Colonization of Australia

Images

Rock art of a European ship

Map of Australia and surrounding region highlighting the location of New South Wales on the southeastern coast of Australia, with neighboring countries and islands such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and several Pacific islands labeled.

Map of New South Wales, Australia, showing major cities and towns, including Sydney (the state capital), Newcastle, Wollongong, and others. The map outlines state and political boundaries with neighboring states and territories, and marks coastal areas along the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea.

Map of New South Wales, Australia, highlighting physical features such as mountain ranges, national parks, rivers, and coastal areas. Key features include the Great Dividing Range, Kosciuszko National Park, and the location of the Australian Capital Territory. Neighboring regions-Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Jervis Bay Territory-are also marked, with the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea to the east.

Early New South Wales

Sheep in Australia

Caroline Chisholm

Map of Australia and surrounding regions, with the state of Victoria highlighted in the southeastern part of the country. Neighboring countries and islands such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands are labeled, along with nearby seas including the Indian Ocean, Coral Sea, and Tasman Sea.

Map of the Australian state of Victoria showing major cities and towns, including Melbourne (the state capital), Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Mildura, and others. State boundaries with South Australia, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory are marked, with surrounding bodies of water labeled as the Indian Ocean, Bass Strait, and Tasman Sea. An inset map highlights Victoria's location within Australia.

Map of the Australian state of Victoria highlighting physical features such as the Great Dividing Range, Australian Alps, national parks, major lakes, and rivers. The map shows borders with South Australia and New South Wales, and includes surrounding bodies of water like the Indian Ocean, Bass Strait, and Tasman Sea. Major landmarks such as Mount Bogong and Wilson's Promontory are labeled.

Colonization of Australia: Media

Australian history

Images

Rock art of a European ship

Rock art of a European ship

Rock art depicting a ketch-rigged European ship, Northern Territory, Australia.

Courtesy of AIATSIS (collection no. 73749)

Map of Australia and surrounding region highlighting the location of New South Wales on the southeastern coast of Australia, with neighboring countries and islands such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and several Pacific islands labeled.

New South Wales

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of New South Wales, Australia, showing major cities and towns, including Sydney (the state capital), Newcastle, Wollongong, and others. The map outlines state and political boundaries with neighboring states and territories, and marks coastal areas along the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea.

Political map of New South Wales in the 21st century

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of New South Wales, Australia, highlighting physical features such as mountain ranges, national parks, rivers, and coastal areas. Key features include the Great Dividing Range, Kosciuszko National Park, and the location of the Australian Capital Territory. Neighboring regions-Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Jervis Bay Territory-are also marked, with the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea to the east.

Physical features of New South Wales

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Early New South Wales

Early New South Wales

A map of New South Wales from 1794.

State Library of Queensland (record no. 21118569050002061)

Sheep in Australia

Sheep in Australia

Wool production became important to the Australian economy by the early 19th century.

© Corbis

Caroline Chisholm

Caroline Chisholm

A pioneer of social work in Australia, Caroline Chisholm established a home for destitute...

Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales (a4062001)

Map of Australia and surrounding regions, with the state of Victoria highlighted in the southeastern part of the country. Neighboring countries and islands such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands are labeled, along with nearby seas including the Indian Ocean, Coral Sea, and Tasman Sea.

Victoria, Australia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of the Australian state of Victoria showing major cities and towns, including Melbourne (the state capital), Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Mildura, and others. State boundaries with South Australia, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory are marked, with surrounding bodies of water labeled as the Indian Ocean, Bass Strait, and Tasman Sea. An inset map highlights Victoria's location within Australia.

Political map of Victoria in the 21st century

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of the Australian state of Victoria highlighting physical features such as the Great Dividing Range, Australian Alps, national parks, major lakes, and rivers. The map shows borders with South Australia and New South Wales, and includes surrounding bodies of water like the Indian Ocean, Bass Strait, and Tasman Sea. Major landmarks such as Mount Bogong and Wilson's Promontory are labeled.

Physical features of Victoria

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Australian gold rush

Australian gold rush

A family digging for gold in Castlemaine, Victoria, in a painting by Samuel Thomas...

State Library of Victoria, Australia (accession no. H141536)

Map of Australia and surrounding region with the state of Queensland highlighted in a darker shade. Queensland occupies the northeastern part of Australia, with its capital Brisbane labeled. Neighboring countries and islands such as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands are also shown.

Queensland

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Queensland, Australia, showing major cities and towns, with Brisbane marked as the state capital. The map includes political boundaries with neighboring states and territories, and highlights coastal cities such as Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, and the Gold Coast, as well as inland towns like Mount Isa, Charleville, and Longreach. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Coral Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria, are labeled.

Political map of Queensland in the 21st century

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Queensland, Australia, showing major physical features such as rivers, mountain ranges, national parks, and the Great Barrier Reef along the eastern coast. The map also marks dams, islands, and political boundaries with neighboring states and territories, and includes a small inset locating Queensland within Australia.

Queensland

Queensland, Australia.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map showing the Torres Strait Islands located between the northern tip of Australia's Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea. The islands are grouped into regions labeled Top Western, Near Western, Inner Islands, Central, and Eastern, with individual islands named within each group. A red line marks the maritime boundary, and the Great Barrier Reef is noted to the southeast.

Torres Strait Islands

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Kenny Chmielewski

Sea cucumber

Sea cucumber

The Torres Strait Islands attracted European Australians' attention in part because...

Grant Heilman/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Australia and surrounding regions highlighting South Australia in the central southern part of the country, with neighboring countries and islands such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands labeled.

South Australia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of South Australia showing major cities and towns, with Adelaide marked as the state capital. The map highlights state boundaries with neighboring regions including Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, and shows the coastline along the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean.

Political map of South Australia in the 21st century

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of South Australia highlighting physical features such as the Great Victoria Desert, Nullarbor Plain, Lake Eyre, Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Mount Lofty Ranges, and major bodies of water including the Great Australian Bight and the Indian Ocean. Political boundaries with neighboring states and territories are marked, and key locations such as Kangaroo Island and Mount Woodroffe are labeled.

Physical features of South Australia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Edward Gibbon Wakefield

Edward Gibbon Wakefield

British colonial administrator Edward Gibbon Wakefield was the mastermind of the...

Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London

Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide, Australia

View of Hindley Street from the corner of King William Street in Adelaide, Australia,...

James William Giles, National Library of Australia, nla.obj-134358131

Map of Australia and the surrounding region, with Tasmania labeled and highlighted south of the Australian mainland. Neighboring countries and islands such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and East Timor are also labeled. The map shows major seas including the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Coral Sea, and Tasman Sea.

Tasmania

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Tasmania showing major cities and towns, including Hobart as the state capital, along with other locations such as Launceston, Devonport, Burnie, and Queenstown. Surrounding bodies of water like the Bass Strait, Indian Ocean, and Tasman Sea are labeled, and a small inset map shows Tasmania's position relative to mainland Australia.

Political map of Tasmania in the 21st century

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Tasmania highlighting its physical features, including major mountains like Mount Ossa and Legges Tor, national parks such as Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair, Southwest, and Hartz Mountains, as well as surrounding bodies of water like the Bass Strait, Indian Ocean, and Tasman Sea. The map also marks islands, peninsulas, and notable lakes and rivers.

Physical features of Tasmania

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Australia and surrounding regions, with Western Australia highlighted to show its location on the western third of the continent. Neighboring countries and islands such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and New Zealand are labeled, along with major surrounding bodies of water.

Western Australia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Western Australia showing major cities and towns, with Perth marked as the state capital. The map outlines state boundaries with the Northern Territory and South Australia, and labels coastal features including the Indian Ocean, Timor Sea, and Great Australian Bight.

Political map of Western Australia in the 21st century

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Western Australia highlighting major physical features such as deserts, plains, and mountain ranges. Key features include the Great Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Nullarbor Plain, and prominent national parks like Karijini and Kalbarri. Major cities and towns, state boundaries, and neighboring territories are also marked.

Physical features of Western Australia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Australia and surrounding regions, with the Northern Territory clearly labeled in the central northern part of the country. Neighboring countries and islands such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and New Zealand are also labeled. Major surrounding bodies of water including the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Coral Sea, and Tasman Sea are shown.

Northern Territory

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Australia's Northern Territory showing major cities and towns, including Darwin (the territorial capital), Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Timber Creek, Daly Waters, Newcastle Waters, Barrow Creek, Anthony Lagoon, Kintore, and Kaltukatjara. State borders with Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland are marked, along with surrounding bodies of water such as the Timor Sea, Arafura Sea, and Gulf of Carpentaria.

Political map of the Northern Territory in the 21st century

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of the Northern Territory in Australia highlighting major physical features, including deserts such as the Tanami and Simpson Deserts, mountain ranges like the MacDonnell and Davenport Ranges, the Barkly Tableland, and key national parks including Kakadu, Judbarra-Gregory, and Uluru-Kata Tjuta. Surrounding bodies of water such as the Timor Sea, Arafura Sea, and Gulf of Carpentaria are labeled, along with neighboring states Western Australia, Queensland, and South Australia.

Physical map of the Northern Territory in Australia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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