1770 – Captain Cook claims the east coast of Australia in the name of Britain. Diaries from the voyage record First Nations peoples living on these lands, making later claims of “terra nullius” blatantly bad faith on behalf of the British Empire.
1788 – The arrival of the First Fleet in Warrane marks the beginning of European colonisation in the lands of the Gadigal, Cammeraygal and Wangal peoples.
1901 – The Australian constitution comes into effect as Australia is formally recognised as a federation. First Nations peoples are excluded from conversations and conventions about its formation and the final document expressly discriminates against them – discounting them from the census and stating the commonwealth could not make laws concerning them.
