Greeks and Lebanese build Australia’s first Orthodox church in Sydney.

Queensland Aboriginal Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act allows the Chief Protector to remove Aboriginal people onto and between reserves and hold children

Intercolonial Conference resolves to extend the restrictions on Chinese immigration to all non-Europeans; Chinese Restriction Acts in various colonies are extended to all ‘coloured races’. New

Le Courier Australien first appears. A French language newspaper, it is the oldest continuously published foreign-language newspaper in Australia.

Depression in eastern colonies reduces immigration to very low numbers.

Queensland enacts legislation to halt further immigration by South Sea Islanders. The Act is repealed in 1892 and re-enacted in 1901.

1888 Inter-Colonial Conference in Sydney recommends uniform legislation virtually prohibiting Chinese immigration. Chinese passengers are prevented from disembarking in Victoria and New South Wales. New

Commissioners appointed by Chinese Government arrive to inquire into the living conditions of Chinese in Australia; they report discrimination against Chinese in breach of international

Chinese population of Cairns is approximately 18%. Chinese become established as market gardeners, developing the banana industry. Western Australian Parliament passes legislation restricting Chinese immigration

Royal Commission appointed in Queensland to investigate the recruitment of South Sea Islanders for plantation work finds there have been widespread kidnappings. Queensland Parliament prohibits

Massacre of Aboriginal people on the McKinlay River, Northern Territory. The perpetrators are exonerated by an official inquiry. There is trade union agitation in Melbourne

New South Wales Government establishes the Protectorate of Aborigines which in 1883 becomes the Aborigines Protection Board.

South Australia is the first colony to introduce restrictions on Chinese immigration in line with recommendations from the Intercolonial Conference; New South Wales and Victoria

First Inter-Colonial Conference agrees on the need for uniform legislation to restrict Chinese immigration. New South Wales Premier Sir Henry Parkes proposes restrictions on Irish

First Intercolonial Trades Union Congress unanimously opposes Chinese Immigration.