Hello! This is my first post so yeah, bear with me. I understand the science behind this one is pretty soft but I've given it a shot. If anyone wants to start a discussion in the other forum to help hammer the flaws in the timeline.
Anyway, let me know what you think.
The Golden State: Chapter I
March 14th 1847, outside Bathurst
A farmer outside of Bathurst was cooling his feet in the creek on his property. It was mid-afternoon but the sun still shone in the sky, drying out trees and grassland. Bushfire season was never truly over out here. You had to be vigilant, to be a farmer. It was like being under siege every day of every year.
He kicked at the pebbles with his toes and discovered something yellow and shiny. He lent down and picked it up, rubbing the mud off it with his thumb. Gold. Holy shit he’d found gold! He ran his hands through the pebbles like a madman. Over the next hour he found six more pieces of the shiny metal. He threw them in his bag and made for the homestead. He would ride into town the very next day when the jewellers opened again.
What he discovered led to Australia’s first gold rush, 12 months later gold would be discovered in California but Australia had the head start…
Excerpt from ‘The Making of our Federation’
By 1856 New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania were all granted self-governance by the British Government. While Queensland joined them in 1859, Western Australia remained underpopulated and dependant on Britain.
The Australian colonies had a total population of 1.47 million by 1860 thanks to the prosperity generated by the gold rush. The other five colonies pledged to support Western Australia in return for the right to complete self-governance. This relieved the British of the burden of maintaining WA while still giving them access to the gold fields due to the free trade agreement. The Australians pledged to never impose tariffs on British trade and on May 30th 1861, the Australian Federation Act was signed into law.
The Act recognised the Australian Parliament as equal to that of her majesty’s government. The federation would eventually be a parliamentary democracy but would be run by an interim government until elections could be organised. A nonpartisan Governor General would also be elected by the people. The Governor General had limited powers over the elected government but could order new elections in the event of a hung parliament.
The interim government mostly consisted of the colonial leaders and liberal intellectuals who had proposed the Federation Act to the British Parliament. The eastern colonies were absolutely awash in gold in the 1860’s, driving the Australian economy. As a result of these factors, the Australian tax rate was established at a flat 25% on all income. However there was a 5% tax write-off available for clergy, teachers, bureaucrats, military officers and artisans in order to encourage those industries. True to their word the interim government did not place tariffs on imports.
By 1862 the British army and navy had departed from Australia and Australia was recognised by the great powers as an independent nation. Australia became even more attractive as an immigrant destination due to its democratic government and basic welfare state as well as the ongoing gold rush.
In the early days of independence the national zeitgeist began to fixate on the idea of Australians as the only people to own an entire continent. This was technically true as the entire coastline of Australia had been more or less colonised. The Australian centre, the Simpson Desert, remained untamed.
In 1863 a regiment of 3,000 Australian militia was established by Brigadier Winston Cochrane. The militia began a march from the snowy mountains into the desert. They would continue marching west until they reached Perth, mapping the Australian interior. Behind them a government funded program to build roads, highways and railroads was initiated to connect Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. In Perth, the low tax rates had motivated a flourish of venture capitalism, building a network of roads and railways spreading eastwards.
In Palmerston, the new Navy began building its first pair of steam powered sloops…
August 2nd, Election Season 1864, Sydney Town Hall
George Holt, leader of the Liberal Party, repeated his position for the third time that night. ‘I myself am a god fearing man but I say again: religion is not a political issue!’
‘My flock is thinning sir!’ Father Jack Hill retorted, walking around in front of the audience as if he owned the place. ‘A slow but steady flow of Australians are turning their backs on our lord. How does that bode for Australia’s moral fabric? Not well sir! Not well at all!’
Holt blinked back his growing headache from all this superstitious wish-wash. ‘That is regrettable, Father, it truly is. But I will not assist you if I am elected in January.’
There was a hush around the Hall until Ben Holmwood spoke up. ‘I personally agree with Mr Holt’s position though I would suggest, if I may, that the liberal leader pledges not to preference one faith over another. That is certainly the Radical Party’s position in any case.’
Holmwood smiled pleasantly at Holt. Holt gave a nod in return. ‘Exactly my position. Well put Mr Holmwood.’
Hill finally sat his arse down in defeat and the debate turned to military policy. It was late and the various party heads had only enough time to declare their position before the debate was concluded. Holt argued that Australia must be vigilant in world affairs and maintain a strong military whilst avoiding the Jingoist rhetoric of the Nationalist party.
After the debate the leaders shook hands and departed for their waiting carriages. Holt noticed Holmwood following him. Holmwood was a young twig of a man, as tall as Holt but lean where Holt was…well, pudgy. They both had deep blue eyes but Holmwood had dark brown hair parted in the middle while Holt kept his blond hair cut short.
‘This election is going to be a brawl.’ Holmwood said as Holt turned to him, he had a strange, nasally voice. ‘We both want the same thing. We both want a small government and we both want to keep the churches out of power.’
‘You’re suggesting a partnership?’
‘Not yet.’ Holmwood said, grinning. ‘The game isn’t over yet. But if January is as bad as the polls suggest…keep the Radicals in mind when it comes to a coalition eh?’
Holt gave him a nod and climbed into his carriage. His driver, Frank, took his hands off the cosh under his cloak.
Excerpt from ‘Aussie Politics’
On January 5th 1865 a coalition of Liberals and Radicals formed the ‘Free Trade Party’, which managed to hold a narrow majority of 51.3% and form Australia’s new government. The new government held the tax rate at its current level and kept the tax write offs but put a stop to all new government funded roads and railways. The private sector, with its low tax rate, would fill that gap. The government would instead expand the Navy and the shipyards at Palmerston. New Fleets would be commissioned to be based on the Queensland and Western Australian coasts.
Elections would continue to be held every 4 years but the Free Trade Party would continue to dominate Australian politics for decades to come…
…On March 21st 1865 the Esperance Stock Exchange was officially opened. Western Australia was evolving into a thriving haven for entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and other industrialists. This did not stop a successful lobbying effort on the east coast from reforming the electoral system from a wealth based franchise to a weighted universal system on May 2nd. Now every white man could vote, if he was older than 21, but his vote held a certain weight determined by his income. It was a good compromise giving the working class a voice but not robbing the wealthy of too much of their power.
Nine years later a second reform would be pushed through by the free trade party bringing an equal universal franchise to all Australian men over the age of 21…
Excerpt from ‘Australian Military History, Chapter I: Beginnings’
On June 6th 1865 the Sydney Militia returned to Sydney having completed their trek from east coast to west and home again. Cochrane was given a promotion to Brigadier General and his unit was boosted by 3,000 cavalry.
In 1870 Prime Minister Holt died of a heart attack and was replaced by 36 year old Benjamin Holmwood. The Holmwood administration would further expand military expansion. In Queensland the first Charleville Infantry completed their training and were sent marching north and west to Palmerston. The Navy squadron at Palmerston now consisted of an ironclad, two commercial raiders and two sloops, all steam powered. Smaller squadrons were under construction in Roebourne and Norfolk Island.
The military expansion would continue until 1877 when two regiments of Charleville Infantry were deployed to Papua and New Guinea to establish new colonies. The Palmerston squadron would keep the infantry well supplied and the natives gave little resistance on the coastline. The mountains of New Guinea would remain off limits to Australians for some time in the future. The infantry would send smaller units to establish protectorates on the islands off New Guinea…
In 1879 Australia’s ambitions cracked up another notch as it set its eyes on the as yet unclaimed south-eastern parts of the Island of Borneo. The Dutch had colonised the west, Brunei had made a home of the north, but the south and east were ripe for the taking. Again the Palmerston squadron transported the infantry, this time the Adelaide regiment, and supplied them in the hostile environment.
The Australians were careful to respect the borders of the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch were allied with Prussia and Britain. Brunei on the other hand was allied only with Johor, on the Malay Peninsula. Border confrontations were not uncommon and my May 1881 the Australian military was contemplating war with Brunei.
17th September 1881, Australian Military Command, Sydney
A greying Prime Minister Holmwood sat in his chair with hands clasped, watching the map of Borneo as General Cohrane gave his summary of the last four months of reconnaissance and planning.
‘The Adelaide Regiment under Brigadier General Douglas Grenfell consists of 6,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry. Over the border the Brunei Royal Army consists of 6,000 regular infantry. Our boys are armed with the Martini Henry breach loader while the Brunei have older flintlock rifles. Which gives us a firepower advantage and of course we now have the Gatling gun as well.
‘Politically, Brunei has an alliance with Johor which is a protectorate of Britain. At worst Johor could intervene in the conflict but Britain will stay neutral as long as we stay out of the Malay Peninsula. Intelligence on Johor is sketchy but we see no evidence that they have more than three regiments and little capacity to move them onto Borneo without the Palmerston Squadron sinking them.
‘Now, as for a plan of attack we-‘
The door to the briefing room clunked open as Foreign Minister Jarvis hurried towards the prime minister. He apologised for the disruption.
‘The Japanese Ambassador requests an audience Prime Minister.’
Excerpt from ‘The Australian Political Dictionary, 1998 Edition’
Pan-Pacific Empire, The: Moniker invented by Prime Minister Holmwood when he announced the signing of the Nippo-Australian Defensive Pact to the Australian public on September 21st 1881. The Pact remains one of the most controversial events in Australian foreign policy. The defensive nature of the Pact meant neither party could call on the other in a war of aggression which meant nobody was dragged into a war they didn’t want. This pleased foreign policy experts but was less than popular with the untrusting Australian public…
Excerpt from ‘Australian Military History, Chapter I: Beginnings’
Australia declared war on the 6th of March 1882. Japan had no obligation to join the war and Australia did not request any assistance considering the odds. Brunei’s ally Jahore chose not to honour their treaty, remaining safe under British protection.
The Brunei Royal Army played an elaborate game of cat and mouse with the Australians as they attempted to move around the Adelaide Regiment to take the fight to the Australian colonies. The game last a whole month but the Australians slowly forced the Royal Army up the north coast of Brunei towards the Capital.
On the 15th of April the Royal Army engaged the Adelaide and the Adelaide Regiment on the outskirts of Brunei. The Australian advantage in numbers, cavalry and firepower ground down the Royals who surrendered on April 26. The Australians lost 876 men while the Brunei lost 5,095. The siege of Brunei began the next day.
Anyway, let me know what you think.
The Golden State: Chapter I
March 14th 1847, outside Bathurst
A farmer outside of Bathurst was cooling his feet in the creek on his property. It was mid-afternoon but the sun still shone in the sky, drying out trees and grassland. Bushfire season was never truly over out here. You had to be vigilant, to be a farmer. It was like being under siege every day of every year.
He kicked at the pebbles with his toes and discovered something yellow and shiny. He lent down and picked it up, rubbing the mud off it with his thumb. Gold. Holy shit he’d found gold! He ran his hands through the pebbles like a madman. Over the next hour he found six more pieces of the shiny metal. He threw them in his bag and made for the homestead. He would ride into town the very next day when the jewellers opened again.
What he discovered led to Australia’s first gold rush, 12 months later gold would be discovered in California but Australia had the head start…
Excerpt from ‘The Making of our Federation’
By 1856 New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania were all granted self-governance by the British Government. While Queensland joined them in 1859, Western Australia remained underpopulated and dependant on Britain.
The Australian colonies had a total population of 1.47 million by 1860 thanks to the prosperity generated by the gold rush. The other five colonies pledged to support Western Australia in return for the right to complete self-governance. This relieved the British of the burden of maintaining WA while still giving them access to the gold fields due to the free trade agreement. The Australians pledged to never impose tariffs on British trade and on May 30th 1861, the Australian Federation Act was signed into law.
The Act recognised the Australian Parliament as equal to that of her majesty’s government. The federation would eventually be a parliamentary democracy but would be run by an interim government until elections could be organised. A nonpartisan Governor General would also be elected by the people. The Governor General had limited powers over the elected government but could order new elections in the event of a hung parliament.
The interim government mostly consisted of the colonial leaders and liberal intellectuals who had proposed the Federation Act to the British Parliament. The eastern colonies were absolutely awash in gold in the 1860’s, driving the Australian economy. As a result of these factors, the Australian tax rate was established at a flat 25% on all income. However there was a 5% tax write-off available for clergy, teachers, bureaucrats, military officers and artisans in order to encourage those industries. True to their word the interim government did not place tariffs on imports.
By 1862 the British army and navy had departed from Australia and Australia was recognised by the great powers as an independent nation. Australia became even more attractive as an immigrant destination due to its democratic government and basic welfare state as well as the ongoing gold rush.
In the early days of independence the national zeitgeist began to fixate on the idea of Australians as the only people to own an entire continent. This was technically true as the entire coastline of Australia had been more or less colonised. The Australian centre, the Simpson Desert, remained untamed.
In 1863 a regiment of 3,000 Australian militia was established by Brigadier Winston Cochrane. The militia began a march from the snowy mountains into the desert. They would continue marching west until they reached Perth, mapping the Australian interior. Behind them a government funded program to build roads, highways and railroads was initiated to connect Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. In Perth, the low tax rates had motivated a flourish of venture capitalism, building a network of roads and railways spreading eastwards.
In Palmerston, the new Navy began building its first pair of steam powered sloops…
August 2nd, Election Season 1864, Sydney Town Hall
George Holt, leader of the Liberal Party, repeated his position for the third time that night. ‘I myself am a god fearing man but I say again: religion is not a political issue!’
‘My flock is thinning sir!’ Father Jack Hill retorted, walking around in front of the audience as if he owned the place. ‘A slow but steady flow of Australians are turning their backs on our lord. How does that bode for Australia’s moral fabric? Not well sir! Not well at all!’
Holt blinked back his growing headache from all this superstitious wish-wash. ‘That is regrettable, Father, it truly is. But I will not assist you if I am elected in January.’
There was a hush around the Hall until Ben Holmwood spoke up. ‘I personally agree with Mr Holt’s position though I would suggest, if I may, that the liberal leader pledges not to preference one faith over another. That is certainly the Radical Party’s position in any case.’
Holmwood smiled pleasantly at Holt. Holt gave a nod in return. ‘Exactly my position. Well put Mr Holmwood.’
Hill finally sat his arse down in defeat and the debate turned to military policy. It was late and the various party heads had only enough time to declare their position before the debate was concluded. Holt argued that Australia must be vigilant in world affairs and maintain a strong military whilst avoiding the Jingoist rhetoric of the Nationalist party.
After the debate the leaders shook hands and departed for their waiting carriages. Holt noticed Holmwood following him. Holmwood was a young twig of a man, as tall as Holt but lean where Holt was…well, pudgy. They both had deep blue eyes but Holmwood had dark brown hair parted in the middle while Holt kept his blond hair cut short.
‘This election is going to be a brawl.’ Holmwood said as Holt turned to him, he had a strange, nasally voice. ‘We both want the same thing. We both want a small government and we both want to keep the churches out of power.’
‘You’re suggesting a partnership?’
‘Not yet.’ Holmwood said, grinning. ‘The game isn’t over yet. But if January is as bad as the polls suggest…keep the Radicals in mind when it comes to a coalition eh?’
Holt gave him a nod and climbed into his carriage. His driver, Frank, took his hands off the cosh under his cloak.
Excerpt from ‘Aussie Politics’
On January 5th 1865 a coalition of Liberals and Radicals formed the ‘Free Trade Party’, which managed to hold a narrow majority of 51.3% and form Australia’s new government. The new government held the tax rate at its current level and kept the tax write offs but put a stop to all new government funded roads and railways. The private sector, with its low tax rate, would fill that gap. The government would instead expand the Navy and the shipyards at Palmerston. New Fleets would be commissioned to be based on the Queensland and Western Australian coasts.
Elections would continue to be held every 4 years but the Free Trade Party would continue to dominate Australian politics for decades to come…
…On March 21st 1865 the Esperance Stock Exchange was officially opened. Western Australia was evolving into a thriving haven for entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and other industrialists. This did not stop a successful lobbying effort on the east coast from reforming the electoral system from a wealth based franchise to a weighted universal system on May 2nd. Now every white man could vote, if he was older than 21, but his vote held a certain weight determined by his income. It was a good compromise giving the working class a voice but not robbing the wealthy of too much of their power.
Nine years later a second reform would be pushed through by the free trade party bringing an equal universal franchise to all Australian men over the age of 21…
Excerpt from ‘Australian Military History, Chapter I: Beginnings’
On June 6th 1865 the Sydney Militia returned to Sydney having completed their trek from east coast to west and home again. Cochrane was given a promotion to Brigadier General and his unit was boosted by 3,000 cavalry.
In 1870 Prime Minister Holt died of a heart attack and was replaced by 36 year old Benjamin Holmwood. The Holmwood administration would further expand military expansion. In Queensland the first Charleville Infantry completed their training and were sent marching north and west to Palmerston. The Navy squadron at Palmerston now consisted of an ironclad, two commercial raiders and two sloops, all steam powered. Smaller squadrons were under construction in Roebourne and Norfolk Island.
The military expansion would continue until 1877 when two regiments of Charleville Infantry were deployed to Papua and New Guinea to establish new colonies. The Palmerston squadron would keep the infantry well supplied and the natives gave little resistance on the coastline. The mountains of New Guinea would remain off limits to Australians for some time in the future. The infantry would send smaller units to establish protectorates on the islands off New Guinea…
In 1879 Australia’s ambitions cracked up another notch as it set its eyes on the as yet unclaimed south-eastern parts of the Island of Borneo. The Dutch had colonised the west, Brunei had made a home of the north, but the south and east were ripe for the taking. Again the Palmerston squadron transported the infantry, this time the Adelaide regiment, and supplied them in the hostile environment.
The Australians were careful to respect the borders of the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch were allied with Prussia and Britain. Brunei on the other hand was allied only with Johor, on the Malay Peninsula. Border confrontations were not uncommon and my May 1881 the Australian military was contemplating war with Brunei.
17th September 1881, Australian Military Command, Sydney
A greying Prime Minister Holmwood sat in his chair with hands clasped, watching the map of Borneo as General Cohrane gave his summary of the last four months of reconnaissance and planning.
‘The Adelaide Regiment under Brigadier General Douglas Grenfell consists of 6,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry. Over the border the Brunei Royal Army consists of 6,000 regular infantry. Our boys are armed with the Martini Henry breach loader while the Brunei have older flintlock rifles. Which gives us a firepower advantage and of course we now have the Gatling gun as well.
‘Politically, Brunei has an alliance with Johor which is a protectorate of Britain. At worst Johor could intervene in the conflict but Britain will stay neutral as long as we stay out of the Malay Peninsula. Intelligence on Johor is sketchy but we see no evidence that they have more than three regiments and little capacity to move them onto Borneo without the Palmerston Squadron sinking them.
‘Now, as for a plan of attack we-‘
The door to the briefing room clunked open as Foreign Minister Jarvis hurried towards the prime minister. He apologised for the disruption.
‘The Japanese Ambassador requests an audience Prime Minister.’
Excerpt from ‘The Australian Political Dictionary, 1998 Edition’
Pan-Pacific Empire, The: Moniker invented by Prime Minister Holmwood when he announced the signing of the Nippo-Australian Defensive Pact to the Australian public on September 21st 1881. The Pact remains one of the most controversial events in Australian foreign policy. The defensive nature of the Pact meant neither party could call on the other in a war of aggression which meant nobody was dragged into a war they didn’t want. This pleased foreign policy experts but was less than popular with the untrusting Australian public…
Excerpt from ‘Australian Military History, Chapter I: Beginnings’
Australia declared war on the 6th of March 1882. Japan had no obligation to join the war and Australia did not request any assistance considering the odds. Brunei’s ally Jahore chose not to honour their treaty, remaining safe under British protection.
The Brunei Royal Army played an elaborate game of cat and mouse with the Australians as they attempted to move around the Adelaide Regiment to take the fight to the Australian colonies. The game last a whole month but the Australians slowly forced the Royal Army up the north coast of Brunei towards the Capital.
On the 15th of April the Royal Army engaged the Adelaide and the Adelaide Regiment on the outskirts of Brunei. The Australian advantage in numbers, cavalry and firepower ground down the Royals who surrendered on April 26. The Australians lost 876 men while the Brunei lost 5,095. The siege of Brunei began the next day.
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