The Federation Kiosk, Centennial Park, Sydney at the Proclamation of Federation, 1 January 1901.
Credit: National Archives of Australia, Image no.: A1200, L83908.
Preface
This title describes the background and lead up to Federation in Australia, starting in 1881 with Henry Parkes proposing a Federation Council, which went nowhere. Finally in 1891, again at the instigation of Parkes, the National Australasian Convention met to formulate the basis for Federation. Some original source documents from these meetings are included below.
All this culminated in a referendum of the people in 1899 successfully voting for Federation. In July 1900, both houses of the British Parliament passed the Federation Bill and it became an Act on the 9th of that month.
The Commonwealth of Australia was then inaugurated on 1 January, 1901, with a visit to Australia by The Duke of Cornwall and York (later King George V) and the Duchess.
Credit: A Source Book Of Australian History, compiled by Gwendolen H. Swinburne, 1919, and information from the Australian Government courtesy of its: http://culture.gov.au portal.
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