Hi Michael:
The concept of 'Australian citizenship' was only introduced in 1949. Before then anyone born or naturalised in Australia was a British subject:
https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-mome...sh%20passports.
The information in the above link also indicates that legislation to introduce local citizenship (as opposed to British citizenship) was also introduced after WW2 in Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
You refer to Australia pre-1901. Before 1901, Australia consisted of six separate colonies that were subject to the British Parliament. Australia only became a single nation state when the colonies were federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901:
https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-mome...0and%20tariffs.
Hope that helps
Don W