History of Australia

Pictures of Australia

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The Aboriginal people have inhabited Australia for over 60,000 years. Their original lands and settlements followed the northern, eastern, southern and western coastlines of Australia where food was plentiful and fresh water abundant.

In 1788 Britain claimed Australia as it’s own but, the English were not the first Europeans to discover Australia. The Dutch had earlier explored the coastline and named the continent New Holland.

The Industrial revolution in Britain had created enormous problems for Britain’s towns and cities. Overcrowding created appalling living conditions and poverty, disease, and crime flourished. Prisons were overflowing and politicians looked for new ways to deal with a growing problem. The answer was to send convicted criminals to Australia to establish the new colony.

Australia’s population has grown from a colony of convicts. Convicts on completion of their sentence were given land to farm. Free setters, looking for a better life came from Europe and also took up farming land.  An economy grew, towns and cities became established and in 1901 Australia established its own unified government. It is till today a part of the British Commonwealth.

Throughout Australia’s history there have been many phases of immigration. During the Gold rush of the 1850’s, many immigrants came from Europe and Asia. In the 1940’s and 50’s the government actively encouraged European migrants to come to Australia to build the work force. The result of these many waves of immigration has been the establishment of a multicultural society which reflects different languages and customs from around the world.