The terms 'volunteer' and 'militia' are somewhat confused when related to the colonial military forces prior to Federation. In England at the time, and in the earlier years in the Australian colonies, a 'militia ' force was usually recruited compulsorily by ballot of men of certain ages from the population at large and could not be used outside defined areas. On the other hand, 'volunteers' provided their own uniforms and were not paid; they operated at minimum expense to a government, which provided only arms and ammunition. Consequently, a volunteer unit usually enjoyed certain privileges such as election of its own officers, framing its own regulations, and exemption from 'militia' service.¹²

In Australia, these distinctions became blurred over time. Some volunteer units became paid or partly paid, losing their right to elect officers. While compulsory service was possible under some Colonial Acts, these powers were never used, and voluntary enlistment was used by both volunteer and militia units.

Only five years had elapsed from the demise of the Loyal Associations before calls for the raising of a colonial force were made. In 1830, a so-called mounted volunteer party was raised for a local emergency to assist the Mounted Police in suppressing bushrangers near Bathurst.¹³ However, it was not until 1840 that the first colonial force, with the confusing title of the Royal South Australian Volunteer Militia, was raised for local security reasons. Never a success, it was disbanded unobtrusively five years later.¹⁴

The actions of France in the Pacific, culminating in the annexation of New Caledonia in 1853, raised colonial suspicions. However, it was not until the following year, with the outbreak of the Crimean War and the possibility of Russian maritime raids, that volunteer units were first raised in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.¹⁵ In view of NSW’s convict heritage and the recent events on the Victorian goldfields, proposals to raise militia units in these colonies did not appear appropriate. These issues were not factors for South Australia, where the principle of self-support underlying the foundation of that colony was clearly recognised and a Militia Act was passed which could be used if compulsory enlistment became necessary.¹⁶

With the coming of peace in 1856, interest in the volunteers declined. However, with the threat of Napoleon II's forces invading England in 1859, there was a revival of volunteer corps in the Australian colonies, such corps being found in many suburbs and towns.¹⁷

During the late 1850s through to the 1870s the Australian colonies were made increasingly aware of the need to provide for their own defence, and volunteer units were raised in Tasmania (1859), Queensland (1860) and Western Australia (1861).¹⁸

Other world events, including the American Civil War, Russia's actions in Poland, the Balkans and Asia, the ever-present fear of an advance of Russia through Afghanistan to India, and the Franco-Prussian War, led to periodic colonial fears and the re-assessment of defence requirements. They were also accompanied by major fluctuations in volunteer units size and numbers. This situation was not helped by a decline in the discipline and efficiency of the troops arising from a wide range of problems. The constant debate over their 'right' to elect their own officers; together with lobbying by volunteers who were also members of parliament; and a lack of a cohesive command and training structure had an impact on their military efficiency. A migratory population; newspaper opposition; legislatures which had no clear idea of their defence obligations and needs; obsolete weapons; the heavy financial burdens on volunteers of only moderate means; government financial stringency; and indifference by legislatures in the lulls between international crises affected their morale and enthusiasm.

The colonies reacted in different ways. The recommendations of the parliamentary committees and commissions were not always followed. Tasmania, seeing no immediate threat in 1863, disbanded the volunteer infantry component, although increasing that of the artillery, and, between 1870 and 1878, completely discontinued the Volunteer Vote. In 1863, Western Australia withdrew the right of volunteers to elect their own officers. That same year, Victoria amalgamated all mounted troops into the Prince of Wales' Victorian Volunteer Light Horse. In 1865, South Australia introduced the concept of partly paid volunteers, thereby heralding the end of the purely volunteer system, with the South Australian system ultimately being adopted by all colonies.¹⁹