Australian History

Discovered Tasmania His expedition became the first recorded Europeans to have encountered its eastern coastline.

British naval officer who was appointed the first governor of the first European colony on New South Wales. Commanded the First Fleet to Australia and was the founder of the city of Sydney.

In 1813, following several attempts by others, Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth found a passage to the western plains by following the top of a ridge.

Both Batman and Fawkner settled in the new town, which had several interim names, including Batville, before being officially named Melbourne in honor of the British Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, in March 1837.

From 1851 to 1896 the Victorian Mines Department reported that a total of 61,034,682 oz of gold was mined in Victoria. In 10 years, the Australian population nearly tripled.

The Battle of Eureka Stockade was fought between miners and the Colonial forces of Australia on 3 December 1854 at Eureka Lead. The Eureka Stockade is regarded as the birthplace of Australian democracy. Despite its apparent failure, the Eureka Stockade gained the attention of the Government. A Commission of Enquiry followed and changes were made. These included abolishing the monthly gold licenses, which were replaced by an affordable annual miner's license. There were fewer troopers on the goldfields, and intrusive license spot-checks ceased.

By 1858 Sydney and Melbourne were linked by electric telegraph, and a telegraph line opened between Hobart Town and Launceston.

The oldest surviving set of rules of Australian rules football were drawn up on 17 May 1859, three days after the formation of the Melbourne Football Club.

Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills led an expedition of 19 men with the intention of crossing Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria