AH Challenge: Independent Australia

PeterEzgo

I would like to see an Australia that must fight a War of Independence and win before 1850 with a POD not after 1650.

Note: Does not have to be majority Caucasian or and English colony at any time.
 

Carinthium

It is worth noting that Australia is actually independent at the moment, whatever Republican rhethoric might say.
 

PeterEzgo

Not really what I meant. I mean forceful separation from a mother country, like the American Revolution.
Speaking of which, other countries can help the Australians with their War of Independence.
 

tormsen

Malay navigators discover the Swan Valley region in the fifth century and settle there, slowly expanding around the coastline over a thousand years or so. The Swan valley becomes a backwater of the Indian Ocean trade network and is visited by a great Ming-era navigator, while the rest of Australia is isolated but more advanced and numerous than the Aborigines of OTL. Discovered by the Dutch who are attracted by Australian gold but the region is of lesser consequence than the Dutch East Indies and VOC power centres are destroyed by Britain. The descendants of the Dutch colonists, known as Australisaners, begin to push for independence as do several of the native sultans, both supported by the French in La Nouvelle Zealand. Much of the gold having been extracted previously the Australisaners and some of their native allies fight a successful war of independence against the Netherlands in the 19th century.
 

Riain

Banned
I wanted to have a crack at this, I'd say; François Thijssen and Abel Tasman discover the South East by 1642. Someone brokers colonisation from then onwards; sending numerous dissaffected groups to the part of Australian most like their homeland. After numerous wars soveriegnty falls to the British in about 1810-15, but the polyglot population have no loyalty to Britain. A rebellion breaks out before 1850, and the British lose.
 

Looseheadprop

British settlement is heavier prior to 1800, the penal colony at botany bay is followed by free settlements in 1789. New South Wales is marketed as a new america, land is offered to anyone who can farm it. Between 1789 and 1814 there is a great rush of settlers because of warfare and famine in europe. Also African and Malay slaves are brought to the colonies, particularly to queensland where sugarcane production begins in 1812

by 1815 there are 100,000 people in the colonies.

the great dividing range is penetrated in 1800, Victoria is settled in 1815 (atl named Wellington).

by 1827 when gold is discovered in the Wellington (otl Victoria) there are approximately350,00. (100,000 British, 50,000 Continentals, 100,000 Malays, 50,000 Blacks, 30,000ish Aboriginals)

the ensuing gold rush adds nearly 100,000 free settlers and 100,000 more slaves plus a rush of chinese free settlers.

the first signs of revolt are the antislave riots by gold miners who fear their claims will be usurped by wealthy slave owners. this discontent with british policy leads to revolt in the gold fields in 1842 near walhalla. this is the rallying cry for civil war. the country is divided into free settler south and slave owner north.

after a bloody civil war and british intervention, Britain gives the New South Wales self governance in 1845, in 1849 the spirit of the 1848 revolutions leads to the declaration of independence. slavery is abolished but the blacks and malays form and underclass in society

in 1856 Australia seizes West Australia.
 

cadwallon1969

Eureka Stockade turns into full blown rebellion

In the 1840s, following the Gold Rush, oppressive English taxation encourages more miners to join the Eureka Stockade rebellion. English and colonial police attempts to put down the rebellion are repelled by well armed and motivated miners. Many of the miners are of either American or Irish backgrounds, with firm anti-British sentiments.

Government in the Colony of Victoria is dominated by a coalition of squatters - early Anglo settlers who were given the best and most productive grazing and farming land - usually for little money - and the English Colonial Establishment in Melbourne. This alienates the small holders, largely poorer and of Irish/Catholic backgrounds who feel no regard for the British Empire or the wealthy squatters.

The small land holders respond quickly to the rebellion on the Ballarat Goldfields, which is followed quickly by similar strikes and declarations in Sandhurst (Bendigo) and smaller sites around Victoria.

What starts as complaints over mining taxes escalates into a full-blown rebellion against repressive, unrepresentative rule. Unsuccessful Victorian Colonial Government attempts to negotiate with the leaders of the rebellion, such as Peter Lawler lead to them building up a force of police and colonial militia to seize back the town centre of Ballarat, which has become the de-facto capital of the rebellious area.
More than one thousand armed police and militia converge on Ballarat. Informers and spies within the force give the rebels fair warning, and using captured and jury-rigged weapons, ambush the government column outside Ballarat. Over 300 police and militia are killed or wounded, with only 30 casualties on the miners side. The remainder are either captured, or flee back to Melbourne.

The rebels, now calling themselves the Republican Government of Victoria, issue their Declaration of Independance, which calls for univeral (male) suffrage and a redistribution of all landholdings within Victoria. Strikes are called by nascent unions in Melbourne and Geelong, which paralyse the capital. Urgent calls go out from Melbourne to England, calling for military support.

At the same time, Americans and Irish within the republican government attempt contact with the United States, France and Russia to try and gain recognition and/or support for their new nation. This is met hesitantly, as the British Empire (following the Napoleonic Wars) is by far the pre-eminent power at the time. Some support is promised, and ambassadors promise to raise some of the rebel issues with the British.

The rebels have also underestimated the worth of the colony to Westminster. Victorian gold is a major contributor to Imperial coffers, as more and more gold is discovered in alluvial and mine deposits. Royal Navy ships with marines and regular army units are despatched to deal with the problem.

More to come.
 

cadwallon1969

True!

Sorry, got my decade wrong! An independant Australia is hard to figure. Both the Eureka Stockade in he 1850s and the Kelly Outbreak in the 1880s were minor rebellions that could have turned ugly for the colonial governments.

So..POD - Eureka Stockade is bigger and nastier, due to nasty Americans, Irish republicans and English chartists. Motivated, idealistic and cashed up with gold.

What do you think about the Russians intervening? I don't think the Americans would have done anything, as they didn't really start flexing their muscles until after the American Civil War. Actual fortifications were built in Melbourne and Sydney because they were concerned about the Russians. Mostly in Afghanistan and India though...
 

rcduggan

An interesting idea that I am going to use in my AAR is that the Macassans (Muslims from Makassar) have longer and more extensive periods of contact with the Australian Aboriginals in the 18th century. By the 19th century, this leads to a Muslim state in the north. As the British move in, they make it a protectorate (and erecting a large butterfly net) and history goes AIOTL from there.

At some point in the 19th century, the white Australians oppress the Muslim Aboriginals, who start a guerrilla war against the occupiers. It ends with British intervention splitting Australia up into two states: a Yolngu Republic (the Muslims state) and the Kingdom / Dominion of Australia.
 
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