What is the history of New South Wales?

Indigenous Australians have occupied the area of New South Wales for at least 40,000 years, as evidenced by Mungo Lake remains. British exploration began when James Cook mapped the coast in 1770, followed by the establishment of a penal colony at Sydney in 1788. Over the 19th century, the colony gained self-government and federated into the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.

What we know

• The Mungo Lake remains indicate Indigenous occupation of parts of New South Wales for at least 40,000 years. [2]
• British navigator James Cook mapped the coast of New South Wales in 1770. [2]
• The First Fleet of British convicts established a penal colony at Sydney in 1788. [2]
• Responsible government in New South Wales was achieved on 6 June 1856 with Sir Stuart Alexander Donaldson as its first Colonial Secretary. [3]

Where to go next

• whenWhen was the Colony of New South Wales founded?
• how we knowHow did Indigenous Australians live in early New South Wales?
• whoWho was James Cook?
• the bigger pictureWhat was the Commonwealth of Australia?
• a case in pointHow do New South Wales courthouses reflect colonial administration?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a colonial architectural office shape local justice structures?Courthouses across New South Wales were systematically designed by a central Colonial Architect, linking regional legal administration directly to centralized government planning.

Sources

• [1]history of New South Wales (Wikidata Q2397132) · CC0 1.0
• [2]History of New South Wales · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Colony of New South Wales · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]New South Wales · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Courthouses in New South Wales · CC BY-SA 4.0