History of Australia in Timeline

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, encompasses the Australian continent, Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest country globally and the largest in Oceania, covering 7,688,287 km2. Known for being the flattest and driest inhabited continent, Australia boasts diverse landscapes and climates, including interior deserts and coastal rainforests, contributing to its megadiverse ecosystem.

1900: Formalisation of Commonwealth of Australia Name

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 Achieved

On January 1901, the federation of the Australian colonies was achieved, establishing the Commonwealth of Australia as a nation.

1901: Earthquakes in Australia

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

1901: Strengthening of the White Australia Policy

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

1901: Australia as a Self-Governing Dominion

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

1901: Melbourne as Temporary Capital

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

1901: Colonies Federated Forming the Commonwealth of Australia

In 1901, the Australian colonies federated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia.

1901: Federation and Constitution

Since Federation in 1901, Australia has maintained its mostly unchanged constitution alongside a stable liberal democratic political system.

1902: End of the Second Boer War

In 1902, the Second Boer War concluded, marking the largest overseas deployment of Australia's colonial forces.

1905: Australia Takes Over Territory of Papua Administration

In 1905, Australia took over the administration of the Territory of Papua.

1906: The Story of the Kelly Gang Release

In 1906, The Story of the Kelly Gang, the world's first feature-length narrative film, was released, spurring a boom in Australian cinema.

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1910: Rise in Australian Temperatures

Since 1910, climate change has led to a 1.5 °C rise in Australian temperatures.

1911: Formation of the Australian Capital Territory

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

1914: Australia Joins World War I

In 1914, Australia joined the Allies in the First World War, participating in battles on multiple fronts.

1915: ANZAC at Gallipoli

In 1915, the defeat of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Gallipoli is regarded as the "baptism of fire" that forged the new nation's identity.

1920: Australia Takes Over Territory of New Guinea Administration

In 1920, Australia took over the administration of the Territory of New Guinea.

1920: Founding Member of the League of Nations

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

1927: Melbourne as Temporary Capital

Until 1927, Melbourne served as the temporary capital, while Canberra was being constructed.

1931: Statute of Westminster

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

1938: Commonwealth Games

In 1938, Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games.

1939: Australia Joins World War II

From 1939, Australia joined the Allies in fighting the Second World War.

1939: Statute of Westminster Backdated

In 1939, Australia backdated the Statute of Westminster to confirm the validity of legislation passed during World War II.

1942: Australia Adopted Statute of Westminster

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

1942: Statute of Westminster Adoption Act

In 1942, the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act was enacted, continuing a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom.

1942: Bombing of Darwin and Shift in Alliances

In 1942, the bombing of Darwin led to a shift from the United Kingdom to the United States as Australia's principal ally.

1945: Post-1945 Immigration

Contemporary Australian culture reflects the country's Indigenous traditions, Anglo-Celtic heritage, and post-1945 history of multicultural immigration.

1945: Founding Member of the United Nations

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

1945: Australia Joins World War II

Until 1945, Australia joined the Allies in fighting the Second World War.

1949: Territory of Papua and New Guinea Unified

In 1949, the territories of Papua and New Guinea were unified.

1951: ANZUS Treaty

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

1955: 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: Australia's Involvement in the Vietnam War

From 1962, Australia participated in the Vietnam War.

1962: Commonwealth Games

In 1962, Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games.

1967: Referendum on 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 in Southern Australia

Since 1970, there has been a reduction in rainfall from April to October in southern Australia.

1971: First One Day International

In 1971, the Australian national cricket team competed against England in the first One Day International, winning the game.

1973: Abolition of White Australia Policy

Following the abolition of the last vestiges of the White Australia policy in 1973, Australia's demography and culture transformed.

1973: Nobel Prize in Literature

In 1973, Patrick White became the first Australian recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

1973: End of Racial Discrimination and Official Multiculturalism

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

1973: Australia's Involvement in the Vietnam War

Until 1973, Australia participated in the Vietnam War.

1975: National Insurance Scheme Introduced

In 1975, Australia introduced a national insurance scheme.

1975: Racial Discrimination Act 1975

In 1975, the Racial Discrimination Act was established in Australia as an important document protecting human rights.

1975: Independence of Papua and New Guinea

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

1975: Dismissal of the Whitlam Government

The most notable exercise of the governor-general's reserve powers was the dismissal of the Whitlam government in the constitutional crisis of 1975.

1981: Medicare Reinstated

In 1981, the national insurance scheme became universal once more under the name of Medicare, following a period of restricted access.

1982: Commonwealth Games

In 1982, Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games.

1982: Decrease in Tropical Cyclones

Since 1982, the number of tropical cyclones has fallen.

1984: Sex Discrimination Act 1984

In 1984, the Sex Discrimination Act was established in Australia as an important document protecting human rights.

1986: Australia Acts

In 1986, the Australia Acts severed the remaining constitutional ties between Australia and the United Kingdom.

1989: Newcastle Earthquake

In 1989, the Newcastle earthquake, Australia's deadliest, killed 13 people.

1992: Disability Discrimination Act 1992

In 1992, the Disability Discrimination Act was established in Australia as an important document protecting human rights.

1999: Referendum on Becoming a Republic

In 1999, 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 was enacted in 1999 as the legal framework for the protection of threatened species.

2000: Sydney Olympics

In 2000, Sydney hosted the Summer Olympics.

2001: Percentage of Population with No Religion

At the 2021 census, 38.9% of the Australian population identified as having no religion, up from 15.5% in 2001.

2001: Australia Joins Afghanistan War

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

2003: Australia Joins Iraq War

In 2003, Australia joined the United States in the Iraq War.

2003: Australia joins the invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Australia joined the invasion of Iraq, a decision made by the prime minister and the national security committee without prior Cabinet approval.

2003: Adult Literacy Rate

In 2003, the adult literacy rate in Australia was estimated to be 99%.

2004: Age Discrimination Act 2004

In 2004, the Age Discrimination Act was established in Australia as an important document protecting human rights.

2004: First Twenty20 International

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

2006: Commonwealth Games

In 2006, Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games.

2009: Australia Ends Iraq War

Australia ended fighting in the Iraq War in 2009.

2009: Commonwealth Government's Renewable Energy Target

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

2011: Literacy and Numeracy Competence Report

A 2011 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 Report

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

2012: Changes in Australia's Energy Sources

From 2012 to 2022, the energy sourced from renewables has increased 5.7%, while energy sourced from coal has decreased 2.6%. The use of gas also increased by 1.5% and the use of oil stayed relatively stable with a reduction of only 0.2%.

2012: Obesity Ranking

In 2012, Australia ranked 35th in the world for its proportion of obese women and near the top of developed nations for its proportion of obese adults; 63% of its adult population was either overweight or obese.

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 Market Share

In 2015, Australian films delivered a 7.7% share of the local box office.

2016: Education Export Contribution

In the 2016 financial year, education contributed more than $28 billion to the Australian economy, making it the third-largest export after iron ore and coal.

2017: Earthquakes in Australia

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

2017: Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in Australia

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

2018: Urbanization in Australia

In 2018, 67% of the Australian population lived in the Greater Capital City Statistical Areas.

2018: Commonwealth Games

In 2018, Australia hosted the Commonwealth Games.

2018: National Indigenous Languages Survey

The National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS) for 2018-19 found that more than 120 Indigenous language varieties were in use or being revived, although 70 of those in use were endangered.

2019: International Students Enrollment

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

2019: Australia's Tourism Statistics

In 2019, Australia attracted 9.5 million international tourists and was ranked thirteenth among Asia-Pacific countries for inbound tourism. International tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $45.7 billion.

2019: Australia's Spending on Research and Development

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

March 2020: Start of COVID-19 Pandemic Response

In March 2020, Australia implemented lockdowns and restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Australia's Household Debt

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

2020: Australia's Electricity Production from Renewable Sources

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

2020: Australia's Contribution to World Research

In 2020, Australia, with only 0.3% of the world's population, contributed over 4% of the world's published research.

June 2021: Endangered Species

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

2021: Australia's Wealth per Adult

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

2021: Indigenous Population in Australia

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

2021: Languages Spoken at Home in Australia

At the 2021 census, English was the only language spoken in the home for 72% of the Australian population. The next most common languages spoken at home were Mandarin (2.7%), Arabic (1.4%), Vietnamese (1.3%), Cantonese (1.2%) and Punjabi (0.9%).

2021: Ancestry Groups in Australia

At the 2021 census, the most commonly nominated ancestry groups in Australia were: 57.2% European, 33.8% Oceanian, 17.4% Asian, 3.2% North African and Middle Eastern, 1.4% Peoples of the Americas, and 1.3% Sub-Saharan African.

2021: Australia Ends Afghanistan War

Australia ended fighting in the Afghanistan War in 2021.

2021: Rollout of COVID-19 Vaccines

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

2021: Australia's Land Use

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

2021: Healthcare Spending

In 2021, Australia spent around 9.91% of its total GDP on health care.

2021: Australia's Electricity Generation Sources

In 2021, Australia's electricity generation sources included 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: Australia's Net Zero Emissions Target

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

2021: Aboriginal Religious Affiliation

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

2021: Australian Defence Force Personnel Statistics

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

2021: Australia's International Relations and Aid Program

In 2021, the Australian people most favorably viewed New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and South Korea. Additionally, Australia maintained an international aid program supporting approximately 75 countries. Australia also ranked fourth in the Center for Global Development's 2021 Commitment to Development Index.

2021: Average Age of the Australian Population

In 2021, the average age of the population in Australia was 39 years.

2021: Australia's Ranking in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report

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

June 2022: Coverage of National Reserve System

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

June 2022: Australia's Unemployment Rate

As of June 2022, Australia had an unemployment rate of 3.5%, with a labour force of approximately 13.5 million people.

June 2022: Australian Government Debt

In June 2022, Australia's government debt was about $963 billion, exceeding 45.1% of the country's total GDP.

2022: Contribution of the Australian Tech Sector to the Economy

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. In addition, recent startup ecosystems in Sydney and Melbourne are valued at $34 billion combined.

2022: PISA Evaluations

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

2022: Australia's Energy Consumption Sources

2022: Australia's Ranking in the Human Development Index and Index of Economic Freedom

In 2022, Australia was ranked tenth in the Human Development Index and twelfth in the Index of Economic Freedom.

2022: Defence Spending as Percentage of GDP

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

2022: New Renewable Energy Target Set in 2022

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

2022: Permanent Migrants Admitted to Australia in 2022-23

In 2022-23, 212,789 permanent migrants were admitted to Australia, resulting in a net migration population gain of 518,000 people inclusive of non-permanent residents.

October 2023: COVID-19 Declared No Longer a National Significance

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

2023: Free Trade Agreements

In 2023, Australia signed its most recent free trade agreement with the UK.

2024: Australian Scientists Awarded Nobel Prizes and Fields Medal

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: Australia's Ranking in the Global Innovation Index

Australia ranked 23rd in the Global Innovation Index 2024.

2024: Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2024–2030

Australia's Strategy for Nature 2024–2030 is the national biodiversity plan that aims to reverse biodiversity loss in Australia by 2030.

2024: Press Freedom Ranking

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

2024: Active Operations of the Australian Defence Force

In 2024, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) was actively involved in operations in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, contributing to UN forces in South Sudan, Syria-Israel peacekeeping, and North Korea, and assisting domestically with disaster relief and preventing asylum-seekers from entering the country.