| |
| 1855, June |
| |
| The Victoria government passed an act to restrict Chinese immigration (33,000 had come to the goldfields since 1851). The new law provided for a poll tax of £10 on every Chinese immigrant. In 1859 a residence tax of £4 per annum was added. Similar measures were adopted by South Australia (1857) and New South Wales (1861) despite pressure from the British government. The effect was to check Chinese immigration almost completely. | 1 |
| New South Wales, having first adopted a railway gauge of 5 ft. 3 in., changed to the 4 ft. 8½ in. gauge, leaving Victoria with the broader gauge. South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland, for reasons of economy, adopted the 3 ft. 6 in. gauge, thus producing complete confusion in the continental railway systems. | 2 |
| |
| 1856 |
| |
| Peninsula and Oriental Steamship Company opened regular service, facilitating travel from England. | 3 |
| |
| March 19 |
| |
| Victoria introduced the secret ballot, which later spread to the other Australian colonies and the world. | 4 |
| |
| |
