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 this year. 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 1881

• 1st – Rockhampton Suspension Bridge over the Fitzroy River opened. The name of Hobart Town altered to Hobart by Act of Parliament.
• 2nd – Bishop O’Quinn laid the foundation-stone of All Hallows Convent at Brisbane. The hottest day experienced in Queensland for twenty- one years – the thermometer stood at 108° in the shade and 163° in the sun.
• 4th – HMS Sandfly left Sydney for Solomon Islands. Special session of South Australian Parliament opened by the Governor.
• 6th – Disastrous hurricane in Western Australia. Special session of the South Australian Parliament closed. The Hon T McIlwraith left Melbourne for England.
• 9th – Stranding of the Chimborazo on the Marian reef – the vessel afterwards successfully floated.
• 13th – The Intercolonial Conference met at Sydney. An important consignment of blood stock shipped from England for the Auckland Stud Company.
• 14th – Sir Archibald Michie admitted a barrister of the Supreme Court of Tasmania. The Queensland Government Expedition for the survey of the Transcontinental Railway left Brisbane.
• 16th – The first train crossed the new bridge over the Murrumbidgee at Wagga.
• 17th – The Australian cricketers arrived at Wellington, and commenced their first match against a 22 of Invercargill, the eleven won in one innings and 22 runs. Te Whiti addressed a large meeting of natives at Parihaka.
• 18th – The Narrabri (NSW) Railway extension commenced.
• 19th – The Sydney Chamber of Commerce entertained the delegates of the Intercolonial Conference at a banquet. The New South Wales and Wesleyan Conference commenced its deliberations at Sydney, Mr W E Forster, late Agent-General for NSW in London, left England for Sydney.
• 21st – It was announced in Adelaide that the King of Italy had conferred upon Mr. Forrest, the explorer, the Order of the Crown of Italy. Sir Hercules Robinson arrived at the Cape, and assumed the duties of Governor.
• 26th – Parramatta Races.
• 27th – The first shipments of frozen fish from Port Stephens reached Sydney.
• 28th – Sir Henry Parkes laid on the table of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales the minutes and proceedings of the Intercolonial Conference. The Bishop of Adelaide announced his resignation as Chancellor of the University, in consequence of ill-health.
• 29th – The foundation-stone of the Wallsend and Plattsburg (NSW) Post and Telegraph Office laid.
• 31st – The remains of the late Dr. Cairns interred in Kew Cemetery (Vict).

FEBRUARY 1881

• 2nd – Opening of the Great Southern Railway from Sydney to Albany by Sir John Robertson.
• 4th – Mr. Sinclair unanimously re- elected Mayor of Brisbane. Natator won the Wellington Cup.
• 6th – Death of the Fijian chief Ratu Emiri Maafu at Loma Loma.
• 8th – Fearful hailstorm in Sydney.
• 9th – The New South Wales treasurer made his budget speech.
• 14th – Championship boat-race on Thames – Edward Hanlon of Toronto beat Elias Laycock of Sydney.
• 18th – The ship Hereford successfully floated off Melbourne.
• 21st – Victoria won intercolonial cricket match at Sydney, beating the New South Wales team by 30 runs.
• 23rd – The Australian eleven brought their New Zealand tour to a close by playing against 22 of Auckland, the match resulting in a draw.
• 24th – Conference of British and Colonial Chambers of Commerce opened at the Westminster Palace Hotel, London.
• 26th – Judge Gwynne, of Adelaide, resigned.
• 27th – The lenten pastoral of the Roman Catholic Archbishop read in all the Victorian churches.
• 28th – Two thousand sheep sold at Forbes (NSW) at 1s per head.

MARCH 1881

• 1st – Farewell banquet to the Hon. Jas. Service in the Melbourne town hall. Presentation of a purse of 1,000 guineas to Bishop O’Connor, of Ballarat.
• 2nd – Induction of the Rev. J. C. M’Donald at the Presbyterian church, Wagga. The first section of the Eastern Railway in Western Australia, connecting Fremantle with Guildford, opened for traffic.
• 3rd – The Hon. Jas Service, Mr. R S Anderson, M.L.C., and Bishop O’Connor left Melbourne for England.
• 7th – The Australian eleven were beaten by the combined eleven of New South Wales and Victoria at Sydney, by 246 runs. Total wreck of the labour schooner Lady Tarling, on a reef off Melicolo, Queensland.
• 8th – Resignation of the South Australian Ministry.
• 10th – The Bishop of Sydney and Mrs. Barker left for England. The new South Australian Ministry sworn in. Mr. Andrews, crown solicitor of South Australia sworn in as judge of the Supreme Court.
• 12th – The Hon. W. Forster arrived at Sydney from England.
• 14th – Foundation stone of the Wesleyan chapel at Burwood NSW, laid.
• 15th – Public breakfast to the Hon. W. Forster in Sydney. Capt Dashwood, an old colonist, died at Norwood, SA.
• 18th – Opening of the Ormond College, Melbourne.
• 19th – The emigrants for Mr. Fitzgibbon Louch’s settlement at Kuakaka, NZ, left London in the Halcione. A Gazette Extraordinary issued dissolving the Legislative Assembly of South Australia.
• 21st – The Australian eleven brought their long tour to a close by playing against a 15 from the Melbourne and East and South Melbourne Clubs. The latter won by 71 runs.
• 22nd – Distribution of the Melbourne Exhibition awards by the Governor.
• 23rd – Great native meeting at Waitangi – over 3,000 Maoris present
• 24th – Justice Andrews took his seat for the first time in the Supreme Court of South Australia.
• 25th – The town of Wagga Wagga lit by gas for the first time.
• 29th – Sir Samuel Wilson sent in his resignation for his seat in the Victorian Legislative Council, and left Melbourne next day for England.

APRIL 1881

• 3rd – The Census of Australia was taken.
• 4th – The citizens of Melbourne supplied for the first time with fresh fish from England, which arrived by the Lusitania on the previous day.
• 5th – The Duke of Manchester left Sydney for Wellington. The electric light used for the first time at the Alfred Graving Dock, Melbourne.
• 6th – Grand fancy dress ball at the Sydney Garden Palace. The New South Wales Parliament prorogued.
• 7th – Sir Herbert Sandford presented by the British exhibitors at the Melbourne Exhibition with a cheque for £300. Laycock arrived at Sydney from England.
• 8th – The South Australian elections commenced. Melbourne election took place.
• 9th – International boat race on Parramatta River, Melbourne eight won easily.
• 12th – Naval sham fight at Sydney. Mr. Thomas Archer read his paper on Queensland before the Royal Colonial Institute, London.
• 19th – The annual exhibition of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales opened by the Governor. Sculling match between Trickett and Kirby at Southampton (England), Trickett won easily.
• 20th – The first land sale in Lismore (NSW) took place. The new bridge over the Waipa and Whatawhata was formally opened.
• 21st – Meteorological Conference opened at Melbourne.
• 25th – Midwinter, the cricketer, left Melbourne for London.
• 28th – Monster meeting at the Masonic Hall, Sydney, on the Chinese question, a deputation appointed to wait on the Governor.
• 29th – Wreck of the ss Taraura on Waipapa Point, loss of 130 lives.
• 30th – The Sydney Agricultural Exhibition closed. Trickett again beat Kirby over the Southampton course. The Queensland Commission finished its labours in London.

MAY 1881

• 1st – Western Australia celebrated its 52nd anniversary.
• 4th – Arrival of Mr. Robert Watson’s transcontinental survey party at Point Parker.
• 6th – Banquet at Cooktown to the Governor of Queensland.
• 7th – The Duke of Manchester arrived at Sydney on his way back to England.
• 9th – Mr. W. B. Rounsevell sworn in as treasurer at Adelaide in the place of Mr. Fowler, resigned.
• 10th – Sir Herbert Sandford left Melbourne for England. Mr. Palmer, the Colonial Secretary of Queensland, turned the first sod of the Sandgate Railway.
• 11th – The Australian Wesleyan Conference opened at Adelaide. The Chief Secretary at Melbourne declined to sanction the appointment of a commission to inquire into the causes of the decrease in population as shown by last census.
• 13th – The island of Rotumah was formally annexed to the colony of Fiji.
• 14th – Mass meeting at Newcastle, NSW, to protest against the influx of Chinese.
• 15th – Arrival of the Bacchante with the Royal Princes at King George’s Sound.
• 18th – Mr. THB Barron, Acting Commissioner of Police at Melbourne, suspended by the Colonial Secretary for alleged irregularities in his accounts.
• 23rd – The alteration in the mail service from Melbourne via Brindisi commenced.
• 24th – The Duke of Manchester left Sydney for England.
• 25th – Execution of Holambosa at Mandohana for his share of the murder of Lieutenant Bower and his boat’s crew.
• 28th – The Governor of Queensland, accompanied by Miss Kennedy, arrived at Melbourne on a visit to his son-in-law.

JUNE 1881

• 1st – Grand ball at Melbourne to celebrate the successful termination of the Exhibition. The foundation-stone of Selwyn College, Cambridge (England), laid by the Earl of Powis.
• 2nd – The South Australian Parliament was opened by the Governor – Sir H. Ayers elected President of the Legislative Council. Opening of the Wool Exhibition at the Crystal Palace (London).
• 3rd – The inquiry into the loss of the s.s. Taraura concluded at Wellington, the Marine Board blamed Captain Garrard’s want of judgment for the loss and returned certificates of the mates.
• 4th – Grand banquet to the Premier of Queensland on his return from England by the Mayor of Cooktown.
• 6th – The railway to Lancefield in Victoria was formally opened.
• 7th – Mr. George S. Fowler, M.L.A. for East Melbourne, placed his resignation in the hands of the Speaker.
• 8th – The King of the Sandwich Islands arrived in London. Tenders for the New South Wales Loan of £2,050,000 opened in London.
• 9th – The New Zealand Parliament opened by Sir Arthur Gordon. The first through train from Maryborough to Gympie ran.
• 10th – Bishop Reynolds returned to Adelaide from England.
• 13th – Bishop Torregiani opened St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church at Merriwa, NSW. The Patrick Plains Jockey Club ceased to exist. Arrival of the Royal Princes at Glenelg.
• 14th – Tenders were opened at Brisbane for the section of the Central Railway authorized.
• 16th – The French Senate agreed to the bill establishing a mail service to New Caledonia via Reunion and Australia.
• 18th – Sir John Robertson laid the foundation stone of a new school at Grafton, NSW
• 21st – The Chinese Immigrants’ Act read a third time and passed in the New Zealand Assembly.
• 25th – The Royal Princes arrived at Melbourne.
• 26th – Severe earthquake in Wellington.
• 29th – The sittings of the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney concluded.

JULY 1881

• 1st – Major- General Sir Henry St. George Ord and Sir Francis Dillon Bell decorated by the Queen at Windsor Castle. The Prince of Wales, as President of the Melbourne Exhibition, presented to the Queen a medal of Victorian gold from the Exhibition Commissioners.
• 2nd – The Governor of South Australia opened the new Military Club at Adelaide.
• 3rd – Shocks of earthquake felt in New Zealand.
• 4th – Mr. Hartley Williams appointed to the vacant judgeship in Melbourne.
• 5th – The New South Wales and Queensland Parliaments opened by the respective Governors. The report of the Royal Commission on steel rail contracts laid before the Queensland Parliament. The New Zealand Budget introduced. The American awards at the Melbourne Exhibition handed over to Mr. Pickering, the U.S. Commissioner. Tenders for the South Australian Loan of £1,365,000 opened in London.
• 7th – The Chinese Restriction Bill read a first time in the New South Wales Assembly.
• 8th – The Cotopaxi arrived at Melbourne, having made the voyage from Plymouth in 39 days including all stoppages.
• 9th – Mr. Berry announced that the Governor of Victoria had refused him a dissolution. The new Victorian Government sworn in. The sculling match for the championship won by Hearn easily.
• 10th – The Tasmanian Parliament opened.
• 13th – The new Victorian Premier announced the Ministerial programme at Lancefield. Tenders for the new Queensland Loan of 1,000,000 opened in London.
• 15th – Sir J. H. Lefroy opened the new Art Gallery at Hobart.
• 16th – Great colonial banquet given by the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House, London, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Manchester present.
• 17th – Disastrous waterspout at Grahamstown, New Zealand.
• 19th – Grand masonic ball in Sydney. Melbourne Agricultural Show opened. The foundation-stone of the new Hospital for Incurables at Heidelberg laid by the Governor.
• 20th – The debate on the report of the Steel Rails Commission terminated in the Queensland Assembly, Mr. Griffiths’ amendment negatived by 27 votes to 20.
• 21st – The Adelaide Exhibition and the Torrens Lake opened. Opening of the Legislative Council of Western Australia.
• 22nd – The Marquis of Normanby distributed the medals given by the Victorian Humane Society. The Colonial Treasurer of Tasmania introduced his Budget.
• 25th – News reached Sydney of a new rush about 20 miles from Temora. Mr. Fitzgibbon Louch’s special settlers arrived at Auckland.
• 29th – The debate on Mr. Ormond’s want-of-confidence motion in the New Zealand Assembly terminated in favour of the Government by a majority of four votes.

AUGUST 1881

• 2nd – Prorogation of the Victorian Parliament.
• 3rd – Sir John Morphett presented with an address on the occasion of his leaving Adelaide for England.
• 4th – The second session of the Victorian Parliament opened. Major- General Fielding and party left Brisbane for Point Parker.
• 6th – The Gympie and Maryborough Railway opened by the Governor.
• 8th – Final meeting of the commissioners of the Sydney Exhibition held.
• 10th – Brisbane Agricultural Show opened. The Royal Princes left Sydney fur Moreton Bay.
• 16th – The Royal Princes arrived at Brisbane. The South Australian Budget introduced.
• 17th – Toowoomba Agricultural Show opened.
• 20th – The Governor of South Australia distributed the prizes won at the meeting of the National Rifle Association. Dr. Gunson, of Adelaide, installed Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great. The Detached Squadron left Brisbane.
• 22nd – Mr. Holroyd sworn in as Supreme Court Judge at Melbourne. Foundation-stone of the Adelaide Eye Infirmary laid.
• 24th – James Kelly, brother of the notorious Ned Kelly, arrested at Chiltern for horse-stealing. The Ferret steamer arrested in Hobson’s Bay.
• 26th – Termination of the case of Miles v. Mcllwraith at Brisbane, verdict for the defendant with costs.

SEPTEMBER 1881

• 3rd – The Detached Squadron arrived at Levuku.
• 6th – The Queensland Budget introduced. The citizens of Melbourne entertained the Hon. W. J. Clarke at a banquet.
• 7th – The full court at Brisbane discharged the rule nisi in Miles v. Mcllwraith, holding that it was for the complainants to make out their case to the satisfaction of the jury.
• 9th – The Ferret steamer was sold to Mr. A. S. Wood
• 10th – The Hon. W. J. Clarke, of Melbourne, appointed Provisional Grand Master of Freemasons of the Irish constitution.
• 12th – The racehorse “Waxy” sold to Mr. F. Wentworth, of New South Wales, for £2,200.
• 13th – Sir Arthur Gordon left Auckland for Fiji. King Kalakaua terminated his visit to England, and left for New York.
• 14th – Foundation-stone of the town-hall at Mount Gambier laid.
• 15th – Justice Holroyd sat for the first time in the Council Court at Melbourne. Annual meeting of the Queensland Rifle Association opened at Brisbane.
• 18th – Alfred Shaw’s cricketing team left England for New York and Australia.
• 20th – The Victorian Parliament met after a six weeks’ adjournment.
• 22nd – The Victorian Budget introduced.
• 24th – Prorogation of the New Zealand Parliament. Close of the Adelaide Exhibition.
• 26th – Banquet and ball at Sydney to celebrate the 26th anniversary of the opening of the Government Railways. Complimentary dinner to Michael Rush at Sydney.
• 28th – The New South Wales Government steamer Ajax arrived at Newcastle, bringing on from Cape Hawke Captain Brown and the mate and six of the crew of the barque Prince Victor.
• 29th – The Premier of New Zealand and Major Atkinson left Wellington for the West Coast to consult with the native minister there on the unsatisfactory position of native affairs. The Triennial Parliament Bill negatived by the Queensland Assembly by 20 to 17 votes.
• 30th – The new Albert Hall in Brisbane opened.

OCTOBER 1881

• 3rd – Opening of the new Postal and Telegraph Office at Goulburn. Madame Rose Hersee made her first appearance in London on her return from Australia.
• 4th – The P. & O. terminus changed from Southampton to Gravesend.
• 8th – The Hon. H. Scott, M.L.C., Adelaide, left for Europe.
• 10th – The General Synod of the Church of England opened at Sydney.
• 15th – Major Sir Geo. Strahan left England to take up his duties as Governor of Tasmania.
• 19th – The acting Governor of New Zealand issued a proclamation, warning the natives that they must accept the terms offered them within a fortnight, or they would forfeit the land awarded to them by the Royal Commission. Sir Arthur Gordon returned from Fiji to New Zealand.
• 24th – Sir George Innes sworn in as Judge of the Supreme Court of Sydney. The new schedule of light dues came into operation in South Australia.

NOVEMBER 1881

• 1st – The Melbourne Cup won by Zulu. Sands art i competition at the Art Gallery, Sydney, opened.
• 2nd – Bathurst Juvenile Exhibition opened by Sir A. Stephen.
• 4th – Report of Mr. J. E. Salomons in reference to the Melbourne Creek inquiry laid before Parliament. Commodore Wilson promoted to the rank of Vice- Admiral.
• 5th – Te Whiti and other native chiefs arrested by the native minister, New Zealand.
• 7th – Public and Civil Service Examinations at Sydney University.
• 8th – The New Zealand Parliament dissolved. Dr. Short tendered his formal resignation as Archbishop of Adelaide. The New South Wales Legislative Assembly resolved to expel Mr. E. A. Baker.
• 9th – Alderman C. J. Ham, the new mayor of Melbourne, gave his inaugural dinner. The hall for Australian Freemasons commenced at Sydney.
• 10th – Sir John Robertson resigned as Minister for Instruction, New South Wales. Titokowaru and five other chiefs arrested at Parihaka.
• 11th – Old well discovered in George Street, Sydney.
• 13th – Mr. Meredith, the manager of the Royal Tasman Mine, arrived at Launceston with a fine cake of gold, weighing 611 ounces.
• 14th – Mr. Darley appointed vice-president of the Executive Council of New South Wales.
• 15th – General Fielding’s Queensland Trans-Continental Survey party arrived at Point Parker. New South Wales budget introduced. Te Whiti and Toku committed for trial at New Plymouth.
• 16th – Annual prize meeting of the New South Wales Rifle Association. Shaw’s team of professional cricketers arrived at Sydney from England. Meeting of Australian colonists at the Bank of New South. Wales, London, to consider the proposal of presenting Mr. Alderman McArthur, M.P., late Lord Mayor, with a testimonial. Marriage of Sir Charles Gavan Duffy, in Paris, to his niece, Miss Hall.
• 17th – Mr. Vale, member for Fitzroy, Victoria, resigned and retired from political life after 15 years service.
• 18th – The South Australian Parliament prorogued. William Nugent hanged at Mount Gambia for the murder of Pearce.
• 19th -The Town Clerk of Sydney presented with a silver service.
• 21st – The Perth Exhibition opened.
• 22nd – Orroroo and Petersburg jail way formally opened by Sir W. Jervois. The Duke of Manchester described his impressions of his recent visit to Australia and New Zealand before the Royal Colonial Institute, London.
• 23rd – Mr. H. V. Harris, Accountant of the Lands Department, Sydney, arrested for defalcations.
• 24th – Mr. E. T. Smith elected for the third time Mayor of Adelaide. Mr. Joshua Peter Bell, President of Queensland Legislative Council, gazetted a K.C.M.G.
• 25th – The New Zealand chief, Titokowaru, bound over in two sureties of £500 each to keep the peace for twelve months.
• 26th – St. Barnabas, Theological College, Adelaide, opened by Bishop Short.
• 30th – Plans of Ilawarra railway agreed to.

DECEMBER 1881

• 1st – The first election of alderman in Adelaide under the Municipal Act, 1880. Mr. W. B. Gibbon, premier of Tasmania, exchanged the duties of Colonial Treasurer for those of Attorney-General. The new Act restricting Chinese immigration into Victoria came into force.
• 3rd – A cake of gold, weighing 2,070 ounces, sent into Launceston from the Tasman claim “ Beacons- field.”
• 4th – Sir J. P. Bell’s racing marc Wheatsheaf broke her back and had to be shot.
• 5th – Severe shock of earthquake at Canterbury. Stonewalling in the Legislative Assembly, New South Wales, in connection with the appointment of magistrates.
• 6th – Dr. Blaxland appointed superintendent at Callan Park, Sydney. Sir Samuel Wilson defeated at the Londonderry election.
• 7th – Sir G. C. Strahan arrived at Hobart and sworn in as Governor of Tasmania.
• 8th – Warrants granted against the trustees of the Melbourne Creek Company.
• 9th – General election in New Zealand. Mr. Coppin made his last appearance on the Melbourne stage at the Theatre Royal. Alderman Harris re-elected Mayor of Sydney.
• 12th – Champion sculling race at Brisbane regatta won easily by Laycock. Sydney Arcade opened. The first instalment of the Te Aroha special Christian settlement arrived at Auckland.
• 13th – Mr. Dillon, M.L. A., of New South Wales, re- signed as Fellow of St. John’s College.
• 14th – Plans of railways, Cootamundra to Gundagai, Norandera to Jerilderie, Murramburrah to Blaney, and Grange to near Forbes, New South Wales, agreed to.
• 15th – Mr. IT. T. Harris, Accountant of Lands Department, Sydney, sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
• 16th – Mr. W. E. Stan bridge elected for the North Western Province of Victoria, in place of Mr. A. Fraser, resigned.
• 17th – The first regatta on the Torrens Lake. The Wolverene presented to the Colony of New South Wales.
• 19th – Railway from Caulfield to Mordialloc opened. Rev. Father Dunne appointed Roman Catholic Bishop of Brisbane, and the Rev. Dr. Cani Roman Catholic Bishop of Rockhampton.
• 20th – New South Wales Parliament prorogued. Mr. Turner, M.L.A., New South Wales, resigned. The new channel from Port Chalmers to Dunedin opened.
• 22nd – Victorian Parliament passed Chinese Restriction Bill, and Loan Bill for £4,000,000. The new Government Office, Adelaide, handed over to the Government. The new immigration regulations, New South Wales, issued.
• 24th – Victorian Parliament prorogued. Sir A. H. Palmer appointed President of the Queensland Legislative Council.
• 26th – Races held at Randwick and Parramatta, New South Wales.
• 27th – The Rev. Dr. Short resigned his position as Chancellor of the Adelaide University.
• 28th – Farewell banquet to Sir Henry Parkes by the citizens of Sydney, prior to his departure for the United States and England.
• 29th – Departure of Sir Henry Parkes for the United States.
• 30th – The Murrickville tramway, New South Wales, opened. Severe gale passed over the Fiji Islands.
• 31st – The Perth Exhibition closed. The Hobart whaling barque Runnymede wrecked in Frenchman’s Bay, King George’s Sound.