Year 5 · History · Historical knowledge and understanding
Founding the Australian colonies
Learners find out when and why each of the six British colonies was established and place these events on a timeline.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Identify the six Australian colonies and when they were established.
- Explain reasons why different colonies were founded.
Success looks like
- I can name the six colonies and order them on a timeline.
- I can explain why at least two colonies were founded.
- I can explain that the land of each colony was already the Country of First Nations peoples.
The big idea
After 1788, Britain established more colonies on the continent. Each was set up on the Country of First Nations peoples, who were not asked for their agreement and who lost access to land, water and food sources. This is called dispossession.
- New South Wales (1788) began as a penal colony at Sydney Cove. At first it covered a huge part of the eastern continent.
- Van Diemen's Land was first settled by the British in 1803, partly to stop the French from claiming it. It became a separate colony in 1825 and was renamed Tasmania in 1856.
- Western Australia began as the Swan River Colony in 1829. It was set up for free settlers, although convicts were later sent there from 1850 to help with a shortage of workers.
- South Australia (1836) was planned as a colony of free settlers only, with no convicts. Land was sold to fund the journeys of working families.
- Victoria separated from New South Wales in 1851, and Queensland separated from New South Wales in 1859. Both regions had grown as settlers spread out with sheep and cattle.
The reasons for founding colonies included housing convicts, claiming land before other European powers, and providing land for farming and trade. Wool became an important export, and the spread of sheep and cattle grazing pushed further onto First Nations lands, leading to violent conflict on the frontier.
Worked examples
Ordering the colonies
Put these in order: Queensland 1859, South Australia 1836, Swan River Colony 1829, Victoria 1851.
- List the years: 1859, 1836, 1829, 1851.
- Order from earliest: 1829, 1836, 1851, 1859.
- Match each year to its colony.
Answer: Swan River Colony (1829) → South Australia (1836) → Victoria (1851) → Queensland (1859).
Comparing colonies
How was South Australia different from New South Wales when it began?
- New South Wales began as a penal colony for convicts.
- South Australia was planned for free settlers, with no convicts sent there.
Answer: South Australia was a free-settler colony; NSW began as a convict colony.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Which was the first British colony in Australia?
New South Wales — New South Wales was established in 1788.
Which colony was planned for free settlers only, with no convicts?
South Australia — South Australia (1836) was planned without convicts.
What was Tasmania called before 1856?
Van Diemen's Land — It was called Van Diemen's Land.
Which colony separated from New South Wales in 1859?
Queensland — Queensland separated from New South Wales in 1859.
What does 'dispossession' mean?
Having land and property taken away — First Nations peoples were dispossessed of their lands by colonisation.
In what year did the Swan River Colony begin?
1829 — The Swan River Colony, later Western Australia, began in 1829.
How many years after New South Wales (1788) was South Australia (1836) founded?
48 — 1836 − 1788 = 48.
Which colony separated from New South Wales in 1851?
Victoria — Victoria separated in 1851, the same year gold was found there.
Watch out for
- Some think all colonies were convict colonies. South Australia never received convicts, and Western Australia only took them from 1850.
- Learners may think colonial borders followed First Nations boundaries. Colonial borders were drawn by the British and cut across many Countries.
Tips for parents
- Look up the colonial history of your own state or territory and whose Country your capital city is on.
- Frontier conflict is part of this history. Seek out local First Nations perspectives through land councils, cultural centres or community-endorsed resources.
- Colour in a map as you go so the child sees the colonies forming over time.
Go further
- Draw a series of maps showing colonial borders in 1825, 1836, 1851 and 1859.
- Research why the Northern Territory was administered by South Australia from 1863 until 1911.
- Write a letter from a free settler arriving in Adelaide in 1837.