Did Australia used to be called New South Wales?

New South Wales was the first Australian colony to be established by the British. James Cook, who took possession of what he called New South Wales in the name of King George III. The colony originally covered the eastern third of Australia from Cape York Peninsula to the tip of Van Diemen’s Land (later Tasmania).

Is New South Wales the same as Australia?

New South Wales (abbreviated as NSW) is a state on the east coast of Australia. The Australian Capital Territory is an enclave within the state. New South Wales’ state capital is Sydney, which is also Australia’s most populous city.

Was New Zealand ever called New South Wales?

New Zealand was administered as part of New South Wales until 3 May 1841 when it became a colony in its own right.

Why was Australia called Australia?

The name Australia derives from Latin australis meaning southern, and dates back to 2nd century legends of an “unknown southern land” (that is terra australis incognita). The explorer Matthew Flinders named the land Terra Australis, which was later abbreviated to the current form.

Why is New South Wales not new Wales?

The name New South Wales came from the journal of Lieutenant James Cook (later Captain Cook), who sailed up the east coast of Australia in 1770. He thought that the land looked like the south coast of Wales. He named it “New Wales” but then changed the name in his journal to “New South Wales”.

Why was NSW called New Holland?

After Dutch navigators charted the northern, western and southern coasts of Australia during the 17th Century this newly found continent became known as ‘New Holland’. It was the English explorer Matthew Flinders who made the suggestion of the name we use today.

Why is NSW called New South Wales?

Why didn’t New Zealand become part of Australia?

Both countries share a British colonial heritage as antipodean Dominions and settler colonies, and both are part of the wider Anglosphere. New Zealand sent representatives to the constitutional conventions which led to the uniting of the six Australian colonies but opted not to join.

Why are Australia and New Zealand not one country?

Australia and New Zealand are separate countries because at the 1890 Constitutional Convention that was discussing the path to federation, the New Zealand representatives made it clear that New Zealand wished to pursue its own destiny – although the door has been left open for New Zealand to join.

What did the British call Australia?

After British colonisation, the name New Holland was retained for several decades and the south polar continent continued to be called Terra Australis, sometimes shortened to Australia.

Why is NSW called NSW?