How did the 1900 referendum decide whether Western Australia would join the Australian Commonwealth?

In the late 1890s, the movement for federation in Western Australia was driven largely by gold-mining communities that favored joining the Australian Commonwealth. While the colonial government had been hesitant, these interests mounted a "separation for federation" campaign to push the issue.

In July 1900, Premier Sir John Forrest held a referendum to resolve the matter. The electorate voted decisively in favor of joining the federation, with 44,000 votes for and 19,000 against. Following this result, Western Australia became a founding member of the Australian Commonwealth on January 1, 1901.1