<P> The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self - governing colonies of Queensland , New South Wales , Victoria , Tasmania , South Australia , and Western Australia agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia , establishing a system of federalism in Australia . Fiji and New Zealand were originally part of this process , but they decided not to join the federation . Following federation , the six colonies that united to form the Commonwealth of Australia as states kept the systems of government ( and the bicameral legislatures ) that they had developed as separate colonies , but they also agreed to have a federal government that was responsible for matters concerning the whole nation . When the Constitution of Australia came into force , on 1 January 1901 , the colonies collectively became states of the Commonwealth of Australia . </P>
<P> The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self - governing colonies of Queensland , New South Wales , Victoria , Tasmania , South Australia , and Western Australia agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia , establishing a system of federalism in Australia . Fiji and New Zealand were originally part of this process , but they decided not to join the federation . Following federation , the six colonies that united to form the Commonwealth of Australia as states kept the systems of government ( and the bicameral legislatures ) that they had developed as separate colonies , but they also agreed to have a federal government that was responsible for matters concerning the whole nation . When the Constitution of Australia came into force , on 1 January 1901 , the colonies collectively became states of the Commonwealth of Australia . </P>
how many colonies were in australia at the time of federation
how many colonies were in australia at the time of federation
six
six