Australia Culture, Geography and History

Recent History

Naval explorer Captain James Cook set foot on Australian soil in 1770, claiming the eastern coastline as British Territory. Australia was soon seen as a solution to overcrowding in British prisons and a way to expand the reach of the British Empire.

In 1788, 11 ships arrived from Great Britain carrying convicts, marines and settlers. The arrival of white settlers changed the face of Australia almost instantly. Much of the indigenous population fell victim to starvation and disease, with foreign diseases like small pox and loss of land devastating the aboriginal population. Colonisation soon expanded throughout Australia, with separate colonies being set up in Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria. Thousands of convicts and settlers arrived to populate the new colonies, essentially giving birth to modern Australia. Convict life was hard, with long days spent toiling in a harsh environment with the unforgiving climate making life difficult. Brutal physical punishment, public hangings and death from disease and malnutrition were commonplace. The free settlers also suffered, as limited access to healthcare and fresh produce created medical problems and malnutrition.

In the 1850s, Australia experienced a new wave of immigration due to the Gold Rush. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants from China, Britain, Hungary, Poland, Italy, Germany and France flocked to the Victorian goldfields to find their fortunes in the gold frenzy. This new wave of multiculturalism would be the first of many for Australia.

In 1901, the separate colonies united to form the Federation of Australia, meaning the nation was then governed under one constitution. Sir Edmund Barton became Australia’s first Prime Minister, governing the Commonwealth of Australia until 1903 when he stepped down to become a judge of Australia’s first High Court. A little more than a decade later, World War I was declared. Australia’s participation in World War I gave birth to the Anzac legend – the spirit of mateship, courage and honour that embodies the Australian way of life. Later on, Australia also participated in World War II, as well as the Korean War, Vietnam War and other conflicts and peacekeeping missions.

More recently, Australia has prospered with a strong economy based on tourism, agriculture and the export of resources and minerals like coal, iron and gold.