| Tasmania | | | | Its governing body is a Parliament, which has |
| It has been established, through archaeological | | | | three parts: The Crown, the Legislative Council, |
| exploration, that Tasmania was first inhabited | | | | and the House of Assembly. The government |
| between 20000 and 30000 years ago, when the | | | | leader is the Premier and the size of its Ministry |
| island was still a part of the mainland. It was first | | | | varies, but cannot exceed ten members. it is |
| sighted by European explorers in 1642. At that | | | | represented in the Australian Federal Government |
| time, it was named "Van Diemen's Land", in honor | | | | by five Representatives in the House, and twelve |
| of the Governor-General of the Dutch-East India | | | | Senators. |
| Company who funded the expedition. It was | | | | Victoria |
| renamed Tasmania in 1856 for Abel Tasman, its | | | | Before word of the gold discovery, it was almost |
| "discoverer". | | | | impossible to attract settlers to Victoria. Of |
| Van Diemen's Land was visited by both French | | | | course, that changed rapidly and men began |
| explorers (1722 and 1779) and English explorers | | | | pouring into the area by the thousands. Efforts |
| (1773, 1777, 1788, 1792, 1789, and 1794). In 1798, | | | | were made, by the governing body of that time, |
| two British expeditions sailed completely around | | | | to attract more women and families. By the end |
| the island, thus establishing that it was totally | | | | of 1851, 30,000 immigrants had arrived from |
| separated from mainland Australia. And although | | | | Britain, China, Europe, and America. Between 1851 |
| Captain James Cook had claimed Australia for the | | | | and 1861, Victoria had grown from a young |
| British Crown in 1777, the island was not included | | | | colony of 76,000 to a very prosperous area |
| in that claim until 1788. | | | | boasting 540,000 people - 45% of the Australian |
| When the British first came in contact with the | | | | population at that time. |
| Aborigines, who were the first settlers in the | | | | Victoria's first settlement was Portland, on the |
| island, they were fearful and hostile toward them. | | | | western coast. In 1835 John Batman founded |
| in their concern that the natives would fight for | | | | Melbourne, which is the capital of Victoria today. |
| the lands which British colonists wanted for | | | | During the Gold Rush of 1851, the colony gained |
| settlement, the authorities invoked "terra nullius", | | | | its independence from New South Wales. Its |
| or "vacant domain". The Aborigines protested the | | | | capital city was the capital of Australia while |
| usurpation of their long-standing land rights, and a | | | | Canberra was under construction. Victoria was |
| bitter conflict ensued. | | | | pivotal in the forming of the Commonwealth of |
| In 1832, in an attempt to end the bitter, and | | | | Australia. |
| sometimes bloody, conflict between the | | | | Victorian government consists of a Cabinet, which |
| Aborigines and the British settlers, the British | | | | is the main decision-making body. The Cabinet is all |
| authorities gathered the last free groups of the | | | | of the Ministers of the Crown, and the Cabinet |
| Aborigines and moved them to a central location | | | | Secretary. The Premier of the State is the |
| on Flinders Island. Their numbers depleted, and the | | | | Chairperson of the Cabinet. The governing body, |
| survivors were tranferred to Oyster Bay in 1847. | | | | as a whole, is based upon the Westminster |
| However by 1876, those survivors had also | | | | System. There is a Governor - who is the |
| passed away. The descendants of those who had | | | | Representative of the Queen, the Executive (the |
| been "incarcerated" continued to flourish. But they | | | | Government), and two legislative chambers. |
| were considered to be outcasts by the European | | | | Those two Chambers are the Legislative |
| community because of the "stain" of convict | | | | Assembly - which consists of 88 members, and |
| ancestry. There were only 38 Aborigines listed in | | | | the Legislative Council - which has 44 members. |
| the 1961 census for the island. Today though, | | | | The State is represented in the Federal |
| through public enlightenment and growing pride in | | | | Government by 37 member in the House of |
| their heritage, about 12,000 Tasmanian citizens | | | | Representatives and 12 Senators. |
| are counted as having their roots in the Aboriginal | | | | The State of Victoria is located at the south |
| ancestry. | | | | eastern tip of Australia. It is bordered on the |
| Tasmania is roughly the size of West Virginia | | | | north by New South Wales and on the west by |
| (14974 sq. mi., or 38769 sq. km.), making it the | | | | South Australia. It is directly north of Tasmania, |
| smallest Australian State. It's located about 240 | | | | separated by 240 km. (150 mi.). |
| km. (150 mi.) off the coast of mainland Australia, | | | | Victoria is the second smallest of the Australian |
| at the southeastern corner. It has a population of | | | | States, with a total of 237,629 sq. km. (91784 |
| 485,000, of which 200,000 live in the capital city | | | | sq.mi.). Its population at the end of June 2005 was |
| of Hobart. Over one-third of the state has been | | | | 5,022,300, making it the second most populated |
| preserved for National Parks and the Tasmanian | | | | state. Seventy percent of that total population |
| Wilderness World Heritage Area. | | | | inhabits the capital city of Melbourne. |