Leslie Massey
Australia is a nation comprised of six federated states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. The states originated as separate British colonies prior to Federation in 1901. Each state has its own unique history and culture, and their names are no exception. The naming of the Australian states is a fascinating mix of tributes to monarchs, explorers, and Indigenous languages.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Named by Captain Cook, possibly due to its similarity to Wales, or because it was in the Southern Hemisphere |
| Queensland | Named when it separated from New South Wales in 1859 |
| Victoria | Named after Queen Victoria |
| Tasmania | Originally named Van Diemen's Land in 1825 |
| Western Australia | Named due to its geographical location, and settled by Europeans in 1826 |
| South Australia | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
- New South Wales: Named by Captain Cook, possibly due to its resemblance to Wales
- Queensland: Named after Queen Victoria, a well-loved monarch
- Victoria: Named after Queen Victoria, who also named its capital, Melbourne
- Western Australia: The largest state, settled by Europeans in 1826
- Tasmania: Originally named Van Diemen's Land, changed in 1825
New South Wales: Named by Captain Cook, possibly due to its resemblance to Wales
New South Wales, a state on the east coast of Australia, was named by Captain James Cook, who charted the eastern coast of the continent in 1770. The state was originally named "New Wales" by Cook, but he later changed it to "New South Wales" on his return voyage to Britain.
There are several theories as to why Cook chose this name. One theory suggests that the name was chosen due to the resemblance of the territory to South Wales or Wales as a whole. The hot and muggy climate of Australia is very different from the temperate climate of Wales, but it is possible that the coastline or other geographical features reminded Cook of Wales. Some sources, however, argue that the coast of Australia bears minimal resemblance to South Wales, and that Cook may have only encountered the coast without venturing inland.
Another theory suggests that the name "New South Wales" was chosen to connect the new land to Britain, rather than due to any physical resemblance. At the time, it was common to name new places after Britain, such as "New Britain" and "Nova Scotia". Cook himself had been sprinkling royal names in the area, which may have brought Wales to mind. Additionally, the insertion of "South" may have been done to distinguish the name from other places named "New Wales", or to emphasize that it was in the southern hemisphere.
New South Wales was founded as a British penal colony in 1788 and originally comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as several island territories. During the 19th century, large areas were separated to form other colonies, which eventually became the various states and territories of Australia. Today, New South Wales is Australia's most populous state, with over 8.5 million people as of December 2024.
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Queensland: Named after Queen Victoria, a well-loved monarch
Queensland was named after Queen Victoria, a well-loved monarch. The state was given this name when it separated from New South Wales in 1859. Queen Victoria also had the honour of naming the capital city of the state of Victoria, which was also named after her. She chose to name the city Melbourne, after William Lamb, the 2nd Viscount Melbourne, who was a close friend and advisor, as well as being the British Prime Minister from 1835-1841.
Queen Victoria was a popular monarch, as evidenced by the fact that two Australian states were named after her. The state of Victoria was originally known as the Victoria Colony, and it was established in 1851. The Colony of Queensland was formed later, in 1859, when it separated from the New South Wales colony.
The Colony of New South Wales was founded in 1788 and originally comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as several islands and Van Diemen's Land, now known as Tasmania. During the 19th century, large areas were separated to form new colonies, including Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New Zealand, and Queensland.
The name 'Australia' itself was endorsed by the New South Wales Governor Lachlan Macquarie in a dispatch to the Colonial Office in London in 1817. By 1824, the British Admiralty had started to officially use the name, and it appeared on hydrographic charts of the Australian coastline.
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the land that is now known as Australia was called by various names by the Indigenous peoples who lived there. These names varied between different language groups and regions, and the Indigenous peoples had a deep spiritual connection to the land.
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Victoria: Named after Queen Victoria, who also named its capital, Melbourne
The Australian state of Victoria was named after Queen Victoria, who had been on the British throne for 14 years when the colony was established in 1851. The District of Port Phillip was established as its own colony, becoming the Colony of Victoria, with its own government within the British Empire. The British Act of Parliament separating the district from New South Wales and creating the new colony was signed by Queen Victoria on 5 August 1850.
Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state (after Tasmania), with a land area of 227,444 square kilometres (87,817 square miles). It is the second-most-populated state (after New South Wales), with a population of over 7 million, and it is the most densely populated state in Australia (30.6 per square kilometre).
The capital of Victoria is Melbourne, which was visited by 2.7 million international overnight visitors and 9.3 million domestic overnight visitors in the year ending in December 2017. Melbourne is the second-most populous city in Australia and was named the world's most liveable city from 2011 to 2017. The city's culture and lifestyle have been increasingly promoted internationally, leading to average year-on-year growth of 10% in international visitors over five years.
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Western Australia: The largest state, settled by Europeans in 1826
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, and it was first settled by Europeans in 1826. The state originated as a separate British colony before the federation of Australia in 1901.
The first recorded European contact in Western Australia was in 1616 when Dutch explorer Dirk Hartog landed on the west coast. However, there were no attempts to establish a permanent settlement until December 1826. An expedition led by Major Edmund Lockyer on behalf of the New South Wales colonial government landed at King George Sound and founded what became the port city of Albany. On 21 January 1827, Lockyer formally claimed the portion of New Holland not yet claimed by the British Crown, that is, the portion west of the 129th meridian east.
The settlement of Albany was followed by the establishment of the Swan River Colony in 1829, which ultimately became the present-day capital, Perth. The harsh conditions faced by the settlers resulted in minimal population growth until the discovery of gold in the 1880s. The first permanent European settlements in the North West took place in the mid-1860s, and by 1868, over 9,000 convicts had been transported to Western Australia, outnumbering the 7,300 settlers in the colony.
The name "Australia" itself was endorsed by the New South Wales Governor Lachlan Macquarie in a dispatch to the Colonial Office in London in December 1817. By 1824, the British Admiralty officially adopted the name, and it appeared on hydrographic charts of the Australian coastline. The name "Commonwealth of Australia" was formalised in the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900, passed by the UK Parliament.
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Tasmania: Originally named Van Diemen's Land, changed in 1825
Tasmania, a state in southeastern Australia, was originally named Van Diemen's Land, after Anthony van Diemen, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies who sent the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman on his voyage of discovery in the 1640s. In 1642, Tasman became the first known European to land on the shores of Tasmania. After landing at Blackman Bay and later raising the Dutch flag at North Bay, Tasman named the island Anthoonij van Diemenslandt (Anthony Van Diemen's Land) in honour of his patron. The demonym for inhabitants of Van Diemen's Land was "Van Diemonian", though contemporaries used the spelling "Vandemonian".
The Aboriginal-inhabited island was first visited by a Dutch ship captained by Tasman in 1642. The British retained the name when they established a settlement in 1803, and it became a separate colony in 1825. Its penal colonies became notorious destinations for the transportation of convicts due to the harsh environment, isolation, and reputation for being escape-proof.
The name was changed to Tasmania on 1st January 1856 to disassociate the island from its convict past and to honour its discoverer, Abel Tasman. The old name had become synonymous with horror in England because of the severity of its convict settlements, such as Macquarie Harbour and Port Arthur. The name change was primarily motivated by a desire to create a fresh identity for the colony.
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Frequently asked questions
The origin of the name New South Wales is subject to debate. Some believe the territory reminded Captain Cook of the coast of Wales, while others argue that it was named so because it was in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tasmania was originally known as Van Diemen's Land. After convict transportation was ended, there was a push to change the name to remove the association with convicts. In 1855, Queen Victoria signed an agreement to change the name, and on January 1, 1856, the island officially became known as Tasmania.
The state of Victoria was named after Queen Victoria when it separated from New South Wales in 1851.
