WESTERN AUSTRALIA (MAP 5). Although Western Australia had been occupied in 1826 by Major Lockyer, and a settlement had been established at Swan River in 1829, the boundaries of the colony were not definitely described until 1831, when Sir James Stirling's Commission of appointment as Governor gave him authority over all that part of the continent to the west of 129 degrees east longitude. A supplementary Commission issued in 1873 included all the adjacent islands in the Indian Ocean. SOUTH AUSTRALIA (MAP 6). South Australia was proclaimed a British Province by Letters Patent on the 28th December, 1836; bounded on the north by the 26th parallel of south latitude; on the south by the Southern Ocean; on the west by the 132nd meridian of east longitude; on the east by the 141st meridian. VICTORIA (MAP 7). In 1851 the territory previously known as Port Phillip was separated from New South Wales. In July, 1851, the legal symbol of the fact was found in the issue of writs of election for members of the Legislative Council. This was done under an Act of the New South Wales Legislature, passed to give effect to the Act passed in 1850 "for the Better Government of Her Majesty's Australian Colonies." Boundaries: On the north and north-east by a straight line from Cape Howe to the nearest source of the River Murray; thence by the course of that river to the eastern boundary of South Australia; and on the south by the sea: the River Murray to remain within New South Wales. NEW SOUTH WALES--ALTERED BOUNDARY (MAP 8). By a later statute passed in 1855, the boundaries of New South Wales were defined as follows:--"All the territory lying between the 129th and 154th meridians of east longitude, and north of the 40th parallel of south latitude, including all islands and Lord Howe Island, except the territories comprised within the boundaries of the province of South Australia and the colony of Victoria as at present established." [Illustration: Map 1 (1770).] [Illustration: Map 2 (1786).] [Illustration: Map 3 (1825).] [Illustration: Map 4 (1825).] [Illustration: Map 5 (1831).] [Illustration: Map 6 (1836).] [Illustration: Map 7 (1851).] [Illustration: Map 8 (1855).] [Illustration: Map 9 (1859).] [Illustration: Map 10 (1862).] [Illustration: Map 11 (1861-3).] [Illustration: Map 12 (1863).] QUEENSLAND (MAP 9).