Blogs

If Social Media existed back in the 1860s, 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

• 1st – A lad named Quirk drowned in Anderson’s Lake, near Perth – 1860
• 2nd – Thermometer 149 degrees in the sun at Adelaide – 1867
• 4th – Captain Davis, of the “Robertina”, was tried and acquitted, at the Quarter Sessions, of the charge of occasioning the wreck of that vessel by neglect of duty – 1860
• 4th – Complaints made of the absence of proper signals at Rottnest for vessels entering the harbour.
• 7th – Duke of Edinburgh left Victoria – 1868
• 9th – A luncheon given at the Swan River Mechanics’ Institute in celebration of its 9th anniversary.
• 10th – Thermometer 129 degrees in the sun at Melbourne – 1867
• 10th – The “Dolphin” arrives in WA from England with several passengers, among whom is Mr J. H. Monger, one of the earliest settlers – 1860
• 11th – S.S. London foundered – 1866
• 12th – A thermometer recorded 129 degrees in the sun Melbourne – 1867
• 13th – Border Customs Treaty signed – 1867
• 22nd – Duke of Edinburgh Arrived in Sydney – 1868
• 21st – Burke and Wills funeral – 1863
• 30th – Oriental Bank robbery – 1867
• The price of wheat ranges from 6s to 6s 6d per bushel; barley and oats, from 4s 6d to ss – 1860

FEBRUARY

• 3rd – A full cargo of sandalwood and horses sent to Singapore in the “Erolite” out of Perth – 1860
• 4th – “Nelson” first Victorian war ss arrives – 1868
• 7th – Wreck of the “Orpheus” – 1863
• 8th on – Three ships (Glenburn, Frances, and Champion) loading with timber at the Vasse, WA – 1860
• 8th – Proposal made to establish a horse depot at Rottnest for the supply of the Indian market – 1860
• New Land Regulations proclaimed in WA – 1860
• 11th – Burke and Wills crossed the continent – 1861
• 17th – Commencement of the New Zealand war – 1860
• 18th – 320 tons sandalwood exported to Singapore in the “Crystal Palace” – 1860
• 22nd – Second visit by Prince Alfred to Victoria – 1869
• 24th – Intercolonial Exhibition closes – 1867
• 24th – An accident, through the escape of steam, occurs on board the steamer “Lady Stirling”, by which two of the crew died – 1860
• A large quantity of wheat, barley, and hay consumed by fire at Dandhlup, Murray River – 1860
• Intelligence received of the formation of an Association in London for watching over and promoting the interests of Western Australia – 1860
• The formation of a railway between Champion Bay and the Wanerenooka Mine projected – 1860

MARCH

• 6th – Floods and loss of life in NSW – 1867
• 6th – The foundation-stone of a new episcopal Church at Guildford laid by Mrs Kennedy – 1860
• 7th – A Roman Catholic Chapel proposed to be erected at Fremantle – 1860
• 9th – No fewer than eight American whale ships were lying at “Geographe Bay” – 1860
• 9th – Fenian Rebellion in Ireland – 1867
• 12th – Duke of Edinburgh shot at Sydney – 1868
• 16th – Duchess of Kent died – 1861
• 16th – A somewhat grand cricket match played at Perth between eleven of that town and eleven from Fremantle; the latter were the victors – 1860
• 22nd – Mr James Duffield and a man named Luft killed by the falling in of a well at Bicton – 1860
• 23rd – Floods in NSW – many lives lost – 1867
• 29th – Fine Arts Exhibition opened in Melbourne – 1869
• Paving stones becoming in general use on the pathways in front of the principal stores in Perth – 1860
• The establishment of a sanitarium in Perth again mooted – 1860
• The WA Chamber of Commerce revived – 1860
• Price of flour reduced to £2 per bag – 1860
• The house and premises of a farmer named Allen, at the Vasse, totally destroyed by fire – 1860
• It is computed that the supply of flour, the produce of last harvest, exceeds the consumption for the year by 200 tons – 1860

APRIL

• 1st – Paris Exhibition opened – 1867
• 5th – The “Dolphin” sails for England with a cargo of 85 bales wool, 116 tons copper ore, 50 tons lead, 15 tons gum, 1,500 lbs leather, and 2 hogsheads wine – 1860
• 5th – The first applications for the purchase and lease of land under the new regulations were received, for which upwards of £3,000 was paid to the Government – 1860
• 6th – Duke of Edinburgh left colony for England – 1868
• 8th – 7th Census – population 540,322 – 1861
• 10th – Geelong & Ballarat Railway opened – 1862
• 12th – The Perth Races winning horses were: For the Maiden Plate, Messrs Phillips & Co.’s Bashful; Margeaux Cup, Messrs Phillips & Co.’s Flash; Ladies’ Purse, Mr Chidlow’s Stirling; Three-Year-Old Stakes, Messrs Phillips & Co’s Flash; Settlers’ Stakes, Mr Guerin’s Madame Rarey; Town and Queen’s Plates, Mr Guerin’s Sultana – 1860
• 16th – Great gales and shipwreck – 1867
• 17th – Gray, Victorian explorer died – 1861
• 21st – Burke’s Party returned to C. Ck. – 1861
• 25th – Railway opened to Kyneton – 1862
• 21st – O’Farrell executed – 1868
• 24th – Great flood at Ballarat – 1860
• 25th – Railway opened to Kyneton – 1862
• 27th – Tasmanian Subm. cable laid – 1869
• An assessment of £1 on each allotment in Fremantle levied in that town – 1860
• A Roman Catholic Chapel opened at York – 1860
• Intelligence received of the adoption of a resolution by the Western Australian Association to the effect that a joint-stock company (limited) be established in London for the purpose of promoting the exportation of timber and minerals from, and the acquisition of land in, Western Australia – 1860
• Sandalwood falls in price at Singapore – 1860
• A Museum in course of erection by the Swan River Mechanics’ Institute – 1860
• A memorial, numerously signed, advocating an increased number of convicts, forwarded to the Home Government – 1860
• The price of flour advances to £22 per ton; wheat to 9s 6d per bushel – 1860

MAY

• 13th – “General Grant” wrecked at Auckland – 1866

JUNE

• 1st – the anniversary of the foundation of the colony celebrated at Fremantle by boat-races and rural sports – 1860
• 12th – At a meeting of the Toodyay, Northam, and Victoria Plains Agricultural Society, it was proposed that as the Eastern districts of WA were becoming overstocked, an exploring party should be organised, and that an application be made to the Government for a bonus of 1,000 acres to each settler who might be successful in the discovery of a new pastoral run – 1860
• 13th – Floods cause loss of life in NSW – 1867
• 26th – Wills’ (Explorer) last letter – 1861
• 29th – St. Mary’s Catholic Sydney burnt – 1865
• 29th – Burke and Wills died – 1861
• The project to establish a branch of the Union Bank at Perth, abandoned – 1860
• A cargo of flour and sandalwood sent to Singapore in the “New Perseverance” – 1860
• A fine tract of pastoral land reported to be discovered to the eastward of Doubtful Island Bay – 1860
• WA – Greater fall of rain than experienced in the corresponding month for some years past – 1860

JULY

• 7th – Darling Gt. “dead-lock” ceased – 1868
• 8th – Railway opened to Woodend – 1861
• 9th – Fatal boat accident at Dromana – 1867
• 10th – Oriental Rice Mills burnt – 1867
• 12th – “Cawarra” foundered at Newcastle – 1866
• 16th Collision between “Black Swan” and “Luna” – 1867
• 22nd – Departure of the 40th Regiment to N.Z. – 1860
• 27th – Assembly resolved to refuse Supply – 1865
• 30th – Atlantic Cable completed – 1866
• 31st – First Queensland railway opened – 1865
• A dispatch received from the Lieutenant Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, complaining of the arrival there on board the “Lord Raglan”, of a number of conditional-pardon men from Western Australia, warning Governor Kennedy that every legitimate means would be taken to prevent their stay, and the arrival of others, —and explaining the conduct of the inhabitants of the Cape in resisting the landing of convicts from the “Neptune” – 1860
• Capsizing of a boat at Freemantle by which a young gentleman, who had just arrived from England (son of Mr W. L. Brockman), and two boatmen, lost their lives – 1860
• Six horses belonging to Mr C. Bibra speared by the natives in the Champion Bay district – 1860

AUGUST

• 1st – Victorian Postage reduced to 2d – 1866
• 4th – At the Quarter Sessions held in WA, 9 cases were brought forward for trial; two of the prisoners being natives, charged with the murder of another native—they were both found guilty and hanged – 1860
• 3rd – Riot on Railway at Sandhurst – 1860
• 10th – Earthquake at Melbourne – 1867
• 11th – At a meeting of the York Agricultural Society, the principal prizes declared for the show of stock on the 4th October, were—for the best colonial bred cart stallion, best imported thorough bred entire, best colonial-bred cartinare, and best bull, £5 each ; and for the best pen of 2 rams, £4 – 1860
• 13th – Gov. Manners-Sutton arrived – 1866
• 15th – Gov. Manners-Sutton sworn – 1866
• 17th – At a meeting of the Western Australian Mining Association held at Perth arrangements were made to reform the company under the limited liability Act – 1860
• 18th – Burke’s Party left Melbourne – 1860
• 20th – Council rejected Appropriations Bill – 1867
• 25th – Independent Church, Collins Street opened – 1867
• 27th – Essendon Railway purchased by Government – 1867
• 28th – Riot at Parliament Houses – 1860
• Preliminary movement made in London for the promotion of an exploring expedition in WA, in order to connect Mr Augustus Gregory’s last expedition with the terminus of that of Mr F. Gregory; the latter gentleman offering to act as leader of the party – 1860
• Price of cattle at auction £8 16s to £10 10s – 1860
• Efforts making to induce the Government again to declare Fremantle a free port – 1860
• Rain as incessant as in the preceding month, and a flood apprehended – 1860
• Five more horses belonging to Mr C. Bibra speared by the natives in the Champion Bay district, and an addition to the police force sent there to afford protection – 1860
• A sperm whale floats ashore near Bunbury – 1860
• Very favourable report of the Wheal Fortune Mine (WA) published by the mining captains, Messrs. Hosken and Lorey; nearly 100 tons copper-ore from this mine ready for shipment – 1860
• Amateur theatricals again revived in Perth – 1860
• The low land on the Swan, Canning, Murray and around Perth, flooded by continual rain – 1860
• Retail price of flour £23 per ton – 1860
• Blackboy gum sold for £l0 10s per ton in the London market – 1860
• Notification made in the Government Gazette of the intention of the local authorities to impose an export duty on sandalwood – 1860
• The first ploughing match held in the Northern district takes place on the Greenough Flats in WA – 1860

SEPTEMBER

• 5th – A Freemasons’ ball held at Mr Haysom’s Hotel, Perth – 1860
• 9th – Sir Charles Darling arrived – 1863
• 14th – Bodies of 3 lost children found at Daylesford – 1867
• 19th – Wills buried Cooper’s Creek – 1861
• 21st – New Guildford Church opened for Divine Service – 1860
• 21st – Burke’s remains found – 1861
• A man named Anderson drowned at the Perth bridge – 1860
• Western Australian timber again in great demand by the Admiralty, and large orders received for execution – 1860
• The scarlet-fever introduced into King George’s Sound by the steamer “Salsette” it is still limited to that locality, and one person only has yet died from its effects – 1860
• The photographic art brought to much perfection by Mr A. Curtis, who takes some excellent views of the city of Perth – 1860
• Dispatches received from England of a rather discouraging nature, both as to the proposed establishment of a sanitarium, and the projected railway in the northern district (WA) -1860
• The Museum at the Swan River Mechanics’ Institute, nearly completed -1860

OCTOBER

• 1st – Second Victorian Exhibition opened – 1861
• 5th – Great Flood at Melbourne – 1866
• 7th – Melbourne Musical Festival – 1862
• 11th – “Result” burned in Hobson’s Bay – 1866
• 13th – Deaf and Dumb Institute opened – 1866
• 15th – Railway to Castlemaine opened – 1862
• 8th – Great Floods in Gippsland – 1866
• 20th – Railway to Sandhurst opened – 1862
• 21st – Railway to Essendon opened – 1860
• 25th – Taradale Viaduct commenced – 1860
• 28th – Earthquake – 800 lives lost at St Thomas – 1867
• 29th – Prince Alfred arrived at Adelaide – 1867

NOVEMBER

• 4th – Murder of H. Wills by natives – 1861
• 17th – Melbourne Illumination for Duke of Edinburgh – 1867
• 24th – Prince Alfred arrived in Victoria – 1867
• 25th – Prince Alfred’s public entry into Melbourne – 1867
• 28th – Grand Torchlight Procession – 1867
• 29th – Maiden Stone New Town Hall laid – 1867
• The Pacific Mail Company conclude arrangements for running a line of first-class steamers from San Francisco to Australia, via Honolulu – 1869
• Death of Oliver Francis Kelley, late clerk of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly – 1869
• News of alleged failure of European Insurance Company occasions much excitement in the different colonies, many colonists being policy holders – 1869
• Departure of H. M. S. Challenger from Melbourne for New Zealand – 1869
• Queensland Government Loan of £343,000 successfully placed in the Sydney market – 1869
• Eighty-one diamonds from Mudgee arrive in Melbourne – 1869
• Ferguson relieves Dr. Mueller of his duties at the Melbourne Botanic Gardens – 1869
• Large shipments of preserved meats from Victoria to England – 1869
• Custom House at Somerset, Queensland, broken into by blacks – 1869
• Shipment of colonial-grown tobacco from Queensland to England – 1869
• Canon Russell installed as dean at St. Paul s Church, Adelaide – 1869
• Sudden death of Archdeacon Twopenny at Riverton, South Australia – 1869
• Writs issued for general election in Sydney – 1869
• The Tasmanian Parliament prorogued by the Governor – 1869
• Henry Butler, M.L.A., appointed Minister of Lands and Works in the Tasmanian Ministry – 1869
• Native war continues in New Zealand – 1869
• Gold discovered near Napier – 1869
• New official badge adopted for New Zealand – 1869
• Another eruption of Tongariro, the New Zealand burning mountain – 1869
• Flying Squadron arrives off Cape Otway, Victoria – 1869
• The Mane Gabrielle wrecked near Melbourne Heads – 1869
• Shock of earthquake at Nelson – 1869
• Fire at Government printing offices, Melbourne – 1869
• Great fire in Geelong – 1869
• Meeting of Melbourne Early Closing Association – 1869
• Arrival at Sydney of live stock from England. – 1869

DECEMBER

• 8th – Prince Alfred visited Ballarat – 1867
• 14th – Prince Albert died – 1861
• 15th – Joss House opened at Emerald Hill – 1866
• 16th – Burke left Coopers Creek – 1861
• 17th – Prince Alfred at Castlemaine – 1867
• 23rd – City Baths opened – 1860
• 24th – All England Eleven arrived – 1861
• 26th – International Cricket match won by NSW – 1866
• 19th – Prince Alfred at Sandhurst – 1867
• 28th – Regatta in presence of Prince Alfred – 1867
• Death of Mr. W B Allen, formerly member of Sydney Legislative Assembly – 1869
• Charge of libel against editor of Wagga Express – 1869
• Arrival of Flying Squadron at Sydney – 1869
• Heavy thunder storms in New South Wales – 1869
• General election in New South Wales – 1869
• More cures of snake-bite by Professor Halford’s remedy – 1869
• Two of Halligan’s murderers executed at Rockhampton Sir Alfred – 1869
• Queensland Government accepts tender for extension of telegraphic lines to Gulf of Carpentaria, to meet the submarine cable from Java – 1869
• South Australian Assembly refuse Mr. Bean leave of absence until end of session – 1869
• Schomburgh writes to Adelaide papers, warning colonists of approach of vine-disease – 1869
• Solomon elected mayor of Adelaide – 1869
• Gold reef discovered in Tasmania – 1869
• 20,000 young fish in the Tasmanian salmon ponds – 1869
• Goyder publishes long and interesting report on Northern Australia – 1869
• Large seizures at Melbourne Custom House ; the goods had been entered at false values, with the object of saving duty – 1869
• Payment of Members Bill and State Aid to Religion Bill rejected by Victorian Parliament – 1869
• Slight earthquake experienced in different parts of Victoria – 1869
• Ostriches belonging to Acclimatisation Society hatch brood of twelve, the first in Australia – 1869
• Government of Canterbury offer reward for discovery of payable gold-field – 1869
• Project of a submarine cable from New Zealand to New South Wales mooted. – 1869