Australian history in 1891

Answer 1

The decade of the 1890s were very important in Australian history. The decade saw a major depression in the colonies. Beginning in 1891 was the Great Australian Shearers Strike which finally ended in 1893 with minimal consequences.

However in 1896, another major strike occurred and Queensland was on the brink of civil war between the unions who armed themselves against government forces. This was characterised by severe skirmishes, attacks on wool and storage sheds, and naval battles against government ferrys.

Late in this decade saw many prominent figures emerge to call for a unification of the colonies which eventually ended with the Federation of Australia in 1901.

Answer 2

* 1861 was the year Australian explorers Burke and Wills reached the northern coast of Australia on their epic journey to cross the continent south to north. It is also, unfortunately, the year they died from malnutrition as they attempted to return to Melbourne. 1861 also saw the departure of numerous rescue expeditions attempting to find Burke and Wills. * 1861 saw the birth of Australian Opera singer Dame Nellie Melba. Dame Nellie Melba was born Helen Porter Mitchell on 19 May 1861 at "Doonside" in the inner Melbourne subrub of Richmond. She became the first Australian to achieve international recognition as an Opera soprano. * Telegraph communication within Australia reached a new stage when, in November 1861, Brisbane was linked by telegraph to New South Wales, allowing transmission of telegraphs from Queensland also to Victoria and South Australia.