Process by which six separate British self-governing colonies became the country of Australia
For Australia's federal system of government, see Federalism in Australia.
"Australian Federation" redirects here. For the political party, see Australian Federation Party.
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Federation of Australia" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR(July 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
The Sydney Town Hall illuminated in celebratory lights and fireworks marking the Inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1901. The sign reads One people, one destiny.
This article is part of a series on the
History of Australia
Timeline and periods
Prehistory
European exploration (sea)
European exploration (land)
1788–1850
1851–1900
1901–1945
1945–present
Topics
Abortion
Agriculture
Antisemitism
Banking
Capital punishment
Civil rights
Cinema
Constitution
Diplomacy
Economics
Federation
Immigration
Labour
LGBT
Military
Monarchy
Sports
Telecommunications
Rail transport
Religion
Unfree labour
By group
African Australian
Asian Australian
Chinese Australian
Indigenous people
Jewish Australian
Women
LGBT
Marriage
Transgender
By region
State/Territory
Capital
ACT
Canberra
New South Wales
Sydney
Northern Territory
Darwin
Queensland
Brisbane
South Australia
Adelaide
Tasmania
Hobart
Victoria
Melbourne
Western Australia
Perth
See also
List of years in Australia
Australia portal
v
t
e
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia (which also governed what is now the Northern Territory), and Western Australia agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia, establishing a system of federalism in Australia. The colonies of Fiji and New Zealand were originally part of this process, but they decided not to join the federation.[1] Following federation, the six colonies that united to form the Commonwealth of Australia as states kept the systems of government (and the bicameral legislatures) that they had developed as separate colonies, but they also agreed to have a federal government that was responsible for matters concerning the whole nation. When the Constitution of Australia came into force, on 1 January 1901, the colonies collectively became states of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The efforts to bring about federation in the mid-19th century were dogged by the lack of popular support for the movement. A number of conventions were held during the 1890s to develop a constitution for the Commonwealth. Sir Henry Parkes, Premier of the Colony of New South Wales, was instrumental in this process. Sir Edmund Barton, second only to Parkes in the length of his commitment to the federation cause, was the caretaker Prime Minister of Australia at the inaugural national election in March 1901. The election returned Barton as prime minister, though without a majority.
The main economic manifestation of federation was an Australian customs and fiscal union.[2] Although the customs union entailed a high external tariff on imports from outside of Australia, there was the elimination of tariffs on interstate Australian trade, and the net effect of federation on welfare was positive, insofar as trade policy was concerned.[3]
This period has lent its name to an architectural style prevalent in Australia at that time, known as Federation architecture, or Federation style.
^"Fiji and Australian Federation. – (From the Herald's own Correspondent.) Melbourne, Monday". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser. 25 October 1883. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
^Lloyd, Peter (June 2015). "Customs Union and Fiscal Union in Australia at Federation". Economic Record. 91 (293): 155–171. doi:10.1111/1475-4932.12167. S2CID 153972430.
^Varian, Brian D.; Grayson, Luke H. (March 2024). "Economic Aspects of Australian Federation: Trade Restrictiveness and Welfare Effects in the Colonies and the Commonwealth, 1900-3". Economic Record. 100 (328): 74–100. doi:10.1111/1475-4932.12790.
and 25 Related for: Federation of Australia information
The FederationofAustralia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania...
Australia in its current form was only established in 1961 as the Australian Soccer Federation. It was later reconstituted in 2003 as the Australian Soccer...
Federation University Australia (Fed Uni) is a public, multi-sector university based in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The university is the fourth oldest...
Federation architecture is the architectural style in Australia that was prevalent from around 1890 to 1915. The name refers to the Federationof Australia...
a federation only after the fall of the monarchy, and Venezuela became a federation after the Federal War. Australia and Canada are also federations. Germany...
The AustralianFederation Flag, also known as the New South Wales Ensign, was the result of an attempt in the 1830s to create a national flag for Australia...
South Australia (FSA) is the governing body of soccer in the state of South Australia. It was established in 2006 under the name Football Federation South...
The Police FederationofAustralia (PFA) is a peak police union body that represents the interests ofAustralian police officers. It was formerly registered...
known as the Federation Star, the Seven Point Star, or the Star ofFederation) is a seven-pointed star symbolising the FederationofAustralia which came...
similar to Canada, the FederationofAustralia, or the Federationof Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Before that could happen, the Federation collapsed due to internal...
is a state on the east coast ofAustralia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders...
The Bicycle FederationofAustralia (BFA) was the peak Australian body representing non-competitive cyclists, and directly represented over 20,000 cyclists...
Sydney Cove in 1788. After the FederationofAustralia on 1 January 1901, the official recognition and dates ofAustralia Day and its corresponding holidays...
Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia federated, formally constituting the Commonwealth ofAustralia. It remains a federationof those six original States...
right: South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. Above the shield is the seven-pointed Commonwealth Star or Star ofFederation above a blue and...
The Australian Chess Federation (ACF) is dedicated to promoting the game of chess in Australia, and is a member of FIDE, the World Chess Federation. The...
The Australian Ranger Federation represents Australian park rangers. The Australian Ranger Association (ARA) was formed in Adelaide, South Australia in...
ofAustralia (currently King Charles III) with a non-royal Australian head of state. Republicanism was first espoused in Australia before Federation in...
Australian Speleological Federation Inc. (ASF) is the national body representing those interested in the protection and sustainability ofAustralia's...
AustralianFederation (CAF) was established on 6 October 2006. The group seeks to promote and enhance the federal system of government in Australia and...
Australia through the process of the federationofAustralia. Today, Tasmania has the smallest economy of the Australian states and territories, and comprises...
The AustralianFederation Party (AFP), also known as AusFeds and formerly known as the Country Alliance and the Australian Country Party, is an Australian...
The human history of Western Australia commenced between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago with the arrival of Aboriginal Australians on the northwest coast...
of the world's largest and wealthiest metropolises. After the federationofAustralia in 1901, Melbourne served as the interim seat of government of the...
Global Information
Australia portal