| 1606 |
Australia sighted
by Willem Jansz (Dutchman) |
| 1607 |
Europeans
land in Australia |
| 1642 |
Dutch
explorer Abel Tasman discovers Tasmania |
| 1770 |
Captain
James Cook claims Australia for Britain |
| 1788 |
British
settle on Australia |
| 1802 |
Tasmania
claimed for Britain |
| 1803 |
Matthew
Flinders sails completely around Australia |
| 1813 |
William Charles
Wentworth and William Lawson found the way across the Blue Mountains
in May. G.W. Evans crossed the Blue Mountains in November, 1813,
continuing the the explorations of Gregory Blaxland. |
| 1829 |
Captain Charles
Fremantle claims Western Australia for Britain |
| 1839 |
Paul Strzelecki
walked up the highest mountain in Australia and named it Mount
Kosciusko. He found gold that year, but that information
was suppressed and the Gold Rush did not take place until 1851. |
| 1855 |
Van Dieman's
Land renamed Tasmania in honor of Abel Tasman |
| 1891 |
Australia's
constitution is drafted |
| 1894 |
Women get the
right to vote |
| 1901 |
Commonwealth
of Australia comes into being |
| 1914-1918 |
Australia
fights in World War I |
| 1915 |
Australia
and New Zealand Army Corporations (ANZAC) formed on April 25
(ANZAC Day). |
| 1925 |
Compulsory
voting begins |
| 1927 |
Canberra becomes
capital of Australia |
| 1929 |
Flying Doctors
Service forms |
| 1930-1935 |
Great Depression
in Australia |
| 1939-1945 |
Australia fights
in World War II |
| 1963 |
Aboriginals
given full rights as citizens |
| 1967 |
Federal aid
programs started for Aboriginals |
| 1976 |
Aboriginal
Land Rights Act passed |
| 1988 |
Australia celebrates
bicentennial |
| 2001 |
Centenary of
Federation, celebrating the joining together of Australian states
in 1901 |
