AUSTRALIA
The First Peoples - Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, became a sovereign nation on 1 January 1901. This day marked the federation of the 6 colonies into a dominion of the British Empire.
In 1901 there was over 3.8 million people living in Australia – of which 77% [nearly 3 million] were born in Australia. It is estimated that there were 100,000 aborigines in Australia at this time.
These are the first peoples of Australia. Australia did not exist until 1 January 1901.
On 26 January 1788 England’s first convict fleet arrived, landed and created the first permanent settlement at Port Jackson which was named Sydney cove [named after Lord Sydney]. The first fleet landed unopposed without a shot being fired or the loss of any life or injury to any person.
The colony was called New South Wales and included the eastern and central land mass of the continent, Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands and Tasmania.
The colony would expand from Port Jackson and land would be settled piece by piece over the next 80 years.
Gold rushes and agricultural industries brought prosperity to the colonies and saw a significant influx of people.
In 1829 Western Australia became a free colony [originally known as Swan River colony] when Captain Fremantle formally took possession of the land of Western Australia in the name of the King of England securing the claim with permanent settlement.
During the 19th century, most of the colony of New South Wales was divided to form separate British colonies specifically Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia with each of the colonies individually gaining responsible government, managing most of their own affairs while remaining part of the British Empire.
The six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia, establishing a system of federalism in Australia.
The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act (UK) was passed on 5 July 1900 and given Royal Assent by Queen Victoria on 9 July 1900. It was proclaimed on 1 January 1901 in Centennial Park, Sydney. Sir Edmund Barton was sworn in as the interim Prime Minister, leading an interim Federal ministry of nine members.
The peoples of the colonies became the First Peoples of Australia Whatever ancestry or nation they descended from they had now all been joined here in the nation of Australia.
The First Peoples included the indigenous peoples, the descendants of convicts and free settlers, the descendants of various European nations and other peoples that had arrived freely having been born in other nations with the intention seeking a new life … all together in the foundation of a new free and democratic nation.
The passing of the Australia Act 1986 ended the British government in the government of Australia and removed the option of judicial appeals to the Privy Council in London. The High Court of Australia was now the highest court in Australia and the final court of appeal.
The Queen of England now became the Queen of Australia in a separate roll to the roll of the Queen of England although this position to this day remains largely symbolic.