How were the colonies governed before federation?

Prior to Federation in 1901, the six Australian colonies (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia) were governed as separate British colonies. Each colony had its own governor, appointed by the Crown, who represented the British monarch. The governor acted on the advice of an Executive Council, made up of senior colonial officials and politicians. Each colony also had its own elected Legislative Assembly, responsible for passing laws and overseeing the colony's government.

The colonies also had their own legal systems, based on the English common law system. Each colony had its own Supreme Court, with appeals heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London.

In terms of the allocation of powers between the colonies and the British government, the colonies had considerable autonomy in most areas. However, the British government retained control over a number of areas, including foreign affairs, defense, and trade.

The movement towards Federation gained momentum in the late 1800s, as there was a growing desire for a unified Australian nation. The colonies agreed to join together in a federation, creating a federal government and constitution that would set out the division of powers between the federal government and the states. The resulting Australian Commonwealth Constitution Act 1900 was enacted by the British Parliament, leading to the formation of the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1, 1901. This marked the establishment of a unified Australian nation and the end of the separate colonial governments.