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The first Governor General was Sir Charles FitzRoy, appointed in 1851 fifty years before the Australian colonies became states and federated. This appointment was in parallel to the Port Philip District and Van Diemen's Land being separated from New South Wales under new constitutions, and their Lieutenant Governors being upgraded to Governor. So the Colonial Office thought it appropriate to appoint an overall local Crown representative for them, South Australia and Western Australia (the Moreton Bay District remained part of New South Wales until separation as Queensland in 1859).

FitzRoy was Governor of New South Wales, but also theoretically had jurisdiction over other colonies, appointed 'Governor-General in and over all our Colonies of New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia'. He didn't actually use his position as Governor General, as he did not have an Advisory Council, and he declined to be an autocrat. It was suggested to him that he use his New South Wales Advisory Council, but he also decided that it would be unfair to the other colonies to take advice from a group which was not aligned to their needs, and could be competing against them, or even actively hostile to their interests. A man of principle! He carried out a couple of ceremonial visits to Victoria and Tasmania - South Australia and Western Australia being too far to justify a visit of no real purpose.

His successor as governor of New South Wales in 1854, Sir William Denison was also appointed as the second Governor General, and similarly declined to do anything on the same grounds. The position lapsed after the colonies were granted representative government in 1855.

The first Governor General of the nation of Australia was John Hope, the Earl of Hopetoun, appointed in July 1900, six months before Federation.

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In 2011, the governor-general of Australia is Quentin Bryce.

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Quentin Bryce

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Q: Who was the first Governor General of Australia?
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Who was the first governor of Australia?

Australia's first governor was Captain Arthur Phillip (1738 - 1814), who arrived with the First Fleet in 1788. He was, in fact, the Governor of the New South Wales colony.


Who was the 1st Australian president?

Australia's first governor was Captain Arthur Phillip (1738 - 1814), who arrived with the First Fleet in 1788. He was, in fact, the Governor of Sydney, New South Wales.


Who was the first British governor of India?

Lord Louis Mountbatten was the first Governor General of independent India after having overseen independence and partition of British India as the last Viceroy. He was followed by Chakeravarthi Rajagopalachari who was the first Governor General of India of Indian origin and the last Governor General as the new constitution in 1950 replaced King George VI as Emperor of India with a President and the office of Governor General thus disappeared.


What happened on January 1 1901?

On 1 January 1901, federation of the Australian colonies was achieved and the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed. Australia's first Governor-General, John Hope, made the proclamation at Centennial Park in Sydney.


Where was Australia founded?

The continent of Australia was founded with the raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove. The first permanent settlement in Australia was founded by Captain Arthur Phillip on 26 January 1788.When the Commonwealth of Australia was founded, following the federation of the colonies on 1 January 1901, the proclamation was announced by Australia's first Governor-General, John Hope, at Centennial Park in Sydney.

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Quetin Bryce is important to Australia because she is our governor general. Quetin Bryce is the first female governor general in Australia.


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Which governor-general? The governor-general of Canada is in a different position than the governor-general of Australia.


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