Q 01/05

Sydney is the capital of which Australian state?

A) Victoria

B) New South Wales

C) Queensland

D) South Australia

Answer · why

B) New South Wales

It holds about 66 percent of the state's population and is Australia's most populous city.

Q 02/05

Sydney Cove was named in 1788 after Thomas Townshend, who held which office?

A) Prime Minister

B) First Lord of the Admiralty

C) Governor of New South Wales

D) Home Secretary

Answer · why

D) Home Secretary

Phillip toyed with calling the settlement Albion; the Aboriginal name for the cove was Warrane.

Q 03/05

Which Aboriginal clan traditionally owned the land where the British settlement was first established?

A) The Dharawal

B) The Gweagal

C) The Gadigal

D) The Gundungurra

Answer · why

C) The Gadigal

Their territory, Gadi, runs along the southern shore of the harbour from South Head to Darling Harbour; Greater Sydney covers the lands of 28 clans.

Q 04/05

Where did James Cook first land on Australia's east coast on 29 April 1770?

A) Sydney Cove

B) Manly

C) Botany Bay

D) Port Jackson

Answer · why

C) Botany Bay

He met the Gweagal clan there and stayed a week; the First Fleet also arrived at Botany Bay before moving to the better harbour.

Q 05/05

How many ships made up the First Fleet?

A) Eleven

B) Three

C) Twenty

D) Six

Answer · why

A) Eleven

They left Portsmouth on 13 May 1787 with more than 1,400 people and took over 250 days to reach Australia.