The Federation Story

(Adapted for Year 3 from "The Federation Story")

Click here to print worksheet (Word 97 document - may take a while to download)


Before 1901, there was no Australian government. Before 1901 you would have been a British subject who lived in Queensland, or one of the other Australian colonies.

In 1901, the six Australian colonies agreed to join together, or become a federation, to create the Commonwealth of Australia.

The people of the colonies wanted to join together because:

• better transportation and communication had bought them closer

• there was a growing feeling of national pride

• national defence became important

• mail, immigration and trade needed to be dealt with by a central government

• people wanted an end to the taxes they often had to pay when transporting goods from one colony to another

The people were asked to vote "YES" or "NO" in a referendum. After they voted "YES" a special Act in the British parliament allowed Australia to become a nation.

On the day Australia became a nation, in Sydney there was a procession. The new Governor-General, Prime Minister and his cabinet were sworn in. Other towns and cities organised celebrations of their own.

The first Prime Minister of Australia was Edmund Barton.    

In the hundred years since Federation Australians:

• have fought in two world wars

• struggled through the hard times

• enjoyed the years of peace and prosperity

• have been recognised through the world for our achievements in business, industry, science, sport and the arts

Australia - It's what we make it.