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1823
January
1 The
distilling of spirits is permitted
10 Commissioner Bigge's third and final report on New South Wales is issued
February
15 Surveyor James McBrien at the Fish River near Bathurst discovers gold. It is the first known report of gold, though it is not made public
24 Lieutenant Percy Simpson arrives at Wellington Valley, with a party of convicts and soldiers to establish an agricultural depot
March
5 A road from Richmond, to Wallis Plains (Maitland) is opened for droving
21 Convict Thomas Pamphlett and three others leave Port Jackson in an open boat and are driven north for several days by a gale. They are eventually wrecked at Moreton Bay, where Pamphlett and two surviving companions settle with Aboriginal people of the region
May
12 Samuel Marsden is charged with allowing his assigned servant, James Ring, to be at large. Marsden refuses to pay and the fines are eventually remitted
22 Captain Mark Currie and Major John Ovens explore the Monaro district
June
5 A path through the Liverpool Range (Pandora’s Pass) is found by Allan Cunningham
July
19 The NSW Judicature Act receives royal assent. This enables the establishment of a nominated Legislative Council, a Supreme Court with full independence, courts of quarter sessions, the appointment of a Chief Justice to replace the Judge Advocate and Supreme Court judge, and trial by jury in civil cases under certain conditions
October
13 The third Charter of Justice constitutes the Supreme Court of NSW
23 Oxley leaves to examine Port Bowen, Port Curtis and Moreton Bay. He examines the Tweed River (31 Oct) and Brisbane River (2 Dec)
November
13 A band of Tasmanian Aboriginal people led by Musquito (transported from New South Wales) and Black Jack kills two stock-keepers at Grindstone Bay
December
2 The cutter Eclipse begins a regular service between Sydney and Newcastle
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