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.

(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.

Name: Peter Vernon Birth Place: Kirkmabreck, Creetown, Kirkcudbright Residence: Creetown Death Date: 22 Aug 1916 Death Location: Salonika Enlistment Location: Paisley, Renfrew Rank: Private Regiment: Army Cyclist Corps Number: 6263 Theatre of War: Balkan Theatre Comments: Formerly 15045, R. Scot. Fus.

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'

A Memorial Inscription at Kirkmabreck Cemetary in Creetown shows he died of Malaria. The following is from the War Graves Commission. In Memory of P VERNON Private 6263 26th Div., Army Cyclist Corps who died on Tuesday, 22nd August 1916. Age 23. Son of James and Maggie Vernon, of Barholm St., Creetown, Kirkcudbrightshire. Cemetery: SALONIKA (LEMBET ROAD) MILITARY CEMETERY, Greece Grave Reference/ Panel Number: 323. Location: Thessalonika (Salonika) is a town at the head of the Gulf of Thessalonika. The Cemetery is on the northern outskirts of Thessalonika, adjoining the Roman Catholic French and Italian War Cemeteries. It lies on the west side of the road to Seres. Historical Information: Salonika (now Thessalonika) was occupied in October, 1915, at the invitation of M. Venizelos, by three French Divisions and the 10th (Irish) Division from Gallipoli. Other French and British forces landed-during the year, and in the summer of 1916 Russian and Italian forces joined them. In August, 1916, a Greek Revolution broke out at Salonika, with the result that the Greek National Army came into the War on the Allied side; and these contingents, with the reconstituted Serbian Army, formed the Salonika Army to which the Bulgarians yielded in September, 1918. Salonika was the base of the British Salonika Force, and it contained from time to time eighteen General and Stationary Hospitals (of which three were Canadian, although there were no other Canadian units in the Force). The earliest British burials took place in the local Protestant (or Anglo-German) and Roman Catholic Cemeteries. The British graves in the Roman Catholic Cemetery were moved into the Military Cemetery after the Armistice; but the Protestant Cemetery still contains the graves of soldiers, sailors of the Royal Fleet Reserve, Merchant Seaman, who died in October or November, 1915. The Military Cemetery (formerly known as the Anglo-French Military Cemetery) was begun in November, 1915, and British, French, Serbian, Italian and Russian sections were formed. The British section remained in use until October, 1918, although from the beginning of 1917 burials took place also in Mikra British Cemetery, on the Western side of the town. After the Armistice, graves were concentrated into it from other cemeteries in Macedonia and from Scala Cemetery, near Cassivita, on the island of Thasos. In February and March, 1917, Salonika was the scene of two severe air raids. Many of the graves just North of the Great Cross are those of men who were killed in the raids; and grave space 1606 is marked with the name of one of these men, who is known to have been buried in one of the unidentified graves.