by June Chua

The Aborigines and people called the Torres Strait Islanders inhabited most areas of the Australian continent before the arrival of Europeans. They spoke different languages with varying religious and cultural traditions. Indigenous Australians had complex social systems reflecting a profound connection with the land. Asian and Oceanic peoples had contact with the indigenous tribes for thousands of years before European expansion into the region.

Dutch explorers charted the north and west coasts and found Tasmania . British explorer William Dampier landed on the northwest coast in 1688. But it wasn't until 1770 that a fellow Englishman, Capt. James Cook, claimed it for the British Crown. The American war of independence meant Britain had to find another place to send its convicts. Australia fit this purpose. On January 26, 17 88 (now celebrated as Australia Day), the First Fleet under Capt. Arthur Phillip landed at Sydney, and formal establishment of the Colony of New South Wales followed on February 7. Most of the first 1,500 settlers were convicts, condemned for minor offences. About 160,000 convicts were sent to the continent over the next 80 years.

The discovery of gold in 1851 boosted the population and wealth of the region, leading to more trade. Eventually, the Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 with a federation of six states: New South Wales , Tasmania , Western Australia , South Australia , Victoria and Queensland (Eventually, the Australian Capital Territory – Canberra – and the Northern Territory would be added).

The founders felt the federation should be an egalitarian place, they had progressive ideas about democracy and the value of the secret ballot. However, their openness stopped on matters of race. One of the first acts of the new Parliament was to pass the Immigration Restriction Act, which ensured immigrants would be of European origin. The "White Australia" policy was finally abolished in the mid-1970s.

The European population grew in the first 15 years of the 20 th century to almost five million. This had the effect of displacing the 300,000 Aboriginals on the continent. Throughout the century, children would be taken from Aboriginal families to be assimilated into European culture and Aborigines would become increasingly isolated from their traditional lands and hunting practices, eking out a living on the margins of society. The Aboriginal population would dwindle to about 60,000 by the late sixties.

The Effects of War

Almost 400,000 men volunteered to fight in the First World War. Historians estimate 60,000 never made it back and tens of thousands were seriously injured. The war strengthened the notion of Australia as a nation. This was forged at Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey on April 25,1915 . The Allies wanted to stem the tide of Turkish soldiers entering Russia so they sent the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). ANZAC troops landed on a beach with the impossible task of taking over a region of rugged hills, gullies and ridges. Thousands died over two days. The campaign was a failure. Despite that, Australians celebrate ANZAC Day on April 25 every year to commemorate their countrymen who died in all wars. For them, the fight in Gallipoli stood for "valour in a good cause" and for "comradeship and endurance that will never admit defeat." (World War I historian Charles Bean).

The period between the wars was one of instability as many financial institutions collapsed during the Depression. But the country entered the Second World War with just as much resolve as the first one. Australian forces made huge contributions to the Allied victory in Europe , Asia and the Pacific.

Post-war Australia was on a high. Residents had a newfound sense of their country and the economy was undergoing an economic boom. Industries such as wheat and wool continued to grow. During the 1950s, mining resources helped the country prosper. By 1960, private home ownership topped 70 per cent, up from 40 per cent in 1947. Melbourne hosted the 1956 summer Olympics, putting the spotlight on Australia . During this time, Australia cemented its bond to the United States by participating in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Modern Australia

Since the 1960s, the country has seen great changes. People from 200 countries in the world have migrated to Australia , including an influx of Asian immigrants.

Through much of the post-war years, the country was ruled by a conservative coalition of the Liberal and Country (now National) parties. Their reign ended in 1972 when the Labor Party took power. The result meant reforms in health, education, social security and foreign affairs. The new Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, ordered the withdrawal of Australian troops from Vietnam , abolished the White Australia policy and pushed through legislation providing free hospital care for all Australians.

The country was thrown into a constitutional crisis in 1975 when its governor general dismissed Whitlam from office over a technicality. The governor general, as representative of the Queen, had power to do so. In the general election, the Liberal-National Coalition defeated Labor and stayed in office until 1983, when Labor won again. A coalition led by the Liberal Party's John Howard took over from the Labor Party in 1996 and was re-elected in 1998 and 2001.

Howard forged closer ties with the U.S. when he sent troops and naval units in March 2003 in support of the U.S.-led war in Iraq . Howard has been steadfast in championing the war on terror. The move deeply divided the country but Howard remained a popular leader.

The 1975 constitutional crisis helped bolster the country's republican movement, hoping to cut Australia 's umbilical cord to its colonizer. In 1999, Australia held a referendum to decide whether it should become a republic. PM John Howard had already expressed his opposition to the plan. The debate was emotional. In the end, Australians rejected the proposal by 54 per cent to 46 per cent. Australia remains a constitutional monarchy with the British Queen as its head of state.