1840s

1847 Chinese labourers arrive in Adelaide

Labour shortages were an issue in mid-19th century Australia, particularly in rural areas. Importing Chinese workers was much discussed as… Read More

1846 First meat canning in Australia

The process for meat canning was invented in the 1790s in France when Nicholas Appert experimented with heating food inside… Read More

1844 Penfolds wine company established

The company responsible for Australia’s most famous wine, Penfolds Grange, was established at Magill Estate in the Adelaide Hills in… Read More

1843 Baking powder invented

It's generally acknowledged that the first true baking powder was made by British chemist Alfred Bird in 1843. He was… Read More

1843 Earliest cookbook published in Australia

Although it was long thought that Australia's first cookbook was  The English and Australian Cookery Book: Cookery for the Many,… Read More

1843 Ridley stripper harvester

John Ridley migrated from England to South Australia in 1840. He became a miller and wheat farmer and in 1843… Read More

1842 Barossa Valley first settled

The first German Lutheran settlers arrived in the Barossa Valley in 1842, settling at Bethany. German language, culture and cuisine… Read More

1841 Melbourne’s first official market

When surveyor Robert Hoddle laid out the grid for the new settlement of Melbourne in 1837, he set aside a… Read More

1841 Cornish pasty arrives with miners

In fact, the Cornish pasty most likely arrived in South Australia earlier than 1841. By this time, some 941 Cornish… Read More

1840 Earliest mention of Golden Syrup

Although there are claims that golden syrup was invented by the British company Abram Lyle & Sons in 1885, in… Read More

1840s First aerated waters produced in Australia

Today we call them soft drinks. Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, they were known as aerated waters. Fizzy… Read More

1840s Sydney’s Flying Pieman

Meat pies were common fare in the Australian colonies, sold on the streets by piemen who pierced a hole in… Read More

1840s South Australian wine industry develops

The early settlers in South Australia wasted no time in planting vineyards and within a decade of the first arrivals… Read More

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