John Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner establish a settlement at Port Phillip, now the city of Melbourne.

Province of South Australia proclaimed with its western border at 132 degrees E.

First Prussian settlers arrive in South Australia; the largest group on non-British migrants in Australia at the time.

Paul Edmund Strzelecki becomes first European to ascend and name Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko.

Australia's first municipal authority, the City of Adelaide, is established, followed by Sydney City Council.

New Zealand is proclaimed as a separate colony, no longer part of New South Wales.

Copper is discovered at Kapunda in South Australia.

Australia's first parliamentary elections held for the New South Wales Legislative Council (though voting rights are restricted to males of certain wealth or property).

The ship Cataraqui is wrecked off King Island in Bass Strait. It is Australia's worst civil maritime disaster, with 406 lives lost.

Western Australia becomes a penal colony.

Victoria separates from New South Wales.

Bendigo Petition and Red Ribbon Rebellion at Bendigo

The Eureka Stockade

The transportation of convicts to Norfolk Island ceases.

Van Diemen's Land name changed to Tasmania.

Victorian Committee reported that a 'federal union' would be in the interests of all the growing colonies. However, there was not enough interest in or enthusiasm for taking positive steps towards bringing the colonies together.

Sydney and Melbourne linked by electric telegraph.

SS Admella wrecked off south-east coast of South Australia with the loss of 89 lives.

John McDouall Stuart reaches the centre of the continent. South Australian border changed from 132 degrees E to 129 degrees E.

The ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition occurs.

Stuart reaches Port Darwin, founding a settlement there. Queensland's western border is moved to 139 degrees E.

South Australia takes control of the Northern Territory which was part of the colony of New South Wales.

Illawarra Mercury Friday 11 March 1864 Page 3 The Parramatta correspondents of the “Herald” reports: - An inquest was held at Nash’s hotel upon the body of William Henry Bayly, then and there lying dead. The deceased, who was in his thirty-first years, was a lieutenant in the Queensland Native Police. Had received leave of absence to visit his friends and was staying at the hotel. It appeared that on the eventing of the 24th ultimo he was in company with one of his friends in front of the house. While pilling against each other in play deceased lost his balance and fell in one of the rose bushes about three feet in height which extended along the entire front of the pavement of the main building. He at once complained of pain and lay down on the sofa; he was subsequently assisted upstairs when, after some considerable examination a minute puncture was discovered beneath the thigh and the scrotum and one or two dose-bush leaves, a thorn and a minute fragment of cloth were taken from it. Nothing serious was anticipated: but the pain continuing Dr Rutter was sent for on the following morning and continued to attend him till his decease. From Dr Rutter’s evidence it appeared that on examining the deceased he found a perforated wound in the perineum about four inches and a half deep and extending obliquely forward to the abdominal ring, in its course wounding one of the nerves; he could find no extraneous matter, there were no bas symptoms, excepting numbness of the left leg; he ordered fomentations and poultices, which were applied; subsequently he noticed several constitutional symptoms which, in connection with the nature of the injury were indicative of the tetanic symptoms. He informed Dr Gwynne, who saw deceased; all the remedies applied in such cases were used, but tetanus set in and deceased died at half-past one that morning. Every attention was paid to deceased by his friends. He was also seen by Dr Benntt and Dr Pringle. Tetanus was the cause of death, The accident which terminated so calamitously was witnessed by one of the deceased relatives who corroborated the testimony of the first witness as to the particulars. It appeared that the deceased had suffered a protracted illness from rheumatic fever and ague previous to his leaving his place of residence. The jury found death was the result of tetanus caused by the wound accidently received.