Queen Victoria's Proclamation

Queen Victoria's Proclamation was a formal statement issued in 1858 that announced the creation of the new Colony of Victoria in Australia. It established Victoria as a self-governing colony within the British Empire, with its own government and laws, while still acknowledging the British monarch as the sovereign. The proclamation aimed to reassure settlers and Indigenous peoples about their rights, promote orderly governance, and solidify Victoria's status as an independent political entity under British sovereignty. It marked a significant step in Victoria’s development towards responsible self-government and the nation-building process in Australia.