Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia is made up of eight states and territories, each with its own unique blend of environments, cultures, and identities. The states originated as separate British colonies prior to Federation in 1901. Between 1788 and 1859, Britain established six Australian colonies: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland. These colonies, excluding New Zealand, became states in the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1, 1901, when they voted by referendum to unite in a federation. Australia gained independence as a sovereign nation after World War I, and the Australia Act of 1986 severed the remaining ties between the British Parliament and the Australian states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date when the six colonies became states in the Commonwealth of Australia | 1 January 1901 |
| Date when Australia achieved independent Sovereign Nation status | 1942 |
| Date when Australia and the US established diplomatic relations | 1940 |
| Number of states and territories in Australia | 8 |
| Names of the states | New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory |
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What You'll Learn
The six colonies
- New South Wales, founded in 1788 as a penal colony. It originally comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and Van Diemen's Land (later renamed Tasmania).
- Victoria, created from New South Wales.
- Tasmania, initially established as a separate colony named Van Diemen's Land in 1825.
- Western Australia, founded in 1829 as the Swan River Colony.
- South Australia, which was called a province to distinguish it as a place for free immigrants, not convicts.
- Queensland, also created from New South Wales.
In 1896, the colonies agreed to extend restrictions on Chinese immigration to "all coloured races", leading to the Coloured Races Restriction and Regulation Act, a forerunner of the White Australia Policy. By the late 1880s, a majority of people living in the Australian colonies were native-born, with over 90% of British and Irish heritage.
On January 1, 1901, these six colonies voted by referendum to unite in a federation, creating the Commonwealth of Australia, a self-governing Dominion within the British Empire. Queen Victoria became the Head of the Federation of States. While the new nation was sovereign in domestic affairs, the United Kingdom maintained control over its external relations. Over the following decades, Australia gradually gained control over its external policy, with the Balfour Declaration of 1926 recognising its autonomy within the British Empire. Australia achieved independent sovereign nation status after World War I under the Statute of Westminster, which was ratified by Australia in 1942.
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Federation of six states
Australia is a federation of six states, each with its own constitution, executive government, legislature, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. These states originated as separate British colonies prior to Federation in 1901. The six colonies that united to form the Commonwealth of Australia as states were New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania.
The Colony of New South Wales was founded in 1788 and 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. During the 19th century, large areas were separated to form the other colonies that would eventually become the founding states of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Colony of Tasmania was initially established as a separate colony named Van Diemen's Land in 1825. The Colony of Western Australia was initially established as the smaller Swan River Colony in 1829. The Province of South Australia was established in 1836, followed by the Victoria Colony in 1851 and the Colony of Queensland in 1859.
In 1896, the colonies agreed to extend restrictions on Chinese immigration to "all coloured races", resulting in the Coloured Races Restriction and Regulation Act, a forerunner of the White Australia Policy. In 1898, the Australasian Federal Convention dissolved after adopting a bill to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia, and referendums on the proposed constitution were held in four of the colonies. The referendums received majority votes in all four, but the required number of voters in New South Wales was not reached. Amendments were made to the constitution in 1899 to make it more acceptable to New South Wales, and on January 1, 1901, the six colonies collectively became states of the Commonwealth of Australia.
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Self-government
Australia became a self-governing nation on 1 January 1901, when the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed by the Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun. This united six formerly self-governing British colonies of Australia as states under a federal system of governance.
The process of Federation had begun in the late 19th century, driven by the desire to resolve problems caused by the distinct laws, railway gauges, postage stamps, and tariffs of each colony. The colonies of New Zealand and Fiji were also involved in Federation discussions. In 1880, the Australian Natives' Association, composed of white Australian-born men, committed itself to Federation, providing organisational and financial support for the Federation leagues that formed later.
In 1891, the National Australasian Convention took place in Sydney, with delegates from each colony, as well as New Zealand, deciding on the name 'Commonwealth of Australia'. A draft Constitution Bill was written by Samuel Griffiths, the then-Premier of Queensland, based on a previous version by Tasmanian delegate Andrew Inglis Clark. The draft was influenced by the United States Constitution and several British Acts, resulting in Australia's hybrid 'Washminster' system of government.
The Constitution Bill was sent to the colonies of New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria for a vote in 1898, with majority votes in all four. However, the process was stalled by the economic depression of the 1890s, and a second round of referendums was required in 1899 to secure a 'yes' majority in all participating colonies. The British Parliament then passed the necessary legislation to establish the Commonwealth of Australia, which was approved by Queen Victoria on 9 July 1900.
Under the new Constitution, the former colonies retained their own systems of government, but a federal government was established to manage external affairs, defence, immigration, taxation, race, and customs and excise. The federal government was also given the power to make laws for Australia's territories, while the states retained power over matters such as police, hospitals, education, and public transport. The Constitution also established the office of the Governor-General as the Queen's representative in Australia.
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The Northern Territory
The history of the Northern Territory began over 60,000 years ago when Indigenous Australians settled the region. The first confirmed contact between non-Indigenous people and the Northern Territory came with the Dutch in 1605. Willem van Colster, in the Arnhem, briefly touched the northwestern tip of the land that today bears the ship's name. Pieter Pieterszoon (1636), Abel Janszoon Tasman (1642 and 1644), and other Dutch voyagers followed. However, because the Dutch were traders and the Indigenous people had no trade goods, the Dutch lost interest.
Reports of Dutch voyages may have brought the Makassan traders, who traded with the Indigenous people of the Northern Territory for trepang (sea cucumber) from at least the 18th century onwards. There is significant evidence of contact with Makassan fishers in examples of Indigenous Australian rock art and bark painting of northern Australia, with the Makassan perahu a prominent feature.
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The Australian Capital Territory
The ACT is home to many national monuments and institutions, including Parliament House, the High Court of Australia, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Library, the National Archives, the Australian Academy of Science, the National Museum, and the Royal Australian Mint. It also hosts the majority of foreign embassies in Australia and the regional headquarters of many international organizations.
The ACT gained a seat in the House of Representatives in 1949, with limited voting rights. In 1974, it gained multiple members, and in 1975, it began electing two members of the Senate. In 1988, the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act was enacted, establishing the framework for ACT self-government. The ACT Legislative Assembly, with most of the powers and responsibilities of state governments, began governing the territory in 1989, although its actions are subject to a federal veto.
Indigenous Australians have inhabited the region that is now the ACT for thousands of years. The Ngunnawal people were the main indigenous group in the area at the time of European settlement, with other groups such as the Ngarigo and Walgalu living nearby. Canberra became a destination for permanent immigrants in 1824, and by the end of the 1830s, most of the land in the district had been settled.
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Frequently asked questions
The states in Australia began on 1 January 1901, when six colonies were joined together to create the Commonwealth of Australia.
The colonies were New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.
Yes, there were. The Northern Territory was created from South Australia in 1911 to govern the sparsely populated centre of the country.
Australia achieved independent Sovereign Nation status after World War I, under the Statute of Westminster. However, Australia did not ratify the Statute of Westminster until 1942.
