New England Online > History of New England > Proudly Australian (1901 - 1970)
Proudly Australian
On the 1 January 1901, the six seperate colonies of Australia federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia. New England, as part of New South Wales, became an important part of the rural economy of the new dominion. The only distraction through these years was the New State Movement, but throughout, the unity of people of New England was never in question.
Over the next seventy years, New Englanders would serve their nation with distinction in two world wars. They survived the dark days of the depression in the 1930s and in the boom times after the second world war they would produce some of the best commodities in the nation. New Englanders were proud of their nation and the idea of independence was never entertained by anyone.
Federation
In 1914, Australia joined the First World War on the side of the Allies, and fought in campaigns in Egypt, Palestine, Gallipolli and France. Thousands of people from the region volunteered to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force. After the war, many of these soldiers were resettled on soldier settlements along the coast. Many succeeded in establishing small dairy and sugar farms.
During and after the war, the New State Movement began, agitating for separation from New South Wales. A number of plans were drawn up, including proposals in 1915, 1920 and 1923. In 1924 New State MP's held the balance of power in NSW, and forced the formation of the Cohen Royal Commission. The Commission recommended against forming New States opting instead for a system of district councils, which was not acted upon. Further agitation led to a second state Royal Commission under Commissioner H.S. Nicholas KC investigated their feasibility and drew up boundaries for a state of New England based around Newcastle, the Hunter the Tablelands and North Coast and a hinterland largely determined by the existing rail network.
The upshot of the debate was the success local MP's and community leaders had in establishing infrastructure in the region. The Armidale Teachers College was established in 1928 and the New England University College was opened in 1938. Roads and railways were also built, but only insofar as allowing faster links to Sydney. The region did not get the transportation links in needed to be independent of Sydney. The most spectacular construction was Grafton Bridge, (pictured above right) which was opened in 1932. The New England University College gained full autonomy as the New England National University in 1954.
The Second Word War broke out in 1939, and again the people of region answered the call and enlisted. Unlike the First World War, the threat to Australia became real after Japan's entry into the conflict in 1941. Bridges were guarded and towns blacked out in an attempt to defend the region against an invasion. Local militias built tank traps and other defences in an attempt to slow any advance that might be launched. Luckily, no invasion was attempted, and the region remained relatively peaceful throughout the war.
| Timeline of New England History | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Colonial Times |
Proudly Australian 1901 - 1969 |
Succeeded by: Winds of Change |
| History of New England | ||
| Timeline: Pre-History · Colonial Times · Proudly Australian · Winds of Change · Shadows of Dissent · Civil War Transitional Government · New Found Nation · Toil and Trouble · Five Day War · Engagement To Europe · Recent Times |
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| Topics: Military · New State Movement | ||
