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Australia is surrounded by the Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans and is separated from Maritime Southeast Asia and New Guinea by the Arafura Sea, the Timor Sea, and the Torres Strait. It is the smallest continent in the world and the sixth-largest country by land area. The first colonies of the British Empire on the continent of Australia were the penal colony of New South Wales, founded in 1788, and the Swan River Colony (later renamed Western Australia), founded in 1829. Over the next few decades, the colonies of Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria were created from New South Wales. On 1 January 1901, these colonies became states in the Commonwealth of Australia. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory are not constitutionally defined as states, and their legislation can be overridden by the Commonwealth government.
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What You'll Learn
The Colony of New South Wales
At its greatest extent, the colony included the present-day Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia, as well as the Northern Territory and New Zealand. The colony was progressively reduced in size as new colonies were formed from its territories. In 1825, Van Diemen's Land (later renamed Tasmania) was established as a separate colony, followed by the Colony of Western Australia (initially known as the Swan River Colony) in 1829.
Over time, the Colony of New South Wales evolved towards self-governance. In 1823, the British Parliament passed the 'New South Wales Act', establishing a Legislative Council to advise the Governor. The colony gained its first responsible self-government in 1856, with Sir Stuart Alexander Donaldson serving as its first Colonial Secretary. In 1843, New South Wales held the first elections in Australia, and in 1855, the Constitutions Act was passed, further solidifying its move towards self-governance.
On 1 January 1901, the Colony of New South Wales, along with several other colonies, became states in the Commonwealth of Australia, marking the transition from a colony to a state of Australia.
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The Colony of Tasmania
The island of Tasmania, separated from the Australian mainland by the Bass Strait, has a unique colonial history that differs from that of the other Australian states. The Colony of Tasmania was established in 1803 as a separate entity from the rest of Australia, which was then known as New South Wales.
The first European settlement in Tasmania was established by the British in 1803 as a penal colony at Risdon Cove on the Derwent River. This settlement was founded by Lieutenant John Bowen, who arrived with a group of convicts, soldiers, and free settlers. Another settlement was established the following year at Sullivan's Cove on the opposite side of the Derwent River, which would later become the city of Hobart. The two settlements merged in 1804, with the focus shifting to Hobart as the main administrative centre.
The early years of the colony were challenging, with harsh conditions, scarce resources, and conflict with the indigenous Tasmanian people. The Black War of 1828-1832 saw violent clashes between colonists and indigenous Tasmanians, resulting in significant loss of life on both sides. The colonial government implemented a policy of removing the remaining indigenous people to Flinders Island, leading to a tragic decline in their population.
Despite these difficulties, the colony of Tasmania flourished. The fertile land and mild climate proved ideal for agriculture, particularly sheep farming for wool production. The colony also developed a thriving whaling industry, taking advantage of its position on the migratory route of these marine mammals.
Tasmania's geographic isolation from the rest of Australia led to the development of distinct social and political institutions. It gained a separate identity and a sense of independence from the other colonies. In 1825, it was officially separated from New South Wales and became a self-governing colony with its own legislative council. This marked the beginning of Tasmania's journey towards statehood, with the colony gaining responsible government in 1856 and joining the Commonwealth of Australia as a state in 1901.
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The Colony of Western Australia
Between 1788 and 1859, Britain established six colonies in Australia, one of which was the Colony of Western Australia. Initially, in 1829, it was established as the smaller Swan River Colony. It was one of the six colonies that became the founding states of the new Commonwealth of Australia. The other five colonies were New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Queensland.
The six colonies were not constitutionally connected to each other but to Britain. Each colony had its own parliament, courts, and constitution, and the laws of each were subject to the laws of the British Parliament and courts. When Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, she was the sovereign of each colony. In 1901, she also became the Head of the Federation of States, which formed the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Colony of New South Wales, founded in 1788, originally comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and Van Diemen's Land, in addition to the area currently referred to as the state of New South Wales. Over the 19th century, large areas were separated from New South Wales to form the other colonies.
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The Colony of Queensland
Between 1788 and 1859, Britain established six Australian colonies, one of which was the Colony of Queensland. Queensland was originally part of the Colony of New South Wales, which was founded in 1788 and comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and Van Diemen's Land (now known as Tasmania).
In the 19th century, large areas were separated from New South Wales to form new colonies, including the Colony of Queensland, which was established in 1859. Queensland became a colony in its own right, no longer a part of New South Wales, and this marked the beginning of its formation as a distinct entity within the Australian continent.
As a colony, Queensland had its own parliament, courts, and constitution, although its laws were still subject to the British Parliament and courts. Like the other Australian colonies, it was not constitutionally connected to the other colonies but rather to Britain. Queen Victoria, who came to the throne in 1837, was the sovereign of each colony, and in 1901, she became the Head of the Federation of States that formed the Commonwealth of Australia.
Queensland also attempted to expand its territory outside of the Australian continent, seeking to establish a presence in New Guinea. However, this claim was rejected by the British authorities, who later established a protectorate in the region that was ceded to Australia. This eventually became part of the independent nation of Papua New Guinea in the mid-20th century.
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Federation in 1901
The process towards Federation began in the 1840s, with the 1880s marking a turning point where the "federal idea" gained traction. The Border Federation League of Corowa's conference in 1893 and the "People's Convention" in Bathurst in 1896 further advanced the federal cause. John Quick's scheme for a popularly elected convention to prepare a constitution, supported by George Reid, gained approval in 1895. The Australasian Federal Convention Elections in 1897 led to the drafting of the Constitution, which was signed by Queen Victoria in 1900.
On January 1, 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed in Centennial Park, Sydney. Sir Edmund Barton was sworn in as the interim Prime Minister, leading a provisional Federal ministry. The Constitution established a bicameral Parliament, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives, and it outlined the division of powers between the states and the new Commonwealth government. The states retained their own parliaments and most existing powers, but the federal government assumed responsibility for defence, immigration, quarantine, customs, banking, and coinage.
The Federation also had economic implications, including the abolition of tariffs on interstate trade and the adoption of a common external tariff schedule by all colonies. The first federal government was considered protectionist, with higher tariffs imposed on overseas imports compared to the averages of the individual colonies before Federation. Additionally, the federal troops, known as the Australian Commonwealth Horse, embarked for South Africa in December 1901.
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Frequently asked questions
The first colonies of the British Empire in Australia were the penal colony of New South Wales, founded in 1788, and the Swan River Colony (later renamed Western Australia), founded in 1829. Over the next few decades, the colonies of Queensland, South Australia, Van Diemen's Land (later renamed Tasmania), and Victoria were created from New South Wales. These colonies, excluding New Zealand, became the first states in the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
There were initially six Australian colonies: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was formed in 1911 to provide a location for the proposed new federal capital of Canberra. The Northern Territory was created in 1978.
The Australia Act 1986 removed any remaining links between the British Parliament and the Australian states.
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