Australian History Multiple Choice Quiz | Oceania

Answer: Alfred Deakin

Australia's first prime minister was Edmund Barton, who served one term from the time of federation - 1901 to 1903. His friend, Alfred Deakin, served as the first Attorney General and later became the second prime minister, serving three consecutive terms - 1903-4, 1905-8 and 1909-10. Deakin University in Victoria is named after him.

Answer: Paddy Hannan

Paddy Hannan, an Irish prospector, discovered gold at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, in 1893. Kalgoorlie's Fimiston Open Pit Mine (nicknamed the "Super Pit") is the largest open pit gold mine in Australia.

Of the incorrect answers, Edward Hargraves discovered gold in 1851 at Bathurst, New South Wales. Peter Lalor was the leader of the Eureka Stockade rebellion at Ballarat in Victoria in 1854. The Eureka Stockade was the culmination of a series of rebellions between the gold miners and the Colonial military forces. James Esmond is officially credited with finding gold in Victoria at Clunes in 1851, shortly before the discoveries of gold at Ballarat.

Answer: Immigrants

Caroline Chisholm is famous as a pioneer social worker in Australia. She was especially concerned with helping young single immigrant women and homeless girls in Sydney. Although born into the Church of England, she converted to Catholicism around 1830-31 and has been nominated for sainthood in the Catholic Church.

She is already recognised as a saint in the Anglican Church, being featured in the Church of England's Calendar of Saints on May 16. At one time she was featured on Australia's $5 note.

Answer: John Batman

Melbourne was originally named Batmania, after John Batman. It has, however, undergone numerous name changes in its lifetime, including Bearpurt, Bearburp, Bearbury, Bearport, Bareheep, Barebrass, Doutta Galla, Dutergalla, Glenelg, Neramnew, and, last but not least, The Settlement, the name most popular with the settlers. The governor of New South Wales, Sir Richard Bourke, visiting the settlement in 1837, bestowed the name Melbourne in honour of William Lamb, second Viscount Melbourne, Prime Minister of England.

Of the incorrect answers, Brisbane was founded by Lieutenant Henry Miller, Perth was founded by Captain James Stirling, and Adelaide was founded by Colonel William Light.

Answer: South Sydney

Their official name is South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club but they are affectionately known as by the nicknames Souths, Rabbitohs and Bunnies, Rabbitohs being the most used. Well-known actor Russell Crowe is a keen Rabbitohs supporter and part-owner.

When the competition was reduced to 12 teams in 2000, the Rabbitohs were one of the teams eliminated. However, after several court cases, they were back in 2002.

Answer: Chinese

Lambing Flat was in southern New South Wales. It was a goldmining area that was the scene of a number of racial and alcohol-fuelled attacks on Chinese goldminers by European, Australian and North American miners, culminating in the Lambing Flat Riots of 1860-61.

The riots led to the restriction of Chinese immigration to Australia. In an attempt to obliterate the memory of the riots, the name was changed from Lambing Flat to Young, named after the governor, Sir John Young.

Answer: Coloured sashes

The team was made up of 13 Aboriginal men, mostly from rural Victoria. During the 1868 tour, they played 47 matches throughout England, including at Lord's.
Unfortunately, several became ill, two had to return home to Australia, and one player, Bripumyarrimin (known as King Cole), died of tuberculosis and was buried in London.

Answer: Francis Forde

Francis Forde was Australia's 15th and shortest-serving Prime Minister. Forde was the Deputy Prime Minister to John Curtin. After Curtin's death in office, Forde served as a caretaker PM from 6-13 July, 1945. The Labor Party voted to have Ben Chifley take over as both Labor Party leader and Prime Minister on 13 July 1945.

Answer: Ludwig Leichhardt

Ludwig Leichhardt was a German explorer. He is remembered for three major expeditions. The first was in 1844-46. He and his party travelled nearly 5,000 kilometres (over 3,000 miles) from Darling Downs, Queensland, in the east to Darwin in the north. The second expedition (1846) was a failed attempt to travel from Darling Downs to Perth in the west. In 1848, he attempted the same trip again but this time he and his party disappeared. It is still unknown what happened to them.

Of the incorrect answers, all were famous explorers in Australian history but none of them achieved fame by going missing.

Answer: Melbourne

The Commonwealth of Australia came into being officially on 1 January 1901 after the six colonies united to form a new nation, a process known as Federation. There was great rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne as to which city should become the capital.

It was eventually agreed that the interim capital would be Melbourne until a new capital city could be established halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. The land comprising the Australian Capital Territory was transferred to the Commonwealth by New South Wales in 1911 and the city of Canberra became the capital in 1913.

In actual fact, Canberra is twice as far from Melbourne as it is from Sydney.