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.

Gold is discovered at Gympie, Queensland.

The transportation of convicts to Western Australia ceases.

Children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent are removed from their families by Australian and State government agencies.

name: Nelson Crane estimated birth year: 1844 gender: Male age in 1870: 26y color (white, black, mulatto, chinese, indian): White birthplace: Connecticut home in 1870: Connecticut, United States Household Gender Age Nelson Crane M 26y Mary S Crane F 22y Lewis N Crane M 1y

Overland Telegraph Line linking Darwin and Adelaide opens.

Uluru is first sighted by Europeans, and named Ayers Rock.

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.

name: Nelson A. Crane residence: Berlin, Hartford, Connecticut birthdate: 1844 birthplace: Connecticut, United States relationship to head: Self spouse's name: Mary Crane spouse's birthplace: New York, United States father's name: father's birthplace: Massachusetts, United States mother's name: mother's birthplace: Connecticut, United States race or color (expanded): White ethnicity (standardized): American gender: Male martial status: Married age (expanded): 36 years occupation: Works In Factory nara film number: T9-0099 page: 363 page character: A entry number: 1591 film number: 1254099 Household Gender Age Nelson A. Crane M 36 spouse Mary Crane F 32 child Louis Crane M 11 William Bradley M 18

The bushranger Ned Kelly is hanged.

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.

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.

Name: Nelson A Crane Titles: Residence: New Britain city, Hartford, Connecticut Birth Date: Jul 1843 Birthplace: Connecticut Relationship to Head-of-Household: Self Spouse Name: Mary Crane Spouse Titles: Spouse Birth Place: New York Father Name: Father Titles: Father Birthplace: Massachusetts Mother Name: Mother Titles: Mother Birthplace: Connecticut Race or Color (expanded): White Head-of-household Name: Gender: Male Marital Status: Married Years Married: 35 Estimated Marriage Year: 1865 Mother How Many Children: Number Living Children: Immigration Year: Enumeration District: 0205 Sheet Number and Letter: 6A Household ID: 119 Reference Number: 42 GSU Film Number: 1240138 Image Number: 00784 Household Gender Age Nelson A Crane M Spouse Mary Crane F William L Potts M Elizabeth Potts F William Bradley M Child Lillian Crane F

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.

Name: Nelson A Crane Birthplace: Connecticut Relationship to Head of Household: Residence: New Britain Ward 2, Hartford, Connecticut Marital Status: Married Race : White Gender: Male Immigration Year: Father's Birthplace: Connecticut Mother's Birthplace: Connecticut Family Number: 201 Page Number: 10 Household Gender Age William S Bradley M 48y Nelson A Crane M 65y Mary S Crane F 62y Anna Curtis F 26y

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.