Australian history quiz
Key moments that shaped modern Australia.
10 multiple-choice questions, with the answer explained after each one.
Answer each question, see why, and beat your best score.
All 10 questions and answers
Want to check an answer or run the quiz out loud? Every question is here, with the answer hidden until you open it.
- On what date did the Australian colonies federate?
- 26 January 1788
- 1 January 1901
- 1 July 1900
- 25 April 1915
Show answer
1 January 1901. The six colonies became states of the Commonwealth of Australia.
- Who was Australia's first Prime Minister?
- Alfred Deakin
- Edmund Barton
- Henry Parkes
- John Curtin
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Edmund Barton. Henry Parkes is called the father of Federation, but he died in 1896.
- In what year did the First Fleet arrive at Sydney Cove?
- 1801
- 1824
- 1770
- 1788
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1788. Captain Arthur Phillip led the fleet of 11 ships.
- Which colony first allowed women to both vote and stand for parliament, in 1894?
- South Australia
- Victoria
- Tasmania
- New South Wales
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South Australia. It was a world first for the right to stand for parliament.
- What did the 1967 referendum change?
- It created the Senate
- It made voting compulsory
- It allowed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be counted in the census and covered by Commonwealth laws
- It made Canberra the capital
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It allowed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be counted in the census and covered by Commonwealth laws. More than 90% of voters said yes.
- Where was the Eureka Stockade rebellion of 1854?
- Kalgoorlie, WA
- Bathurst, NSW
- Bendigo, Victoria
- Ballarat, Victoria
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Ballarat, Victoria. Gold miners rebelled over licence fees and the right to vote.
- What does Anzac Day (25 April) commemorate first?
- The landing at Gallipoli in 1915
- The end of World War I
- Federation
- The Battle of Kokoda
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The landing at Gallipoli in 1915. It now honours all who served.
- When did Australia switch to decimal currency?
- 1 January 1901
- 14 February 1966
- 1 July 1955
- 26 January 1988
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14 February 1966. Dollars and cents replaced pounds, shillings and pence.
- When did the Sydney Harbour Bridge open?
- 1932
- 1901
- 1956
- 1923
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1932. It's nicknamed 'the Coathanger'.
- Which Prime Minister delivered the National Apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008?
- Julia Gillard
- John Howard
- Kevin Rudd
- Paul Keating
Show answer
Kevin Rudd. It was delivered on 13 February 2008.