SS Gothenburg strikes Old Reef off North Queensland and sinks with the loss of approximately 102 lives.

First horse-drawn trams in Australia commenced operations in Adelaide.

The first congress of trade unions is held.

The bushranger Ned Kelly is hanged.

5 yrs, Bn Cumnock

First water-borne sewerage service in Australia commenced operations in Adelaide.

The opening of the Sydney-Melbourne railway

An Australian cricket team is established, defeating England in the first Ashes series. First direct Inter-colonial passenger trains begin running between Adelaide and Melbourne.

The completion of the railway network between Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

The Australian Federation Conference calls a constitutional convention.

Son, aged 15yrs, Pit Labourer, Born Cumnock

A National Australasian Convention meets, agrees on adopting the name 'the Commonwealth of Australia' and drafting a constitution.

Gold is discovered at Coolgardie, Western Australia.

The Corowa Conference (the 'people's convention') calls on the colonial parliaments to pass enabling acts, allowing the election of delegates to a new constitutional convention aimed at drafting a proposal and putting it to a referendum in each colony.

South Australia becomes the first Australian colony, and the second place in the world, to grant women the right to vote, as well the first Parliament in the world to allow women to stand for office.

The premiers, except for those of Queensland and Western Australia, agree to implement the Corowa proposals.

The Bathurst Conference (the second 'people's convention') meets to discuss the 1891 draft constitution

In two sessions, the Second National Australasian Convention meets (with representatives from all colonies except Queensland present). They agree to adopt a constitution based on the 1891 draft, and then revise and amend it later that year.

The Convention agrees on a final draft to be put to the people.

The decision is made to site the national capital in New South Wales, but not within 100 miles of Sydney.

Several delegates visit London to resist proposed changes to the agreed-upon constitution.

Son single 25 Railway Signalman bn New Cumnock AYR

(01 Jan) Australia becomes a federation on 1 January. Edmund Barton becomes Prime Minister; the 7th Earl of Hopetoun becomes Governor-General

The Franchise Act guarantees women the right to vote in federal elections (by this stage, most states had already done this). However, it excludes most non-European ethnic groups, including Aboriginal people, unless already registered to vote on State roles.

The High Court of Australia is established with Samuel Griffith as the first Chief Justice.

A site at Dalgety, New South Wales chosen for the new national capital

Australia takes control of south-eastern New Guinea

Dorothea Mackellar publishes My Country

The first powered aeroplane flight in Australia is made.

Andrew Fisher forms the first federal majority Labor government.

The Royal Australian Navy is founded

Australia sends women to the Olympic Games for the first time

Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth cross the Blue Mountains.

The foundation stone for the city of Canberra is put in place

Australian soldiers are sent to the First World War. This was first time Australians had fought under the Australian flag, as opposed to that of Britain's.

(25 APRIL)Australian soldiers land at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey on 25 April.

Hotels are forced to close at 6 p.m., leading to the beginning of the 'six o'clock swill'

Second referendum on conscription is rejected. Transcontinental railway linking Adelaide to Perth is completed.

(08 AUG) Battle of Amiens

Prime Minister Billy Hughes signs Treaty of Versailles: the first signing of an international treaty by Australia. Australia obtains League of Nations mandate over German New Guinea.

The airline Qantas is founded

Edith Cowan becomes the first woman elected to an Australian parliament

The Smith Family charity is founded in Sydney

Vegemite is first produced

The first Miss Australia contest is held

The tenth parliament is formally opened in Canberra, finalising the move to the new capital

Bert Hinkler makes the first successful flight from Britain to Australia, and Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first flight from the United States to Australia. The Shrine of Remembrance is built.

Western Australia celebrates its centenary

Batsman Don Bradman scores a record 452 not out in one cricket innings

Sir Douglas Mawson charts 4,000 miles of Antarctic coastline and claims 42% of the icy mass for Australia

The Sydney Harbour Bridge opens

Western Australia votes at a rerefendum to secede from the Commonwealth, but the vote is ignored by both the Commonwealth and British governments

The last Thylacine dies

The radio series Dad and Dave begins

Sydney hosts the Empire Games, the forerunner to the Commonwealth Games

(April) Prime Minister Lyons dies in office and is replaced by Robert Menzies and the first Menzies Government

A team of scientists, under Howard Florey, develops penicillin

3 Divisions of the 2nd Australian Imperial Force join operations in the Mediterranean. After initial successes against Italy, 2nd AIF suffered defeat against the Germans in Greece, Crete, and North Africa.

Mr T McCaig. A well known and popular Ayrshire railwayman in his day, Mr Thomas McCaig, Dalgig, Hawkhill Avenue, Ayr, died suddenly at his home on Monday, and the news of his death came as a shock to a wide circle of friends. For the long period of 47 years Mr McCaig was connected with the railway service, from which he retired on reaching the age limit in 1940. In 1893 he became a junior porter at Dumfries House station, in due course was promoted signalman, first at Rankinston and then at Belmont. From 1912 to 1922 he acted a senior relief signalman; in 1922 he was appointed assistant district inspector, and then three years later became district inspector, a position he held until his retirement. SInce 1922 his service was of course under the L.M & S Railway, and whatever may be said of the amalgamation Mr McCaig was one of those who regretted the passing of the old regime with the close personal touch, although the conditions as to wages showed a big improvement. On the occassion of his retirement he was honoured by his fellow railwaymen, and entertained them with numerous reminiscences of the old days, not forgetting his first start when he has to undertake all manner of work including the cutting of grass from the railway embankment in order that the stationmasters cow was assured of hay during the winter. One of his laters recollections was of a cloudburst at Glenwhilly which closed the line for 13 days in south. To the public of Ayr Mr McCaig will be remembered for the zeal he displayed as hon. secretary of the Ayr Railwaymen's Ambulance concerts which were a feature of the season for many years, and which, during the years they were held, raised a sum of between Pds3000 and Pds4000 for Ayr County Hospital. At all times as assiduous worker for the County Hospital, he had been a member of the board of management since 1903, and gave valuable help in that capacity for a number of years, later being made a director of the hospital. He identified himself with railway ambulance work, and in his day was a member of several winning teams, including Newton-on-Ayr, which one season won a number of competitions open to the west. He gave good service over a long period to the Friendly Society of the Railwaymen, and in other capactities did much for the improvement of the lot of his fellowmen. He has been described as a "100 per cent railwayman, a man who always did his best, and a man of outstanding character." He certainly was a worthy citizen. Mr McCaig had helped the war effort as a member of the Observer Corps in recent times.

Feb, Fall of Singapore. 15,000 Australians become Prisoners of War of the Japanese

FOUND dead in chair about 0.30pm. Last seen alive about 8.45am. Railway traffic inspector (retired)