History of Australia in Timeline

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, encompasses the Australian mainland, Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of 7,688,287 km2, it is the sixth-largest country globally and the largest in Oceania. Notably, Australia is the driest and flattest inhabited continent, characterized by diverse landscapes and climates, ranging from inland deserts to coastal tropical rainforests. It is also recognized as a megadiverse country.

1900: Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act

In 1900, the name "Commonwealth of Australia" for the new federation of the six former colonies was formalised in the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (UK).

January 1901: Federation of the colonies was achieved

On January 1, 1901, the federation of the colonies was achieved after a decade of planning, constitutional conventions and referendums, resulting in the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia as a nation under the new Australian Constitution.

1901: Earthquakes in Australia

Between 1901 and 2017, there were 18 earthquakes with a moment magnitude of greater than 6.

1901: Strengthening of the White Australia Policy

Following Federation in 1901, the white Australia policy was strengthened, restricting further migration from certain areas.

1901: Melbourne served as the temporary capital

From 1901 to 1927, Melbourne served as the temporary capital while Canberra was being constructed.

1901: Australia became a self-governing dominion within the British Empire

From 1901, Australia was a self-governing dominion within the British Empire.

1901: Colonies federated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia

In 1901, the colonies federated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia, continuing a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom.

1902: Second Boer War marked largest overseas deployment of Australia's colonial forces

The Second Boer War (1899–1902) marked the largest overseas deployment of Australia's colonial forces in 1902.

1905: Australia took over the administration of the Territory of Papua

In 1905, Australia took over the administration of the Territory of Papua, which had previously been a British colony.

1906: Release of The Story of the Kelly Gang

In 1906, The Story of the Kelly Gang, which is recognized as the world's first feature-length narrative film, was released, catalyzing a boom in Australian cinema during the silent film era.

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1910: Rise in Australian temperatures due to climate change

Climate change from increased greenhouse gas emissions has led to a 1.5 °C rise in Australian temperatures since 1910 and an increase in extreme heat and heavy rainfall events.

1911: Australian Capital Territory was formed; Northern Territory transferred to Commonwealth

In 1911, the Australian Capital Territory was formed as the location for the future federal capital of Canberra, and the Northern Territory was transferred from the control of South Australia to the Commonwealth.

1914: Australia joined the Allies in the First World War

In 1914, Australia joined the Allies in the First World War, and took part in the fighting on several fronts.

1915: Defeat of ANZAC at Gallipoli

Many Australians regard the defeat of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Gallipoli in 1915 as the "baptism of fire" that forged the new nation's identity.

1920: Australia took over the administration of the Territory of New Guinea

In 1920, Australia took over the administration of the Territory of New Guinea (formerly German New Guinea).

1920: Australia became one of the founding members of the League of Nations

In 1920, Australia was one of the founding members of the League of Nations.

1927: Melbourne's role as the temporary capital ended

Melbourne's role as the temporary capital ended in 1927.

1931: Statute of Westminster ended UK's ability to legislate for Australia without consent

The Statute of Westminster 1931 ended the ability of the UK to legislate for Australia at the federal level without Australia's consent.

1938: Commonwealth Games

Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1938.

1939: Australia joined the Allies in fighting the Second World War

From 1939 to 1945, Australia joined the Allies in fighting the Second World War, with armed forces fighting in various theaters.

1939: Statute of Westminster backdated

The Statute of Westminster was backdated to 1939 to confirm the validity of legislation passed during World War II.

1942: Australia adopted the Statute of Westminster

Australia adopted the Statute of Westminster in 1942, but it was backdated to 1939.

1942: Bombing of Darwin and shift in alliance to the United States

In 1942, the shock of Britain's defeat in Singapore, followed by the bombing of Darwin and other Japanese attacks on Australian soil, led to a shift from the United Kingdom to the United States as Australia's principal ally and security partner.

1942: Statute of Westminster Adoption Act

The Statute of Westminster Adoption Act of 1942 highlighted the increasing autonomy of Australia from the United Kingdom.

1945: Australia continued fighting in the Second World War

From 1939 to 1945, Australia joined the Allies in fighting the Second World War, with armed forces fighting in various theaters.

1945: Australia became one of the founding members of the United Nations

In 1945, Australia was one of the founding members of the United Nations.

1945: Post-War Immigration

Post 1945 immigration has contributed to contemporary Australian culture.

1949: The Territory of Papua and New Guinea was unified

In 1949, the Territory of Papua and New Guinea was unified.

1951: Australia allied with the United States under the ANZUS treaty

Since 1951, Australia has been allied with the United States under the ANZUS treaty.

1955: Bitter split in the Labor Party

In 1955, tensions over communist influence in society led to a bitter split in the Labor Party.

1956: Melbourne Olympics

In 1956, Melbourne hosted the Summer Olympics.

1962: Commonwealth Games

Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1962.

1962: Australia participated in the Vietnam War

From 1962 to 1973, Australia participated in the Vietnam War.

1967: Referendum granting federal government power to legislate regarding Aboriginal Australians

As a result of a 1967 referendum, the federal government gained the power to legislate with regard to Aboriginal Australians, and Aboriginal Australians were fully included in the census.

1970: Reduction in rainfall from April to October in southern Australia

Since 1970, there has been a reduction in rainfall from April to October in southern Australia and a longer bushfire season since the 1950s.

1971: First One Day International

The Australian national cricket team competed against England in the first One Day International in 1971 and won.

1973: Abolition of the last vestiges of the White Australia policy

Following the abolition of the last vestiges of the White Australia policy in 1973, Australia's demography and culture transformed as a result of a large and ongoing wave of non-European immigration.

1973: Australia ceased participation in the Vietnam War

From 1962 to 1973, Australia participated in the Vietnam War.

1973: Nobel Prize in Literature

In 1973, Patrick White, the first recipient of the Miles Franklin literary prize, won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

1973: End of Racial Discrimination

In 1973, all overt racial discrimination ended in Australia, with multiculturalism becoming official policy.

1975: National Insurance Scheme Introduction

In 1975, Australia introduced a national insurance scheme.

1975: Racial Discrimination Act

In 1975, the Racial Discrimination Act was established, representing a key legal protection for human rights in Australia.

1975: Territory of Papua and New Guinea gained independence from Australia

In 1975, the Territory of Papua and New Guinea gained independence from Australia.

1975: Dismissal of the Whitlam government

The most notable exercise of these powers was the dismissal of the Whitlam government in the constitutional crisis of 1975.

1981: Medicare Introduction

In 1981, Australia's national insurance scheme became universal and was renamed Medicare.

1982: Commonwealth Games

Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1982.

1982: Number of tropical cyclones have fallen

The number of tropical cyclones have fallen since 1982 and alpine snow has decreased since the late 1950s.

1984: Sex Discrimination Act

In 1984, the Sex Discrimination Act was established, representing a key legal protection for human rights in Australia.

1986: Australia Acts

The Australia Acts of 1986 culminated the process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom.

1986: Australia Acts severed constitutional ties with the United Kingdom

The Australia Acts of 1986 severed the remaining constitutional ties between Australia and the United Kingdom while maintaining the monarch as Queen of Australia.

1989: Newcastle earthquake

The Newcastle earthquake of 1989 was Australia's deadliest, killing 13 people.

1992: Disability Discrimination Act

In 1992, the Disability Discrimination Act was established, representing a key legal protection for human rights in Australia.

1999: Constitutional referendum rejected abolishing the monarchy

In a 1999 constitutional referendum, 55% of voters rejected abolishing the monarchy and becoming a republic.

1999: Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

The federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is the legal framework for the protection of threatened species.

2000: Sydney Olympics

In 2000, Sydney hosted the Summer Olympics.

2001: Australia joined the United States in fighting the Afghanistan War

Following the September 11 attacks on the United States, Australia joined the United States in fighting the Afghanistan War from 2001 to 2021.

2001: Religion identification

In 2001, the census reported that 15.5% of the Australian population identified as having no religion.

2003: Australia joined the United States in fighting the Iraq War

Australia joined the United States in fighting the Iraq War from 2003 to 2009.

2003: Adult Literacy Rate

In 2003, Australia's adult literacy rate was estimated to be 99%.

2003: Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, a major decision, such as joining the invasion of Iraq, was made without prior Cabinet approval, highlighting the concentration of power over foreign policy in the prime minister and the national security committee.

2004: Age Discrimination Act

In 2004, the Age Discrimination Act was established, representing a key legal protection for human rights in Australia.

2004: First Twenty20 International

In 2004, the Australian national cricket team competed against New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International and won.

2006: Commonwealth Games

Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2006.

2009: Australia ended fighting in the Iraq War

Australia joined the United States in fighting the Iraq War from 2003 to 2009.

2009: Renewable Energy Target

In 2009, the Commonwealth government set a target of 20% renewable energy by 2020.

2011: Literacy and Numeracy Competence Levels

A 2011-2012 report for the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 44% of the population does not have high literary and numeracy competence levels.

2012: Literacy and Numeracy Competence Levels

A 2011-2012 report for the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 44% of the population does not have high literary and numeracy competence levels.

2012: Energy Source Changes

From 2012 to 2022, the energy sourced from renewables has increased 5.7%, while energy sourced from coal has decreased 2.6%.

2012: Obesity Ranking

In 2012, Australia ranked 35th in the world for the proportion of obese women and was near the top of developed nations for obese adults.

2014: National Curriculum Implementation

Since 2014, a national curriculum developed by the Commonwealth has been implemented by the states and territories in Australia.

2015: Australian Films' Share of Local Box Office

In 2015, Australian films captured 7.7% of the local box office in a market dominated by foreign content.

2016: Education Export Contribution

In the 2016-17 financial year, education in Australia contributed more than $28 billion to the economy.

2017: Earthquakes in Australia

Between 1901 and 2017, there were 18 earthquakes with a moment magnitude of greater than 6.

2017: Legalisation of Same-Sex Marriage

In 2017, same-sex marriage was legalized in Australia.

2018: Commonwealth Games

Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

2018: Urbanisation Levels

In 2018, 67% of the Australian population lived in the Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (metropolitan areas of the state and mainland territorial capital cities).

2018: National Indigenous Languages Survey

The 2018-19 National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS) found that over 120 Indigenous language varieties were in use or being revived, with 70 of them being endangered.

2019: International Tourists

In 2019, Australia attracted 9.5 million international tourists.

2019: International Student Enrollment

In 2019, Australia had 812,000 international students enrolled in universities and vocational institutions, representing an average of 26.7% of the student bodies of Australian universities.

2019: Spending on Research and Development

In 2019, Australia spent $35.6 billion on research and development, allocating about 1.79% of GDP.

March 2020: COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and restrictions implemented

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, from March 2020 lockdowns and other restrictions on public gatherings and movement across the national and state borders were implemented by the Federal, state and territory governments.

2020: World Research Contribution

In 2020, Australia contributed 4.1% of the world's published research, making it one of the top 10 research contributors.

2020: Household Debt

In 2020, Australia had the second-highest level of household debt in the world, after Switzerland.

2020: Renewable Energy Production

In 2020, Australia produced 27.7% of its electricity from renewable sources.

June 2021: Animal and plant species listed as endangered or critically endangered

In June 2021, over 1,000 animal and plant species were listed by Australian governments as endangered or critically endangered.

2021: Wealth Per Adult

As of 2021, Australia had the second-highest amount of wealth per adult, after Luxembourg.

2021: Indigenous Population

At the 2021 census, 3.8% of the Australian population identified as being Indigenous—Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders.

2021: Ancestry Groups

At the 2021 census, the most commonly nominated ancestry groups as a proportion of the total population were: 57.2% European (including 46% North-West European and 11.2% Southern and Eastern European), 33.8% Oceanian, 17.4% Asian.

2021: Australia ended fighting in the Afghanistan War

Following the September 11 attacks on the United States, Australia joined the United States in fighting the Afghanistan War from 2001 to 2021.

2021: COVID-19 restrictions were gradually eased

Following the rollout of vaccines in 2021, these COVID-19 restrictions were gradually eased.

2021: Australia had 10% of global permanent meadows and pastureland

In 2021 Australia had 10% of the global permanent meadows and pastureland.

2021: Net Zero Emissions Target

In 2021, Australia set a target for net zero emissions by 2050.

2021: Electricity Generation Sources

In 2021, Australia's generation of electricity was sourced from black coal (37.2%), brown coal (12%), natural gas (18.8%), hydro (6.5%), wind (11.1%), solar (13.3%), bio-energy (1.2%) and others (1.7%).

2021: Aboriginal Religious Affiliation

In 2021, approximately 8,000 people in Australia declared an affiliation with traditional Aboriginal religions.

2021: Australian Defence Force Personnel

In 2021, the Australian Defence Force had 84,865 currently serving personnel, including 60,286 regulars and 24,581 reservists.

2021: Language Spoken at Home

In 2021, the Australian census revealed that English was the primary language spoken at home by 72% of the population, while Mandarin (2.7%), Arabic (1.4%), Vietnamese (1.3%), Cantonese (1.2%), and Punjabi (0.9%) were the next most common languages spoken.

2021: Average Age of the Population

In 2021, the average age of the Australian population was 39 years, reflecting a demographic shift towards an older population.

2021: Most Favourably Viewed Countries

In 2021, the countries most favorably viewed by the Australian people included New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and South Korea.

2021: Religion identification

In the 2021 census, 38.9% of the Australian population identified as having no religion, while Christianity was the largest religion at 43.9%.

2021: Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report Ranking

The 2021 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Australia seventh-highest in the world out of 117 countries.

May 2022: Federal Election

In May 2022, the Australian Labor Party, led by Anthony Albanese, won the federal election and formed the government.

June 2022: Coverage of the National Reserve System

As at 30 June 2022, the National Reserve System covered over 22% of Australia's land mass.

June 2022: Unemployment Rate

As of June 2022, Australia's unemployment rate was 3.5%.

2022: Tech Sector Contribution

A 2022 study by Accenture for the Tech Council shows that the Australian tech sector combined contributes $167 billion a year to the economy and employs 861,000 people.

2022: PISA Evaluation

According to the 2022 PISA evaluations, Australian 15-year-olds ranked ninth in the OECD for reading and science and tenth for maths.

2022: Human Development Index Ranking

Australia was ranked tenth in the Human Development Index in 2022.

2022: Energy Source Changes

From 2012 to 2022, the energy sourced from renewables has increased 5.7%, while energy sourced from coal has decreased 2.6%.

2022: Permanent Migrants Admitted to Australia

In 2022, 212,789 permanent migrants were admitted to Australia, with a net migration population gain of 518,000 people inclusive of non-permanent residents.

2022: New Renewable Energy Target

In 2022, Australia set a new target of 82% renewable energy by 2030.

2022: Defence Spending

In 2022, defence spending in Australia was 1.9% of GDP, making it the world's 13th-largest defence budget.

October 2023: Australia declared that COVID-19 was no longer a communicable disease incident of national significance

In October 2023, Australia declared that COVID-19 was no longer a communicable disease incident of national significance.

2023: Free Trade Agreement Signed with the UK

In 2023, Australia signed a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom, continuing its pursuit of international trade liberalization.

2024: Australian Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize

As of 2024, 13 Australian scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry or medicine, and two have been awarded the Fields Medal.

2024: Global Innovation Index

Australia ranked 23rd in the Global Innovation Index 2024.

2024: Australia’s Strategy for Nature

Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2024–2030 is the national biodiversity plan that aims to reverse biodiversity loss in Australia by 2030 and meet the county's obligations under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and other international agreements.

2024: Press Freedom Ranking

In 2024, Reporters Without Borders ranked Australia 39th out of 180 countries in press freedom.

2024: ADF Active Operations

In 2024, the ADF had active operations in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, contributed to UN forces, and assisted domestically with asylum-seeker prevention and natural disaster relief.