s ▁outer ▁walls ▁have ▁gradually ▁been ▁replaced ▁over ▁time . ▁ ▁Early ▁parliament ary ▁history ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁Australia ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁Victoria ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁col ony ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁and ▁was ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁in ▁Sydney . ▁On ▁ 5 ▁August ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁the ▁Parliament ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁passed ▁the ▁Australian ▁Col on ies ▁Government ▁Act ▁which ▁made ▁provision ▁for ▁the ▁separation ▁of ▁Victoria ▁from ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁En abling ▁legisl ation ▁was ▁passed ▁by ▁the ▁Parliament ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁and ▁Victoria ▁was ▁formally ▁created ▁a ▁separate ▁col ony ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁on ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 1 8 5 1 . ▁ ▁The ▁Australian ▁Col on ies ▁Government ▁Act ▁provided ▁for ▁the ▁col ony ▁to ▁be ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁a ▁Lieutenant - G overn or ▁and ▁a ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁of ▁ 5 1 ▁members , ▁ 2 1 ▁of ▁which ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁elected ▁and ▁the ▁remainder ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Lieutenant - G overn or . ▁The ▁Lieutenant - G overn or ▁was ▁sub ordinate ▁in ▁some ▁matters ▁to ▁the ▁Governor ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁who ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁title ▁Governor - General . ▁The ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁met ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁at ▁St ▁Patrick ' s ▁Hall , ▁Melbourne . ▁The ▁first ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁existed ▁for ▁five ▁years ▁and ▁was ▁responsible