History of Australia

It is estimated that the Aborigines of Australia appeared on the Australian continent about 40,000 – 50,000 years ago. They came to Australia by boats from South-East Asia. European explorers observed the “island” in the 17th century, but there were no real attempts at settlement. Only in 1770, James Cook who sailed the east cost of Australia, claimed the new territory for Great Britain and named it New South Wales.

Great Britain did not do much with New South Wales until 1788 when First Fleet under Captain Arthur Phillip landed at Sydney and formal proclamation of the establishment of the Colony of New South Wales followed. Today 26 January is an official public holiday that commemorates the arrival of the Fist Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788.

During the first yeas after opening of Australia, many prisoners were transported to the new land, convict colonies were founded. In the early 1850s a gold rush began, and the population started to increase. Till the end of the 19th century the six colonies gained their governments. Later, in 1901, these colonies were brought together under a common government. The established Commonwealth of Australia became a dominion of the British Empire in 1907. The last vestiges of the British legal authority were eliminated with the Australia Act in 1986.