1798 - Matthew Flinders and George Bass entered the estuary of the Tamar River, Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). The estuary was later named Port Dalrymple. They remained in the estuary until November 20, surveying and exploring.
1804 - George Caley crossed the Hawkesbury River in his unsuccessful attempt to cross the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.
1829 - Charles Sturt, with George Macleay and six others, left Sydney at 5.00 a.m., on an expedition to determine the course of the Murrumbidgee River, which they reached on November 25. They decided to follow its course downstream, and in a whale-boat started from near the present site of Jugiong, on January 7, 1830. On January 14, they entered and named the Murray River, after Sir George Murray, British Secretary for War and Colonial Departments. On January 23 they passed the Darling junction with the Murray and on February 9, 1830, entered a lake which was named Alexandrina. They started on the return voyage up the river on February 13, and reached their depot after a water voyage of about 2,000 miles. Sturt located the lower part of the Murray River, the upper reach of which had been discovered by Hume and Hovel, at the site of Albury, in November 1824, and named the Hume River.
1838 - The brig Goshawk, 245 tons, left Adelaide for England with a cargo of whale oil and whalebone, and was the first vessel to sail from South Australia for England.
1842 - Hanged at Darlinghurst, Henry Sears, John Jones, Nicholas Lewis, and George Beavers, for piracy and assault with intent to murder, off Norfolk Island.
1846 - Hanged at Norfolk Island, John Liddall and Bernard Macartney, for the murder of Henry Clarke.
1849 - Dr. Lang's third immigrant ship, the Lima, arrived in Moreton Bay. The Fortitude and the Chasely had arrived earlier in the year.
1852 - Hanged at Melbourne Gaol, John Riches (Richie) for the murder of Harry Webb in the Black Forest, near Macedon.
1854 - Hanged at Launceston, George Whiley, for the robbery and assault of James Smith near Westbury.
1859 - Hanged at Bathurst, Robert Davis, for the murder of Roger Flood (or Robert Quinn) at Dubbo.
1862 - The first inter-colonial rifle match was fired at Melbourne, 10 members a side, between New South Wales and Victoria, over 200, 300, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 yards. New South Wales won by 1495 points to 1451.
1865 - Hanged at Brisbane, Jackey (Indigenous) for the murder of Ann Mee at Degilbo.
1874 - John Forrest's expedition from Perth, via Murchison River, Kimberley district, Western Australia, and Peake telegraph station on the transcontinental telegraph line, reached Adelaide.
1887 - The S.S. Fijian, from the New Hebrides, reached Sydney. The S.S. Fijian was the first steamer to arrive from the New Hebrides.
1918 - The Armistice with Austria-Hungary was signed. With Turkey having already signed an armistice, Germany was left to confront the Allies alone for the remaining days of the war.
1927 - The Watson's Bay ferry, Greycliffe, is run down by the S.S. Tahiti, in Sydney Harbour. The ferry was badly smashed, and sank almost immediately. There were 37 fatalities.
1984 - The National Film and Sound Archive was opened in Canberra.
1985 - The first Australian Formula One Grand Prix takes place on the streets of Adelaide.
1995 - After a six month trial, David Harold Eastman is convicted by a jury of the assassination of AFP Assistant Commissioner Colin Winchester.
1999 - The Reserve Bank announce an interest rate increase of 0.25%, the first since 1994.
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