100+ Best Australian History Trivia Questions & Answers

Question: In what year did New Zealand say “Bye, NSW!” and become its own colony?

Answer: 1841

Question: How many ships sailed into history as part of the First Fleet to Sydney in 1788?

Answer: 11

Question: The ANZAC duo fought in WW1 — Australia and who else stood side by side?

Answer: New Zealand

Question: When did the UK first send free spirits (not convicts!) to Australia?

Answer: 1793

Question: Which year did the First Fleet drop anchor in Sydney Harbour, changing Aussie history forever?

Answer: 1788

Question: During which decade did Australia finally say “No more convicts, thanks!” to Britain?

Answer: 1840s

Question: Roughly how many convicts took the one-way trip Down Under in the 1800s?

Answer: 160,000

Question: When did Western Australia get its start at Perth — before coffee culture was even a thing?

Answer: 1829

Question: Which decade saw the first real legal nods to Aboriginal rights?

Answer: 1960s

Question: Which inland town was founded in 1815 and named something that sounds very British?

Answer: Bathurst

Question: Who was the first daring European to cruise down Australia’s eastern coast — no GPS, no Spotify?

Answer: James Cook

Question: Which Aussie city lit the Olympic torch in the year 2000?

Answer: Sydney

Question: When did Australia say “Let’s federate!” and become a nation in its own right?

Answer: 1901

Question: Who snagged the title of Australia's very first Prime Minister?

Answer: Edmund Barton

Question: Before it became Melbourne, which superhero-sounding name did it go by?

Answer: Batmania

Question: Which European explorer sketched out the coast of Australia before it was cool?

Answer: Willem Janszoon

Question: What year did the Eureka Stockade rebellion shake up Ballarat like a political mosh pit?

Answer: 1854

Question: Name the iron-clad outlaw who rocked a helmet before Iron Man made it cool.

Answer: Ned Kelly

Question: Which sun-kissed Pacific islands still count as Aussie territory?

Answer: The Torres Strait Islands

Question: Which trailblazing Aussie woman helped win the vote and made history shine brighter?

Answer: Vida Goldstein

Question: In which year did the ambitious Snowy Mountains Scheme light up Australia with hydro-power dreams?

Answer: 1949

Question: Who was the first Aboriginal Aussie to step into Parliament and shake things up?

Answer: Neville Bonner

Question: What was the name of that not-so-great policy trying to turn everyone into cookie-cutter Aussies?

Answer: Assimilation Policy

Question: Which Aussie city felt the earth rumble in a surprise 1989 earthquake?

Answer: Newcastle

Question: What year did "Advance Australia Fair" officially become the tune everyone had to learn at school assemblies?

Answer: 1984

Question: Which century saw Ned Kelly strut his stuff in a tin helmet and take on the law?

Answer: 19th

Question: Captain Cook first landed at Botany Bay in which century — before selfies and suitcases?

Answer: 18th

Question: Dirk Hartog made waves in Western Australia during which “pirate-hat” century?

Answer: 17th

Question: Which city took the crown as Australia’s capital in 1911 — sorry, Sydney and Melbourne!

Answer: Canberra

Question: Which tragic event in 2008 took Hollywood’s rising star, Heath Ledger, too soon?

Answer: Overdose

Question: In what year did Aussies proudly vote “love is love” and say yes to marriage equality?

Answer: 2017

Question: What year marked the moment Australia became a nation — cue fireworks and fedora-wearing politicians?

Answer: 1901

Question: Which holiday paradise turned tragic in 2002 with bombings that killed 88 Aussies?

Answer: Bali

Question: The 1960s Konfrontasi conflict didn’t happen on Aussie soil — it went down in which country?

Answer: Indonesia

Question: Who became Australia’s first saint — and no, it wasn’t Saint Vegemite?

Answer: Mary MacKillop

Question: In which year did Australia finally cut the last political cord from Britain with legislative independence?

Answer: 1986

Question: What’s the national day that kicks off with barbies, beach trips, and debates on history?

Answer: Australia Day (January 26th)

Question: Before becoming independent, how was Australia legally tied to Britain — like a kid at boarding school?

Answer: It was a collection of British colonies.

Question: Who wore the crown when Australia officially became independent — still on coins to this day?

Answer: Queen Elizabeth II

Question: Which British act gave Australia the green light to tweak its own Constitution without a royal permission slip?

Answer: Australia Act 1986

Question: Which Aussie PM stood tall and proud, helping push for real independence from the UK?

Answer: Gough Whitlam

Question: Which state led the charge with responsible government — long before others jumped on board?

Answer: New South Wales

Question: In what year did the Aussie flag rise up as the official national banner?

Answer: 1954

Question: What historic 1967 vote gave Indigenous Australians a voice and the nation a wake-up call?

Answer: It granted the Australian government the power to legislate for Indigenous Australians, removing discriminatory laws.

Question: What was the name of the report that basically said, “Okay, Australia, you’re ready to adult now”?

Answer: The Australia Acts Review Report

Question: A legendary bridge over which harbour opened in 1932 and instantly made every postcard jealous?

Answer: Sydney

Question: Which epic structure was dreamed up by John Job Crew Bradfield and still makes traffic look scenic?

Answer: Sydney Harbour Bridge

Question: What sky-high Aussie airline has a logo that’s all about hopping through the clouds?

Answer: Kangaroo

Question: What iconic rock in the Northern Territory is sacred, massive, and glows like a mood ring at sunset?

Answer: Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Question: Which seashell-shaped stunner in Sydney hits all the right notes and makes architecture buffs swoon?

Answer: Sydney Opera House

Question: What reef party in Queensland is made up of 2,900+ coral guests and is visible from space?

Answer: Great Barrier Reef

Question: Which Sydney bridge is nicknamed “The Coathanger” because, well, it kind of is one?

Answer: Sydney Harbour Bridge

Question: What natural rock formation in Tasmania looks like Mother Nature built a pipe organ for the wilderness?

Answer: The Organ Pipes

Question: Which windswept rock formation along Victoria’s coast looks like Mother Nature recreated a shipwreck scene?

Answer: Twelve Apostles

Question: Which Outback hotspot is dubbed “The Red Centre” and is definitely not your average desert town?

Answer: Alice Springs

Question: Which rock in Western Australia looks like Poseidon tried surfing but left behind a sandstone wave?

Answer: Wave Rock

Question: Which famous beach in Queensland is so long and white, you’d think it’s a Photoshop filter IRL?

Answer: Whitehaven Beach

Question: Which national park in WA rocks stripes better than a zebra and stars the Bungle Bungle Range?

Answer: Purnululu National Park

Question: Phar Lap galloped into legend during the 1930s as a champion of which sport that’s all about speed and oats?

Answer: Horse racing

Question: Which sport bowled over fans in the 1930s with the not-so-gentle Bodyline Tour drama?

Answer: Cricket

Question: Dennis Lillee made headlines (and batsmen nervous) in the 1970s playing which sport?

Answer: Cricket

Question: Rod Laver hailed from which part of Australia — where the sun shines and tennis dreams begin?

Answer: Queensland

Question: Which sport did Margaret Court dominate so hard in the ‘60s and ‘70s, they basically had to name arenas after her?

Answer: Tennis

Question: Dawn Fraser made waves (literally) in the 1960s doing what Olympic sport?

Answer: Swimming

Question: Which cool Hawaiian surfer dude named Duke brought the stoke to Aussie shores in 1915?

Answer: Surfing

Question: Australia Day is all barbies, beach, and backyard cricket — but in which month does it land?

Answer: January

Question: Rod Laver didn’t just win once, but how many times did he pull off the epic tennis Grand Slam sweep?

Answer: 2

Question: Which decade did rock legends AC/DC plug in their guitars, crank the amps, and shake Aussie music forever?

Answer: 1970s

Question: Botany Bay — where Australia’s colonial chapter kicked off — is chilling next to which modern city?

Answer: Sydney

Question: Which island between Oz and NZ was set up in 1788 for convicts who really needed a change of scenery?

Answer: Norfolk Island

Question: Archaeologists found signs of human life in Australia dating back how many years ago — long before Netflix and chill?

Answer: 65,000

Question: Where did the very first Ashes showdown kick off in 1877, starting a cricket rivalry for the ages?

Answer: Melbourne

Question: Which city boasts Edith Cowan University — named after Australia’s first female MP who smashed glass ceilings way before it was trending?

Answer: Perth

Question: Which part of Australia used to sound like a villain’s hideout with the name Van Diemen’s Land?

Answer: Tasmania

Question: Hop to it: How many feral rabbits are bouncing around Australia wreaking fluffy havoc?

Answer: 150 million

Question: Which iconic beach was home to Australia’s first surf lifesaving club in 1907 — still patrolling and posing today?

Answer: Bondi

Question: About 12,000 years ago, rising seas turned which southern chunk of Australia into an island escape?

Answer: Tasmania

Question: Where did the "Thorpedo" win his first Olympic golds and become a pool legend?

Answer: Sydney

Question: Lawrence Hargrave soared into Aussie history as a pioneer in which gravity-defying field?

Answer: Aviation

Question: Fred Hollows dedicated his career to helping people see the light — literally — in which field?

Answer: Medicine

Question: Herbert Vere Evatt helped pen the rulebook for which world-changing organisation?

Answer: United Nations

Question: John Curtin steered the Aussie ship during which not-so-small global conflict?

Answer: World War 2

Question: In which groovy decade did Gough Whitlam take the reins as Australia’s Prime Minister?

Answer: 1970s

Question: Elizabeth Blackburn bagged the Nobel Prize for Medicine in which high-tech, flip-phone era?

Answer: 2000s

Question: Crocodile blank — what Scottish town fills in the name of Paul Hogan’s legendary outback hero?

Answer: Dundee

Question: What’s the first name of the bloke who made crocodile-wrangling look casual on the big screen?

Answer: Paul

Question: Hieu Van Le came to Australia as a refugee and later became governor of which Aussie state?

Answer: South Australia

Question: In which golden decade was Sydney University founded — when top hats were still a vibe?

Answer: 1850s

Question: What musical nickname was Aussie poet Andrew Paterson better known by?

Answer: Banjo

Question: Andrew "Banjo" Paterson strummed words instead of strings in which artistic field?

Answer: Poetry

Question: Which Reg brought drama, romance, and soap-opera glory to Aussie TV screens?

Answer: Television

Question: Dame Nellie Melba hit high notes and global fame in which talent-filled field?

Answer: Singing

Question: Richie Benaud had the smoothest voice in sports — but which game did he call like a legend?

Answer: Cricket

Question: Sir Joseph Banks explored which leafy side of Australia, turning plants into fame?

Answer: Botany

Question: Greg Norman wasn’t just a Shark in name — he dominated which precision sport?

Answer: Golf

Question: Errol Flynn swashbuckled his way into hearts in which glitzy field?

Answer: Acting

Question: Michael Hutchence rocked stages and broke hearts in which sonic career path?

Answer: Music

Question: Robert Murray leapt into Aussie fame in which graceful and dramatic corner of the arts?

Answer: Ballet

Question: In what glorious year did Neighbours hit TV screens, bringing drama, romance, and Ramsay Street into Aussie homes?

Answer: 1985

Question: Which decade saw the first Aussie novel, Quintus Servinton, hit the shelves — proving even convicts had stories to tell?

Answer: 1830s

Question: In what year did the Sydney Opera House throw open its iconic sails to the world?

Answer: 1973

Question: Elizabeth Macarthur wasn’t just tending sheep — she helped build which woolly empire Down Under?

Answer: Sheep

Question: What was the last name of Edmund, the OG Aussie Prime Minister who kicked things off in 1901?

Answer: Barton

Question: Name the ship that Captain Cook cruised around in while mapping Australia in 1770 — no GPS, just stars.

Answer: Endeavour

Question: Luis Vaez de Torres lent his name to a strait — but what was his European nationality?

Answer: Spanish

Question: Which decade saw four colour-coded legends start dancing, singing, and fruit-salading their way into kids’ hearts?

Answer: 1990s

Question: What was the first name of the fearless Flinders who charted most of Australia’s wiggly coastline?

Answer: Matthew

Question: In which disco-laced decade did Olivia Newton-John get physical and rise to pop stardom?

Answer: 1970s