fbpx

KidsKonnect

Victoria, Australia Facts & Worksheets

Victoria is a state located in the southeastern part of Australia.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Geography /Victoria, Australia Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Victoria is a state located in the southeastern part of Australia. It was named after Queen Victoria of Great Britain, who reigned when the British colony was established in the area in 1851. Today, the State of Victoria is the heart of Australia’s culture and arts and is known for its 243 km long Great Ocean Road, which is one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world.

See the fact file below for more information on Victoria, Australia, or you can download our 31-page Victoria, Australia worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

GEOGRAPHY

  • Victoria is one of the six states of Australia, together with New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia. It is the second smallest state in the country after Tasmania, with a land area of 227,444 km2. The Tasman Sea bounds its territory to the southwest, the Bass Strait to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the southeast. Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria, located at the Head Port Phillip Bay.
  • The Northern Territory (NT) is not a state, but a self-governing territory separated from the Australian federal government. 
  • Despite of its small land area, Victoria experiences varied climatic conditions from semi-arid to temperate, and has four distinct seasons. Summer occurs from December to February, followed by autumn from March to May, then winter from June to August, and Spring from September to November.
  • The highest peak in Victoria is Mt. Bogong which is the tallest mountain in the state, standing at 1,986 meters (6,516 ft). It is part of the Victorian Alps and is located in the Alpine National Park. During winter-spring months, Mt. Bogong is covered with snow. 

HISTORY

  • The State of Victoria was home to different aboriginal nations that occupied the area for thousands of years before it was colonized by Europeans. 
  • Based on the evidence found in the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, the Gunditjmara people of Victoria established permanent settlements in the area around 32,000 years ago. As evident in this heritage site, the primary livelihoods of early inhabitants of Victoria were hunting, gathering, plant farming,  fishing, and eel farming.
  • Aside from artifacts, archaeologists excavated a human heart at the Keilor archaeological site in 1971, dating back 31,000 years. Following this, a human cranial bone was found in the same place, dating back 12,00-14,700 years.
  • In 1606, Captain Willem Janszoon, a Dutch explorer, landed in Australia. He is considered the first European to land in the area. He was followed by William Dampier, a British explorer who took a tour at the western coast of Australia in 1688.
  • In 1770, Captain James Cook of England first sighted the coast of Victoria at Point Hicks. Following this, Matthew Flinders explored and charted the waters of Victoria in 1802 and afterward penetrated Portland, Port Phillip Bay, and Western Port  bays.
  • In 1788, New South Wales was proclaimed as a British Colony. At this time, Australia was divided into two parts: the eastern half known as New South Wales, and the western part known as New Holland, which was under the administration of Sydney’s colonial government.
  • Present-day Victoria is under the colonial government of New South Wales. The first British settlement in the area was established at Sullivan Bay in 1803 by British Lieutenant-Governor David Collins.
  • The second British settlement in Victoria was established in 1834 in Portland by British conqueror Edward Henty. Though it was established after the Sullivan bay British settlement, Portland is considered the “first permanent British Settlement” in Victoria. 
  • The following year, John Batman, a British entrepreneur, founded Port Phillip (the present Melbourne, the capital of the State of Victoria). He purchased the land around Port Phillip from the Wurundjeri people inhabiting the area through a treaty known as Batman’s treaty. 
  • The first election of the Legislative Council of Victoria took place on July 1, 1851, which established the independence of Victoria from New South Wales; this proclaimed a new colony of Victoria, named after Queen Victoria of England, who reigned at that time. 
  • After the proclamation of the Colony of Victoria, mining sites in the state were discovered. It is described as the “richest shallow alluvial goldfield in the world”. 
  • Victoria produced 20 million ounces of gold from 1851 to 1860, equivalent to one-third of the world’s output. This triggered immigrants worldwide to go to Victoria in search of gold, particularly the Chinese and Irish.
  • In 1854, the Eureka rebellion against the Victorian colonial government was conducted by miners who were protesting against the mining taxes. 
  • This protest persuaded the authorities to reduce the said fees for mining licenses. 
  • The following year, the government passed the Victoria Act 1885. This act made some of the rebellion leaders become members of the colonial Parliament of Victoria.
  • After years of prosperity, Victoria faced widespread bank failures in 1893 that led to the economic crisis. This recession occurred in the same period as the US Panic of 1893.
  • In 1901, Victoria gained independence from Great Britain. This was after the passage of the legislation proclaimed  by Queen Victoria, allowing the six colonies to collectively govern themselves as the Commonwealth of Australia. 

DEMOGRAPHY

  • As of 2022, an estimated 5.71 million people live in Victoria, making it the second-most densely populated state in the country. Seventy-five percent of the population lives in the Greater Melbourne metro, the highest populated city in Victoria with 4.17 million people.
  • Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data from 2016, 31.7% of the population in Victoria state has no religion. 23.2% are Catholic, 9.4% do not state their religion,  9.0% are Anglican, while the remaining 3.5% are Easter Orthodox.
  • From the data above, it can be observed that Catholic,  Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox are the three major religious affiliations of the people in Victoria.
  • The primary language of Victorians is English. Based on the 2016 consensus, 76% of the state population are English speakers; this reflects the history of colonization of the state. Other languages spoken in Victoria are Arabic,  Italian,  Greek, Mandarin, and Vietnamese. 

FAMOUS LANDMARKS

  • The Great Ocean Road is a 240-kilometer astonishing coastal drive with beautiful scenery, turquoise beaches, and rock formations stretching from Torquay to Warrnambool in the Melbourne area. It was completed in 1932 by first World War veterans.
  • It is the longest war memorial, remembering the sacrifices of World War I servicemen and women of Victoria.
  • The Shrine of Remembrance, also known as The Shrine, is a war memorial honoring the people of Victoria who served in the First World War. It is in a classical style and was designed by architects Phillip Hudson and James Wardrop, both World War I veterans. It was completed in 1934 and is located on St Kilda Road in Victoria.
  • Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a UNESCO heritage site located in the State of Victoria. This place bears testimony to the rich culture of the Gunditjmara people, who established permanent settlements in the area around 32,000 years ago. 
  • The Royal Exhibition Building is one of the two UNESCO heritage sites in Victoria. It was built in 1879 to host the Melbourne International Exhibition from 1880 to 1881. The Renaissance architectural design of the establishment was done by Joseph Reed. 
  • The amusing interior and exterior of the building led to the rise of Australian industry and technology worldwide. 
  • Melbourne Museum is one of the tourist attractions in Victoria. In 2011, it was declared the Best Tourist Attraction at the Australian Tourism Awards. The museum is a project of Victoria’s government that displays over seventeen million collections related to culture, history, geology, paleontology, zoology, technology, and society. Inside the museum complex is the world’s largest IMAX theater. Melbourne Museum first opened in 2002.

FAUNA

  • Leadbeater’s possum is a small-sized animal with big round eyes and a gray-brown color that can only be found in the mountains of Victoria in Australia. The species was named after John Leadbeater, the taxidermist at Melbourne Museum when it was discovered (1867).  
  • The State of Victoria made Leadbeater’s possum its faunal emblem on March 2, 1971. Today, the species is declared endangered due to its small population threatened by habitat loss, bushfires, and lodging. 
  • The Baw Baw frog can only be found in Victoria, Australia. Unlike other amphibians, it can live in a habitat with a freezing climate. It is commonly characterized by dark brown skin and has lighter colored patches on its head. Like other endemic animals of the state, the Baw Baw frog is critically endangered due to the infection caused by chytrid fungus. In 2010, Zoos Victoria started a breeding program for this species.
  • The helmeted honeyeater is the only endemic bird of Victoria, Australia. It is very distinctive due to its bright yellow and black feathers. The population of this bird is endangered due to environmental threats of drought, wildfire, and climatic changes. 
  • The kangaroo is one of the native and most common animals found in Victoria. It is characterized by its short front legs, long hind legs, large pointed ears, long tail, and brown-gray skin. There are three species of kangaroo across the State of Victoria:  Red, Western Grey, and Eastern Grey.

Victoria, Australia Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Victoria, Australia across 31 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Victoria, a state located in the southeastern part of Australia.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

  1. Victoria, Australia Facts
  2. Map Mania
  3. Geo-Hunting
  4. Cuturegraphic Tiles
  5. Budj Village
  6. Tracing the Past
  7. HistoTruth or HistoLie?
  8. Figure It Out
  9. World Scramble
  10. Faun-A-Clues
  11. Let’s Reflect

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the climate like in Victoria, Australia?

Victoria has a moderate climate with four distinct seasons. Summers in Victoria are generally hot and sunny. The winter in Victoria is crisp and cold. Summer lasts from October to April, with temperatures ranging from 25°C (77° Fahrenheit) to 14°C (57° Fahrenheit).

Why should I visit Victoria, Australia?

Victoria, despite being one of Australia’s smaller states, has a lot to offer in terms of diverse activities, magnificent natural wonders, diverse wildlife, and a flourishing food and wine sector that supports local producers. From the ski slopes to the beaches, Victoria offers something for everyone during your holiday.

What is the most visited place in Victoria?

If you’re planning on touring Victoria, Melbourne will more than likely be your first stop. Although it’s one of Australia’s smallest states, it boasts the second highest population density. And since Melbourne is regularly ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities, there’s no question as to why it serves as Victoria’s capital.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Victoria, Australia Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 14, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources