Australian History Curriculum P-6

The history of Federation, the peaceful transition from colonies to Commonwealth and the major events that established the Commonwealth and shaped the nation are examined here in Federation Story. There are many Australias, many Australian pasts and many ways of looking at history and we can't present them all here.

Resources to support the Australian History Curriculum

Education Kit: The State Library of New South Wales and the Centre for Learning Innovation have collaborated to develop interactive learning activities for primary and secondary school students.

The settlement of Sydney began its life as a penal colony, with a total of 568 male and 191 female prisoner convicts with 13 children, 206 marines with 26 wives and 13 children, and 20 officials having made the voyage.

Over 252 days, the First Fleet brought over 1500 men, women and children half way around the world from England to New South Wales.

The State Library's First Fleet Collection includes journals, letters, drawings, maps and charts created by those who actually travelled with the First Fleet. It is one of the Library's most significant and valuable collections.

Browse for resources by year level or curriculum area

'The Night We Made the Flag, A Eureka Story', is a picture book that imagines what might have happened on the night the Eureka flag was sewn by women on the Ballarat goldfields

Whether you are looking for inspiration, relaxation or just something that little bit different, we have a place for you. Step back and lose yourself as you wander the hallways of an historic home, discover the secrets of a Chinese Temple, imagine what it must have like stuck on a reef and throwing cannon and anchors overboard, dream about buying stock and shares in a gold rush or sit quietly on a wide, open verandah with the tropical breeze wafting across the garden. Queensland has no end of wonders that are being kept in trust for you.

The foundation of Queensland as a penal settlement, its separation from New South Wales, and its development in the years before federation.

a timeline of the journey

Convicts & Settlers @ pppst.com 

Cook's journal written on board the Endeavour during his trip down under in 1770.

Australian history is almost always picturesque; indeed, it is also so curious and strange, that it is itself the chiefest novelty the country has to offer and so it pushes the other novelties into second and third place. It does not read like history, but like the most beautiful lies; and all of a fresh new sort, no mouldy old stale ones. It is full of surprises and adventures, the incongruities, and contradictions, and incredibilities; but they are all true, they all happened." ( Mark Twain, 1897 )

Edward John Eyre George Bass Robert O'Hara Burke Matthew Flinders John Forrest Edmund Kennedy Ludwig Leichhardt Thomas Mitchell John Oxley Charles Sturt Gregory Blaxland