Federation
On This Day
18 October 1909 - NSW surrendered land for ACT
On this day, New South Wales agreed to surrender approximately 2400 square kms of the state to the Commonwealth for the creation of the Australian Capital Territory
Canberra – the federal capital contest
This record series from the State Archives Collection sheds light on the proud efforts a number of towns, villages and other areas took to present their submissions to become the capital of the new Commonwealth
Celebrating federation
The Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed on 1 January 1901. The Federation Pavilion in Sydney’s Centennial Park was the focus of the inauguration ceremonies and a five mile procession through the decorated streets of Sydney was greeted by large crowds
Federation of Australia - Part 1: 1840-1879
The process to federate the six Australian colonies into the Commonwealth of Australia took over fifty years from its beginnings in the 1840s
Federation of Australia - Part 2: 1880-1900
The 1880s proved to be 'the turning point at which the 'federal idea' found in all the schemes of the previous forty years would be transformed into the Federation movement'
Federation timeline
Significant events in the 50 year process to federate the six Australian colonies into the Commonwealth of Australia, 1846-2001