Van Diemen's Land separated from New South Wales and granted self-government

Background. Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name for the island of Tasmania during 19th-century European colonization. The name carried unsavoury links to penal settlements and a 'demon' connotation. The Australian Constitutions Act 1850 granted responsible self-government to Van Diemen's Land, allowing it to establish its own elected representative and parliament.

Constitutional Change. The Legislative Council of Van Diemen's Land drafted a new constitution that gained Royal Assent in 1855. This enactment established an elected parliament in the colony. The newly elected bicameral parliament sat for the first time in 1856, formally establishing Tasmania as a self-governing colony of the British Empire.

Renaming. One of the first acts of the new legislature was to change the colony's name. The Privy Council approved changing the name from Van Diemen's Land to Tasmania. This change honored European discoverer Abel Tasman and aimed to dissociate the island from its convict past, differentiating the society of free settlers.