▁– ▁Bil ater al ▁convent ions ▁for ▁the ▁exchange ▁of ▁money ▁orders ▁come ▁into ▁effect ▁between ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁of ▁America ▁and ▁the ▁colon ies ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁and ▁Victoria . ▁ 2 ▁February ▁– ▁A ▁cy clone ▁causes ▁considerable ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Card well , ▁Queensland . ▁ 8 ▁May ▁– ▁Pl anning ▁begins ▁on ▁the ▁Working ▁Men ' s ▁College ▁in ▁Melbourne ▁( now ▁R MIT ▁University ). ▁ 3 1 ▁May ▁– ▁The ▁ste amer ▁Pre tty ▁Jane ▁is ▁w reck ed ▁on ▁the ▁Nin ety ▁M ile ▁Beach , ▁ 3 0   km ▁west ▁of ▁L akes ▁En tr ance . ▁No ▁lives ▁were ▁lost . ▁ 9 ▁December ▁– ▁Br is b ane ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁city ▁in ▁Australia ▁to ▁install ▁electric ▁light ing . ▁ ▁Science ▁and ▁technology ▁ 6 ▁December ▁– ▁A ▁rare ▁Trans it ▁of ▁Ven us ▁across ▁the ▁disc ▁of ▁the ▁Sun ▁is ▁visible ▁from ▁Australia , ▁and ▁many ▁scientific ▁parties ▁arrive ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁to ▁observe ▁and ▁record ▁the ▁trans it . ▁The ▁next ▁occurrence ▁was ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁Arts ▁and ▁literature ▁ ▁Sport ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁– ▁The ▁first ▁cr icket ▁Test ▁match ▁at ▁the ▁Sydney ▁Cr icket ▁Gr ound ▁begins . ▁ 2 9 ▁August ▁– ▁The ▁Australian ▁cr icket ▁team ▁be ats ▁England ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁a ▁test ▁match ▁at ▁The ▁O val ▁in ▁London . ▁A ▁mock ▁ob itu ary ▁appears ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁day '