Seekers
    Asylum Seekers coming to Australia has cause a debacle within the governement. Many of them come in small boats which hold up to 300 people to seek refuge in Australia.Because there is so many coming into Australia, there is no more room in Detention Centres to contain them all, which is causing a huge debate to send them back or not.