What happened in Australia in the 1840s?

If Social Media existed back then, what would our ancestors have been talking about? Taken from year books, Almanacs and newspapers, follows is a list of notable events that occurred in these years. Includes disasters, severe weather, notable people, milestones, construction, inaugurations and other significant events. Obviously, this list references recorded events only and is not exhaustive.

JANUARY

5th – First N.S.W. Constitution proclaimed – 1843
22nd – Wellington New Zealand founded – 1840
24th – First Bishop of Melbourne arrived – 1843
29th – First Governor of New Zealand arrived – 1840

FEBRUARY

1st – Nelson, New Zealand formed – 1842
5th – First Judge appointed to Melbourne – 1841
10th – Queen Victoria married – 1840
15th – First mail to Mount Macedon – 1844

MARCH

13th – Boundaries of Melbourne proclaimed – 1843
18th – Princess Louisa born – 1848
20th – Melbourne Hospital founded – 1846
20th – Foundation stone laid for the Prince’s Bridge – 1846
23rd – Settlement of Otago – 1848
25th – Princess Alice born – 1843

APRIL

4th – Date of Leichhardt’s last letter – 1848
5th – First Supreme Court at Melbourne – 1841
6th – Antarctic expedition arrived at Hobart Town – 1840
12th – Supreme Court established, first Criminal Sessions in Melbourne – 1841

MAY

3rd – N. Z. declared independent – 1841
3rd – New Zealand declared independent of NSW – 1841
4th – Moreton Bay proclaimed – 1842
5th – Great meeting in Hobart Town against transportation – 1847
7th – First District Council elected in Sydney – 1844
11th – Wesleyan Church in Victoria founded – 1840
19th – Burra Burra Mines discovered in South Australia – 1844
21st – N.Z. proclaimed a British colony – 1840
22nd – Franklin sailed for the last time – 1845
25th – Sydney lighted with Gas – 1841
28th – Great Flood at Melbourne – 1848
30th – Queen Victoria shot at – 1842

JUNE

9th – Sheep first boiled down in Australia – 1843
24th Destructive fire in Melbourne – 1848

JULY

11th – Squatting regulations issued – 1845
21st – Convicts refused at Cape – 1849

AUGUST

2nd – Governor Sir Charles Fitzroy arrived at Sydney – 1846
6th – Prince Alfred born – 1844
12th – Old Post-office Melbourne opened – 1841
13th – Earthquake at Flinders Island – 1844
20th – Transportation to NSW ceased – 1840

SEPTEMBER

1st – Savings Bank established in Melbourne – 1841
9th – Coal discovered in Western Australia – 1846
12th – Chamber of commerce established at Launceston – 1849
22nd – Kennedy’s last Expedition – 1848

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

9th – Prince of Wales born – 1841
18th – Princess Royal born – 1840
22nd – Heavy Fall Snow in Hobart Town – 1849

DECEMBER

1st – First civic election in Melbourne – 1842
5th – First steamer arrived Western Australia – 1845
8th – Thermometer reading in Tasmania at 156 degrees in the sun – 1847
9th – Palmer elected first Mayor of Melbourne – 1842
22nd – Copper discovered in Western Australia – 1846