Year

Event and remarks

1642

·          24 November: Tasman’s first sighting and naming of VDL.

·          2 December: Pieter Jacobsz swims ashore to claim VDL for Netherlands.

1803

·          Lt John Bowen aboard Albion occupies Risdon Cove settlement – 11 September.

1804

·          19 February: David Collins relocates campsite to Hobart.

1808

·          Laurie and Whittle use dual naming of Tasmania and Van Diemen’s Land in their Eastern and Western Hemispheres map.

1817

·          Botanist Robert Brown named a genus after Abel Tasman, Tasmannia winteraceae.

1822–1823

·          Godwin published his
Emigrant’s Guide to Van Diemen’s Land, more properly called Tasmania.

·          Degraves and McIntosh have tokens minted that read ‘Tasmania 1823’.

1824

·          March: Sydney Gazette uses term ‘Tasmanians’ when discussing Bigge Report.

·          July: the book Tasmanian Fleece mentioned in the Hobart Town Gazette.

·          October: Parramore mentions an inferior guidebook to Tasmania.

·          November: Thomas Kent signs a Letter to Barron Field, in London in which his coining of the name Tasmania is claimed.

·          Bent’s Almanack uses ‘Tasmania’ when farewelling Lieutenant-Governor Sorell.

1825

·          3 December: following the Bigge Reports, VDL created colony, separate from NSW.

·          Tasmanian Almanac appears, and from this year onwards various newspapers appear using ‘Tasmania(n)’ in their mast-heads.

1826

·          Tasmanian Game Association and Tasmanian Turf Club established.

1828

·          Poem by Mrs M. L. Grimstone entitled the ‘Wanderer’ includes the term ‘Tasmanian Isle’.

·          Racing whaleboat named Tasmanian Lad.

·           Tasmania ledge of Freemasons established.

1829

·          Robert Mudie mentions ‘inland Tasmania’ when discussing the dog-faced dasyurus now known as the ‘Tasmanian Tiger’.

1831

·          Southey’s book Observations addressed to the woolgrowers of Australia and Tasmania appears.

1834

·          Warrant issued in Ireland for the Tasmanian Operative Lodge of Freemasons.

1836

·          Upon Lieutenant-Governor Arthur’s recall, the term ‘unhappy Tasmania’ used in press.

·          Tasmanian Temperance Society formed and

·          Tasmanian Teetotal Society publishes Tasmanian Teetotal Advocate.

1839

·          Tasmanian Regatta inaugurated

1840

·          Foundation stone of Christ College names Sir John Franklin as ‘Governor, Island of Tasmania’.

·          Lady Franklin uses wattle as mark of ‘good Tasmanian’.

1841–1842

·          July 1841, Bishopric of Tasmania created.

·          Sir John Franklin sponsors and helps publication of Tasmanian Journal.

·          David Burn’s writings contain many references to ‘Tasmania’.

1843

·          True Catholic or Tasmanian Evangelical Miscellany published.

·          First use of term ‘Tasmanian Tiger’.

·          South Briton or Tasmanian Literary Journal appears.

1845

·          ‘Patriotic six’ cause parliamentary crisis by walkout over cost of convict system, and NSW newspaper ‘congratulates our fellow-subjects in Tasmania’.

·          J. K. Prout paints ‘King Alexander, of Tasmania’.

1846

·          Edward Kemp’s A Voice from Tasmania on ‘Patriotic six’ published.

1847

·          C. E. Stanley paints ‘Tasmanian Aborigines’.

·          Australasian League’s League Tracts repeatedly refer to ‘Tasmania’.

1848

·          May: Queen Victoria signs order that VDL remain a penal colony.

·          October: Mechanics pass resolution seeking renaming of VDL to Tasmania.

1849

·          Hull becomes Secretary of the Tasmanian Public Library.

1850

·          Tasmanian Union formed to support the rights of ex-convicts.

1851

·          Australasian League use term ‘Tasmania’ in protest to Earl Bathurst.

·          Local Australasian League Flag uses term ‘Tasmania’.

·          Tasmanian Total Abstinence Agency Association publishes Standard of Tasmania.

·          British MPs use the term ‘Tasmanian colonialists’ in parliamentary debate.

·          International Exhibition in London has many ‘Tasmanian’ exhibits.

·          Mechanics Institute resolution seeks renaming of VDL to Tasmania.

1852

·          Mechanics Institute anti-transportation resolution passed using term ‘Tasmania’.

·          11 November: Queen Victoria announces cessation of transportation.

1853

·          10 March: Thomas Gregson uses ‘Tasmania’ in a parliamentary resolution.

·          12 July: W. S. Sharland commences his process for the name change.

·          10 August: Celebration for cessation of transportation includes an anthem which uses term ‘Tasmania’.

·          28 September: Report of select committee on the new constitution uses the term ‘Parliament of Tasmania’.

·          4 October: The name ‘Tasmanian Parliament’ mooted.

1854

·          6 January: Queen Victoria signs revocation of VDL’s penal colony status: see 1848.

·          20 March: Proclamation of revocation of penal colony status; see 1848

·          21–24 October: Sharland’s renaming resolution debated and passed.

·          28 November: Denison prompted to send renaming Petition to the Queen.

·          1–8 November: Denison agrees and writes to London.

1855

·          February: Sharland’s renaming Petition reaches London.

·          1 March: Letter arrives in VDL advising that the Queen ‘graciously’ received the renaming Petition.

·          1 May: - Queen Victoria signs Royal Assent to the new VDL constitution.

·          21 July: – Osborne House meeting sanctions the island’s name change.

·          4 August: Order in Council for the name change leaves London.

·           7 Aug – VDL Parliament told that new Constitution before British Parliament

·           10 Aug – Sharland asks for news of renaming  – cautious answer given

·          15 Aug – Dispatch of 1 March  tabled in VDL Parliament

·          8 September: Royal Assent given to new Constitution and

·          Lieutenant-Governor Fox-Young’s Commission signed.

·          24 October: Lieutenant-Governor Fox-Young certifies new VDL Constitution.

·          30 October: Proclamation of the new VDL Constitution.

·          26 November: Lieutenant-Governor Fox-Young signs the name change Order.

·          27 November: Hobart Gazette publishes the renaming Order.

·          28 November: Parliament notified of the new name and Constitution.

·          18 December: Second gazettal of the formal name change.

·          20–22 December: Parliament rushes through the Designation of the Colony Act.

1856

·          1 January: Official name changeover date.

·          2 January: Grand Tasmanian Regatta held.

·          8–16 January: Governor Young’s ‘Tasmanian’ Commission tabled.

·          24–26 September: Notice Royal Assent for the Designation of the Colony Act.

·          2 December: New bicameral Tasmanian Parliament convenes.