Australia became a federation of States in 1901.Ten men of the first Australian Federal Cabinet Standing left to right: J.G. Drake, R.E. O'Connor, Sir P.O. Fysh, C.C. Kingston, Sir John Forrest. Seater left to right: Sir Wiliam Lyne, Prime Minister Edmund Barton, Governor-General Lord Tennyson. Alfred Deakin, Sir George Turner. j.g. drake, r.e. o'connor, sir p.o. fysh, c.c. kingston, sir john forrest., prime minister edmund barton, sir george turner., afred deakin, lord tennyson, william lyne