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1817
April
8
Australia's first bank, the Bank of New South Wales opens for business in Mary Reibey's house in Macquarie Place

20 John Oxley explores west, beyond Bathurst, to trace the Lachlan River. He finds Lake Cargelligo (25 July), and the Wellington Valley

July
28 Charles Throsby explores south-east of Moss Vale

September
3 Hydrographic surveys of Australian waters begin

30 After eight years, John Macarthur returns to Sydney on the proviso that he will not return to public affairs

October
7 The first Methodist church in Australia, at Castlereagh, New South Wales, is opened by Reverend Samuel Leigh

December
1 Macquarie resigns as Governor of New South Wales but his resignation is rejected by the Colonial Secretary Bathurst

John Beaumont leaves to explore the interior of Van Diemen’s Land

10 Bushranger Michael Howe is captured, then escapes having stabbed and shot his two captors

16 Francis Greenway is given a conditional pardon

21 Macquarie recommends the adoption of the name Australia for the continent instead of New Holland

22 Phillip Parker King and Allan Cunningham, botanist, leave to explore the north-west coast of the continent. They are joined by Bungaree (interpreter)