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January 1, 1901 Founding of the Commonwealth of Australia May 9, 1901 Opening of the first parliament On January 1, 2001 Australia celebrates the Centenary of Federation. Our nation is 100 years old.

Prime Ministers of Australia	Some Federation Facts	Federation Quiz
Governors-General of Australia	Making the Constitution	Federation Timeline

Parliamentary Education Office Learning About Parliament Questions & Answers about Australia's Parliament How Parliament works The House of Representatives The Senate Parliament House - the Building Historical Facts The Federation Movement in Australia Find some very historical photos on this site Chronology of Federation 1788 -1997 One Destiny : making the Australian Nation Images of Federation gives great photgraphs of the period. Timeline gives a quick snapshot/overview of each decade of the 900's. Federation Facts Why was Federation important? Why the people of the colonies wanted to join together. Did everyone agree that Federation was a good thing? Our nation was created with a vote. The day Australia became a nation. Documenting a Democracy - Australia's Story - After a search which covered Australia and extended to England, Australia's founding documents &endash; the 'birth certificates' telling the story of our democracy &endash; are brought together for the first time.

Clickable Worksheet Centenary of Federation from the Port Macquarie District Federation - Yes or No? from NSW CAP units for Stage 3 HSIE Federation Webquests from Qld Education Dept. for Yrs 1-12   Sir Edmond Barton      Alfred Deakin

The Federation Story History Timeline of Australian federation history before 1890 National Centenary of Federation Site What is the Centenary of Federation all about   Leading Figures in the Federation Movement NSW Centenary of Federation Website Overview of the Centenary of Federation Want to know more? = the day of federation, places connected with federation, people & federation; prior to 1901. What's happening? = the coming events for the celebrations Discovering Democracy Federation Fast Facts A Timeline of Events at the Time of Federation 1897-1901   ACT Centenary of Federation - Kidz Korner Print out a Federation crossword & findaword. Kids Fun Book   The States and Federation How did the states contribute to Federation? How our boundaries have changed? How have the state boundaries changed?

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How was the Constitution made? Before 1901 Australia did not exist as a country. It was a collection of British colonies. In the 1890’s the colonies came together at special meetings called conventions to try and agree about how to form a new federal government. Eventually they agreed on the rules of a federal constitution that could establish a new federal government. The people of the colonies voted to accept this new Constitution and with the agreement of the British Parliament the nation known as the Commonwealth of Australia came into existence on 1 January 1901. The colonies became states of Australia and a new Federal Australian Parliament was formed. In 2001 every child of primary school age in Australia will be presented with a high quality commemorative medallion as part of the events and celebrations for the Centenary of Federation. The medallions will be presented on the 9th May 2001 in conjunction with a range of Centenary activities in Primary Schools across the country.

Content for this section has been developed by, and is used with, the permission of the National Council for the Centenary of Federation.   The scene at the Federation Pavilion in Sydney's Centennial Park on 1 January 1901 as Queen Victoria's Letters Patent were read to the crowds witnessing the founding of the Commonwealth of Australia with the appointment of Lord Hopetoun as Governor-General. Top

Federation of Australia Quiz Test your knowledge of Federation FEDERATION FIRSTS and other Historical Facts Who was the Australia’s first Prime Minister? The Right Honourable Sir Edmond Barton. Who was the first woman member of the House of Representatives? The Honourable Dame Enid Lyons, elected in 1943. Who was the first woman Senator? Senator Dorothy Tangney, elected in 1943. Who was the first woman Cabinet Minister? The Honourable Dame Enid Lyons, who was appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council in 1949. Who was the first Aboriginal in Parliament? Neville Bonner, who served in the Senate from 1971 until 1983. When and where did the first Federal Parliament meet? On 9 May 1901 in the Exhibition Building in Melbourne. From 1901 to 1927, the Federal Parliament met in the Victorian Parliament House, in Spring Street,Melbourne. When did the Federal Parliament first meet in Canberra? On 9 May 1927 after completion of the provisional Parliament House.

Australia has had 25 Prime Ministers since Federation. They are:-

Name Term Political Party Edmund Barton 1/1/1901 - 9/9/1903 Protectionist Alfred Deakin 9/9/1903 - 27/4/1904 Protectionist John Christian Watson 27/4/1904 - 17/8/1904 Commonwealth Labor George Houston Reid 17/8/1904 - 5/7/1905 Free Trade Alfred Deakin 5/7/1905 - 10/11/1908 Protectionist Andrew Fisher 10/11/1908 - 29/4/1909 Commonwealth Labor Alfred Deakin 29/4/1909 - 13/4/1910 Protectionist Andrew Fisher 13/4/1910 - 24/6/1913 Commonwealth Labor Joseph Cook 24/66/1913 - 5/9/1914 Liberal Andrew Fisher 5/9/1914 - 27/10/1915 Commonwealth Labor William Morris Hughes 27/10/1915 - 9/2/1923 ALP, Labor, National Labor, National Stanley Melbourne Bruce 9/2/1923 - 12/10/1929 National James Henry Scullin 12/10/1929 -19/12/1931 ALP Joseph Aloysius Lyons 19/12/1931 - 7/4/1939 United Australia Earle Christmas Page 7/4/1939 - 26/4/1939 Country Robert Gordon Menzies 26/4/1939 - 28/8/1941 United Australia Arthur William Fadden 28/8/1941 - 7/10/1941 Country John Joseph Curtin 7/10/1941 - 5/7/1945 ALP Francis Michael Forde 5/7/1945 - 12/7/1945 ALP Joseph Benedict Chifley 12/7/1945 - 10/12/1949 ALP Robert Gordon Menzies 10/12/1949 - 20/1/1966 Liberal Harold Edward Holt 20/1/1966 - 17/12/1967 Liberal John McEwan 17/12/1967 - 9/1/1968 Country John Grey Gorton 9/1/1968 - 22/3/1971 Liberal William McMahon 22/3/1971 - 2/12/1972 Liberal Edward Gough Whitlam 2/12/1972 - 11/11/1975 ALP John Malcolm Fraser 11/11/1975 - 5/3/1983 Liberal Robert James Hawke 5/3/1983 - 20/12/1991 ALP Paul John Keating 20/12/1991 - 2/3/1996 ALP John Winston Howard 2/3/1996 - now Liberal

Australia has had 22 Governors-General since Federation. They are:-

Term Title Name 1901-1903 Rt. Hon. Lord John Adrian Louis Hopetoun 1903-1904 Rt. Hon. Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, GCMG, PC 1904-1908 Rt. Hon. Henry Stafford Northcote 1908-1911 Rt. Hon. William Humble Ward 1911-1914 Rt. Hon. Thomas Denman 1914-1920 Rt. Hon. Sir Ronald Craufurd Munro-Ferguson 1920-1925 Rt. Hon. Henry William Forster 1925-1931 Rt. Hon. John Lawrence Baird 1931-1936 Rt. Hon. Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs 1936-1945 Brigadier General,Rt. Hon. Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven 1945-1947 Duke of Gloucester HRH Prince Henry William Frederick Albert, Earl of Ulster and Baron Culloden 1947-1953 Rt. Hon. Sir William John McKell 1953-1960 Field Marshall, Sir William Joseph Slim 1960-1961 Rt. Hon. William Shepherd Morrison 1961-1965 Rt. Hon. William Phillip Sidney De L'Isle 1965-1969 Rt. Hon. Richard Gardiner Casey 1969-1974 Rt. Hon. Sir Paul Meernaa Caedwalla Hasluck 1974-1977 Rt. Hon. Sir John Robert Kerr 1977-1982 Rt. Hon. Sir Zelman Cowen 1982-1989 Rt. Hon. Sir Ninian Stephen 1989-1996 Hon. William George Hayden 1996-now Hon. Sir William Patrick Deane

1846	First recorded suggestion of the need to establish a federal authority to govern Australia
1851	Victoria separates from NSW to form its own colonial government.
1859	Queensland separates from NSW to form its own colonial government.
1871	The Australian Natives Association (ANA), a popular movement of Australian-born, white men is established in Melbourne. The ANA and, later, the Australasian Federation League were founded to promote the vision of one united Australia.
1877	A combined NSW and Victoria cricket team defeats England in the first cricket test played in Australia. The concept of a nationally representative cricket team is established.
1883	The Federal Council of Australasia is formed. This Council of colonial governments, including New Zealand and Pacific membership, was shunned by NSW and South Australia.
Oct 9 1889	Report suggests that colonies should federate for defense reasons.
Oct 24 1889	In the Tenterfield Oration, Sir Henry Parkes (NSW Premier) proclaims that the time for federation has arrived.
1890	Australasian Federal Conference; Melbourne delegates decide to call a Constitutional Convention to discuss and draft a constitution for a federal system of government.
1891	National Australasian Convention, Sydney. Parliamentary delegates agree to adopt the name Commonwealth of Australia and a draft constitution is written aboard the steamboat, Lucinda, on the Hawkesbury River. This draft provides the basis for al future redrafting. Australians now have a draft constitution but it is not adopted by the colonial parliaments. Progress towards federation is stalled by the colonies' concerns about their own status within a federation. Popular support for federation leads to the formation of the Australasian Federation Leagues, and its people who continue the push for federation.
1893	Corrowa Conference; the first of the "peoples conventions" convened by the Australasian Federation League endorses Dr John Quick's plan for practical measures to break legislative impasse by electing a new convention.
1895	"Hobart Understanding of the Premiers": Most Premiers approved a draft Enabling Bill based on Quick's plan.
1896	Enabling acts are passed in SA, NSW, Tas and Vic. These prepare the way for the popular election of delegates to a national convention to draft a constitution.
1896	The Peoples Federal Convention in Bathurst spurs popular interest in electing delegates to the national convention.
1897	Elections are held in the colonies to select delegates to the National Australasian (Constitutional) Convention. Delegates meet in Adelaide and then in Sydney before they agree on a federal constitution to be put to the people of the colonies in referenda.
1898	Delegates to the National Australasian (Constitutional) Convention meet for the third session in Melbourne. Delegates agree to revise and amend the draft constitution.
Mar 16 1898	Delegates to the National Australasian (Constitutional) Convention adopt the amended draft Constitution Bill. The Bill would be lodged for enactment by the British Parliament, if supported by the people in referenda.
1898	Referenda are held. Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria return Yes votes in favour of adopting the new federal constitution. NSW fails to attract the minimum number of Yes votes and the Bill is not carried.
Jan 1899	Premiers' Conference, Melbourne; Premiers agree to amend the Federal Constitution Bill to meet the concerns of Qld and NSW. All colonies (except WA) support the Bill and agree to sponsor its enactment in the British Parliament.
April- Sept 1899	Yes votes carried in referenda in NSW, Vic, SA, Tas and Qld.
Mar-July 1900	Australian delegates in London negotiate the passage of the Federal Constitution Bill through the British Parliament and then witness Queen Victoria signing the documents and granting Royal Assent. The proclamation is made that the Commonwealth of Australia will come into being on January 1, 1901.
July 1900	WA votes to join the Federation of Australian States and is added to the Royal Assent documents after the Queen as already signed them.
Jan 1 1901	Lord Hopetoun, the first Governor-General, proclaims the Commonwealth of Australia at a ceremony in Centennial Park, Sydney. The interim Federal Ministry is sworn in with Sir Edmund Barton as Prime Minister. The ceremony takes place before a crowd of 250,000 people.
1901	Customs duties payable on products moving between States are eliminated, boosting Australian manufacturing.
1901	William Farrer releases his Federation strain of rust-resistant wheat.
May 9 1901	Duke of York opens Australia's first Federal Parliament in its temporary home in Melbourne.

Information adopted from All People One Destiny - Illawarra Mercury Centenary of Federation Special - 29/12/2000