List of wars involving Australia

Australia, including its predecessor coloniesNew South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Victoria, Swan River, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland has been involved in several wars, armed conflicts, rebellions and militarised interstate disputes.

For a list of wars that have been fought on the Australian mainland and in Australian waters, see the list of conflicts in Australia.

Dates indicate the years in which Australia was involved in the war.

Colonial Australia (1788–1901) Colonial Australia was the Commonwealth of Australia's predecessor colonies, the colonies of New South Wales (1788–1901), Van Diemen's Land (1825–1856), Tasmania (1856–1901), Victoria (1851–1901), Swan River (1829–1833), Western Australia (1833–1901), South Australia (1836–1901), Queensland (1859–1901) and their territories and islands. + List of wars involving Colonial AustraliaConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Result for Australia and/or its alliesAustralian losses(Killed or missing)Notable battlesMilitaryCiviliansSydney Cove War (1790–1800)

part of Australian frontier wars Kingdom of Great Britain (1790–1800)

New South Wales Corps (1790–1800) Colony of New South Wales

United Kingdom (1801–1802)

New South Wales Corps (1801–1802) Colony of New South WalesAboriginal AustraliansVictory Dispossession of land of the indigenous clans26Pemulwuy's War (1790–1802)

part of Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars and Australian frontier wars Kingdom of Great Britain (1790–1800)

New South Wales Corps (1790–1800)

United Kingdom (1801–1802)

New South Wales Corps (1801–1802) Colony of New South Wales

Burraberongal Tribe (1795–1802)Indigenous peoples:

Dharug Nation Bidjigal clanVictory Dispossession of land of the indigenous clans Death of Pemulwuy443 Battle of Parramatta – 1797Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars (1794–1816)

part of Australian frontier wars Kingdom of Great Britain (1795–1800)

New South Wales Corps (1795–1800)

United Kingdom (1801–16)

New South Wales Corps (1801–10) New South Wales

Burraberongal TribeIndigenous peoples:

Dharug Nation Wangal clan Kurrajong clan Boorooberongal clan Cattai clan Bidjigal clan Gommerigal clan Mulgoa clan Cannemegal clan Bool-bain-ora clan Cabrigal clan Muringong clan Dural clan Eora Nation Tharawal Nation Gandangara Nation

Irish-convict sympathisersVictory Dispossession of land of the indigenous clans Legal disputes until 1992 Mabo decision80–380+unknown Battle of Richmond Hill – 1795 Battle of Parramatta – 1797 Battle of Bond's Farm – 1809 Appin Massacre – 1816 Black Wars (1799–1805)

part of Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars and Australian frontier wars Kingdom of Great Britain (1799–1800)

New South Wales Corps (1799–1800)

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1805)

New South Wales Corps Colony of New South Wales

Burraberongal Tribe (1799–1802)Indigenous clans:

Irish-convict sympathisersVictory Dispossession of land of the indigenous clansunknownunknownTedbury's War (1802–1810)

part of Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars and Australian frontier wars United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Colony of New South WalesIndigenous clans:

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom Colony of New South WalesWiradjuri nationVictory Dispossession of land from the Wiradjuri nation and possession of Bathurst county~200 Battle of Bathurst – 1824Hawkesbury Nepean War (1814–1816)

part of Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars and Australian frontier wars United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Colony of New South WalesIndigenous clans:

Irish-convict sympathisersVictory Dispossession of land of the indigenous clansunknown9+ St Matthews Church of England Windsor NSW Parish Registers 1810 to 1856, Lake Macquarie Family History Group Inc, Hawkesbury City Council, 2003.Sydney Gazette, 23 July 1814Sydney Gazette, 30 March 1816Page 187, Sir William Dixson – documents relating to Aboriginal Australians, 1816–1853, ML, reel CY2743; DL Add 81, State Library of NSW. Alfred Smith, Some Ups and Downs of an Old, Richmondite, Nepean Family Historical Society Inc, 1991. Pages 109–110 and 150–151, S. Boughton (Cooramill), Reminiscences of Richmond, From the Forties Down, Cathy McHardy, 2010. Appin Massacre – 1816 Battle of the Nepean – 1816 Nepean Campaign – 1816Black War (1828–32)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom New South Wales Van Diemen's LandAboriginal TasmaniansVictory Indigenous Tasmanians dispossessed, population declines and culture disrupted Survivors surrender and are relocated to Wybalenna Aboriginal Mission20118Port Phillip District Wars (1830–1850)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom New South WalesAboriginal Australians Gunditjmara People

Dja Dja Wurrung

Taungurung

Gunai Kurnai peopleVictory European occupation of the district Deaths of up to more than 1,000 Aboriginals07–11 Battle of Pinjarra – 1834 Mount Cottrell massacre – 1836 Battle of Broken River – 1838 Campaspe Plains massacre – 1839 Blood Hole massacre – 1839 or 1840The Eumeralla Wars (1834–1849 or 1860s)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom New South Wales VictoriaAboriginal Australians Gunditjmara PeopleVictory British occupation of the district~80Moreton Bay conflict (1832–1833)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom New South WalesQuandamooka people (Nunukul, Ngugi, and Gorenpul clans)Indeterminate

Stalemate; British withdrawal from North Stradbroke Island Establishment of limited coexistence between settlement and Quandamooka people5–8 killed; dozens wounded≈30–40 killed or woundedWiradjuri Wars (1838–1841)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Colony of New South WalesWiradjuri peopleVictory

Dispossession of land of the indigenous clans Occupation and settlement of European colonists on conquered landUnknownMandandanji Land War (1842–1852)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom New South WalesMandandanji peopleVictory

Dispossession of land of the indigenous clans Occupation and settlement of European colonists on conquered landUnknownWar of Southern Queensland (1843–1855)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom

New South WalesAboriginal Australians United Tribes Confederation Jagera People Wakka Wakka People Kabi Kabi People Jinibara PeopleVictory

Dispossession of land of the indigenous clans Occupation and settlement of European colonists on conquered land ~700 – 1000 Europeans Several thousand Indigenous Battle of One Tree Hill – 1843Port Augusta War (1844–1845)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Colony of South AustraliaAboriginal Australians Nukunu peopleVictory

Dispossession of land of the indigenous clans Occupation and settlement of European colonists on conquered landFlagstaff War (1845–1846)

Part of New Zealand Wars Colony of New South WalesHopkins-Weise, Jeffrey Ellis (2004). Australian Involvement in the New Zealand Wars of the 1840s and 1860s (PDF) (PhD). Brisbane, Qld.: University of Queensland. Retrieved 30 July 2026.

Forces of Tamati Waka Nene

Māori KupapaNgāpuhi IwiInconclusive/Ceasefire Kawiti and Heke's rebellion defeated Kawiti and Heke approached Tāmati Wāka Nene about a ceasefire British claimed a tactical victory British negotiate peace with Kawiti in 1846 British negotiate peace with Heke in 1848. Battle of Puketutu – 1845 Raid on Waikare – 1845 Battle of Te Ahuahu – 1845 Battle of Ōhaeawai – 1845 Battle of Ruapekapeka – 1845–1846Hutt Valley Campaign(1846)

Part of New Zealand Wars Colony of New South Wales

British Settlers

Te Āti Awa

Māori KupapaNgāti Toa Iwi Ngāti Rangatahi

Ngāti HāuaterangiVictoryEureka Rebellion (1851–1854)Colony of Victoria British Army Victoria PoliceAnti-Gold Licence Association (Red Ribbon Rebellion) Stockade rebelsVictory Miners rebellion defeated by the Victorian authorities 2 Government Troops 22-60 Rebelsunknown Battle of the Eureka Stockade - 1854First Taranaki War (1860–1861)

Part of New Zealand Wars Colony of New South Wales Colony of Queensland Colony of Victoria Colony of Tasmania Taranaki Māori KīngitangaCeasefire Truce agreed to after the surrender of the Te Ārei pā Waikato Invasion plans made Māori remained in possession of the European-owned Tātaraimaka20 approximatelyF. Glen, For glory and a farm: the story of Australia's involvement in the New Zealand Wars of 1860–1866 (Whakatane, NZ: Whakatane & District Historical Society, 1984)0 Battle at Te Kohia – 1860 Battle of Waireka – 1860 Battle of Puketakauere – 1860Waikato Wars (1863–1864)

Part of New Zealand Wars Colony of New South Wales Colony of Queensland Colony of Victoria Colony of Tasmania Kīngitanga North Island allies

Ngāti Maniapoto Ngāti Pou Ngāi Tūhoe Ngāti RaukawaVictory Kingite power crushed Waikato Māori expelled south of the Waikato River. Occupation and settlement of European colonists on conquered landSecond Taranaki War (1863–1866)

Part of New Zealand Wars Colony of New South Wales Colony of Queensland Colony of Victoria Colony of Tasmania Taranaki MāoriInconclusive Tribes either surrendered or withdrew towards the mountain.Tauranga Campaign (1864)

Part of the New Zealand Wars Colony of New South Wales Colony of Queensland Colony of Victoria Colony of Tasmania

British Settlers

Māori Kupapa Taranaki Māori

Ngāi Te Rangi Ngāti Koheriki Ngāti Pikiao Ngāti Porou Ngāti PukengaVictory Battle of Gate Pā – 1864 Battle of Te Ranga – 1864East Cape War (1865–1866)

Part of New Zealand Wars Colony of New South Wales Colony of Queensland Colony of Victoria Colony of Tasmania

British Settlers

Māori Kupapa

Arawa Ngāti Porou Ngāti KahungunuHau-Hauist Māori Whakatohea Māori Urewera Māori Ngai Tama MāoriVictory Dispossession of land of the indigenous Māori Occupation and settlement of European colonists on conquered land 2013 Crown apology Siege of Waerenga-a-Hika – 1865Kalkadoon Wars (1870–1890)

part of Australian frontier wars United Kingdom QueenslandKalkadoon peopleVictory100(est.)5 Battle of Battle Mountain – 1884Mahdist War (1885) Khedivate of Egypt

Colony of New South Wales New South Wales Contingent

Eritrea Mahdist SudanVictory Sudan becomes Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, a condominium of the British Empire and Khedivate of Egypt9 (from sickness on the return home)3 Suakin ExpeditionJandamarra Guerrilla War (1894–97)

part of Australian frontier wars Western AustraliaJandamarraBunuba peopleVictory Death of Jandamarra2+unknown

Commonwealth of Australia (1901–present) + List of wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result for Australia and/or its allies Australian losses(Killed or missing)Notable battles Military Civilians Second Boer War(1899–1902) Part of the Boer Wars during the Scramble for Africa Victory Treaty of Vereeniging606Australia and the Boer War, 1899–1902, Australian War Memorial.None Boxer Rebellion(1900–1901)

Russian Empire France

Yihetuan Victory

Rebellion suppressed Signing of the Boxer Protocol

List of wars involving Australia

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