Australia became a nation when the six self-governing colonies, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, united on the 1st of January 1901. Before Federation, the colonies were politically separate, with their own laws and parliaments. After federation, Australia was no longer six self-governing colonies, but a nation with its own constitution and government. During the long political process that led to federation, a stronger sense of Australian nationalism (devotion to one's country) developed.
As early as 1842, there had been many plans fo…
