Sometimes it’s the details that stick with you.

Here are some interesting ‘facts’ about Australia - although perhaps ‘well evidenced propositions’ would be more accurate. I’ve noted the source material for almost all of them, which I’ve largely taken from mainstream secondary literature.

  • CombatWombat@feddit.onlineOPEnglish
    0·
    5 days ago

    Today I’m learning I know basically nothing about Australian history

    Australia was the richest country on earth, per capita, for decades. After the 1850s gold rush, up until the 1890s depression, Australia had the highest per capita income in the world. In 1850, probably only the United Kingdom and the Netherlands sat above Australia, by about 20 per cent, with the United States 9 per cent below. After the gold rushes Australia passed both, and from 1860 to 1890 the gap over the United States ran at 25 or 30 per cent.

    • shirro@aussie.zoneEnglish
      0·
      3 days ago

      Australia didn’t exist until Federation in 1901. There was a lot of boom and bust in the colonies. Melbourne did well out of the gold rush but there was still struggle in other states including a drain of labour to the gold fields.