Australia's Timeline

2021

02 November

PM Scott Morrison & French President Emmanuel Macron accuse each other of lying over the way Morrison cancelled their submarine contract

2021

29 October

US President Joe Biden tells France’s President Emmanuel Macron, that the US was ‘clumsy’ in Aussie sub deal

2021

25 October

A severe storm caused flash flooding and damage in Melbourne

2021

14 October

A tornado touches down in Armidale ripping roofs from houses and flipping vehicles.

2021

08 October

Severe bushfires broke out across NSW, causing widespread damage and evacuations

2021

05 October

Dominic Perrottet becomes Premier of NSW and leader of the Liberal Party

2021

01 October

Gladys Berejiklian resigns as Premier of New South Wales

2021

30 September

A tornado touches down in the NSW Central West, demolishing homes in Peel and Meadow Flat. Three people are left injured.

2021

22 September

Melbourne experiences a 5.9 magnitude earthquake, with the epicentre being around the Mansfield area in north-eastern Victoria. The quake's effects were felt as far away as Tasmania and Adelaide.

2021

15 September

Australia cancels its Attack-class submarine submarine construction deal with France in favour of the AUKUS security alliance with the United States and United Kingdom

2021

10 August

The national Census of Population and Housing is held.

2021

23 July

Australian Travel Bubble is suspended with New Zealand over concerns for the rising cases in Australia. [Covid-19]

2021

20 July

South Australia pauses travel to New Zealand after snap lockdown declared in state. [Covid-19]

2021

16 July

Victoria pauses quarantine free travel to New Zealand [Covid-19]

2021

13 July

Queensland regains travel bubble and quarantine-free flights to New Zealand. [Covid-19]

2021

10 July

World No. 1 women's tennis player Australian Ash Barty wins her first Wimbledon ladies' singles title

2021

09 July

Tasman travel bubble resumes between Northern Territory & New Zealand [Covid-19]

2021

09 July

Tasman travel bubble resumes between Western Australia & New Zealand [Covid-19]

2021

05 July

Victoria permitted to travel to New Zealand provided they hadn't visited a designated hotspot. [Covid-19]

2021

05 July

Tasmania permitted to travel to New Zealand provided they hadn't visited a designated hotspot. [Covid-19]

2021

05 July

The ACT permitted to travel to New Zealand provided they hadn't visited a designated hotspot. [Covid-19]

2021

05 July

South Australia once again allowed to travel to New Zealand provided they hadn't visited a designated hotspot. [Covid-19]

2021

26 June

Total travel bubble paused from all Australian states to New Zealand [Covid-19]

2021

22 June

Quarantine-free travel is paused from New South Wales to New Zealand [Covid-19]

2021

22 June

Victoria regains quarantine-free links to New Zealand. [Covid-19]

2021

25 May

Quarantine free travel from Victoria to New Zealand suspended, following a community cluster in Melbourne.

2021

10 May

New South Wales & New Zealand travel resumes. [Covid-19]

2021

06 May

Quarantine-free travel is suspended between New South Wales & New Zealand following a community outbreak in Sydney [Covid-19]

2021

01 May

Flights from Western Australian to New Zealand paused for 24 hours. [Covid-19]

2021

28 April

New Zealand resumes quarantine-free travel with Western Australia. [Covid-19]

2021

24 April

Travel between New Zealand and Western Australia is suspended following a 3 day lockdown in the metropolitan area of Perth. [Covid-19]

2021

19 April

Australia and New Zealand start their safe travel bubble arrangement. [Covid-19]

2021

15 April

The first Australian died from thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), after vaccination with the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

2021

29 March

A 3 day lockdown is imposed on the Brisbane, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich and Redlands to stop the spread of a UK COVID-19 variant

2021

19 March

A rain bomb impacts the New South Wales Mid North Coast and Western Sydney, causing major flooding and evacuations.

2021

15 March

The Tasmanian state election is held. Peter Gutwein's Liberal government is returned for a third term.

2021

13 March

Tens of thousands of people attend March 4 Justice rallies across Australia calling for an end to gender-based violence and workplace harassment.

2021

13 March

The Western Australian state election is held with the incumbent McGowan Labor government winning with a large majority.

2021

05 March

First Australian to receive the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine

2021

28 February

300,000 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine arrived at Sydney airport

2021

21 February

The first public COVID-19 vaccination in Australia, with the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine

2021

18 February

Facebook blocked news to Australians on its platform over a dispute regarding a proposed law which would force it and Google to pay news publishers for content

2021

15 February

142,000 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Australia

2021

01 January

The words of the Australian national anthem, "Advance Australia Fair", are changed, amending the line "For we are young and free" to "For we are one and free"

2020

31 October

Queensland state election : Annastacia Palaszczuk's Labor government is returned for a third term with an increased majority

2020

17 October

Australian Capital Territory general election: Andrew Barr's Labor government is returned for a sixth 4 year term

2020

27 September

The overnight curfew was suspended in Victoria. [Covid-19]

2020

23 September

A further 200 whales are stranded on Tasmania's West Coast, making the event the largest cetacean stranding in Australia's recorded history

2020

21 September

Around 250 pilot whales beach themselves at various locations on Tasmania's West Coast near Macquarie Heads.

2020

22 August

Northern Territory general election: Michael Gunner's Labor government is returned for a second 4 year term

2020

10 August

Parkes Observatory is added to the National Heritage List

2020

02 August

An overnight curfew was introduced in Victoria [Covid-19]

2020

08 July

New South Wales closes it's common border with Victoria, following a large spike in cases in parts of Melbourne [Covid-19]

2020

08 July

Victoria closes it's common border with New South Wales, following a large spike in cases in parts of Melbourne [Covid-19]

2020

02 July

All international arrivals into Melbourne were suspended. [Covid-19]

2020

27 June

The Western Australian Government announced the state would move into "Phase 4", permitting some of the most relaxed Covid-19 restrictions in the country

2020

26 June

Victoria's "second wave" of Covid-19 ended when it recorded zero new cases and zero deaths statewide for the first time since 9 June

2020

20 June

Victoria's first wave of Covid-19 begins

2020

20 June

Victorian Government announced the re-tightening of Covid-19 restrictions on household gatherings following a spike in community transmitted cases over the previous week

2020

06 June

New South Wales and Victoria reported no new cases of Covid-19 for the previous 24 hours. Queensland and Western Australia report one new (international) case each, the lowest national total since February

2020

26 May

Rio Tinto blows up the Juukan Gorge, a region inhabited by Australian Aborigines for 46,000 years, to expand an iron ore mine

2020

24 April

Perth Airport blocks runways with bulldozers to pressure Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd to pay its $16 million debt

2020

11 April

Queensland banned interstate arrivals, with only Queensland residents and those granted 'exemption' being allowed entry [Covid-19]

2020

07 April

The High Court unanimously quashes Cardinal George Pell's convictions

2020

06 April

At least 12 deaths and more than 700 cases of coronavirus in Australia are now linked to the cruise ship Ruby Princess

2020

31 March

New national restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus are put in place through the Public Health Act 2010, via Sect 7 of the Act. [Covid-19]

2020

24 March

The Northern Territory closed their borders, with all interstate arrivals being required to self-isolate for 14 days. [Covid-19]

2020

24 March

South Australia closed their borders, with all interstate arrivals being required to self-isolate for 14 days. [Covid19]

2020

24 March

Western Australia closed their borders, with all interstate arrivals being required to self-isolate for 14 days [Covid-19]

2020

22 March

The cruise ship Ruby Princess disembarked passengers in Sydney despite several of them, and some crew, showing symptoms of coronavirus [Covid-19]

2020

20 March

Australia closed its borders to all non-residents and non-Australian citizens.. A ban was imposed on Australians travelling overseas unless exempt. [Covid-19]

2020

19 March

Tasmania imposing a mandatory 14-day quarantine on all "non-essential" travellers to the state, including returning residents. [Covid-19]

2020

16 March

All travellers arriving in or returning to Australia were required to self-isolate for 14 days (Covid-19)

2020

15 March

Morrison announces that all travellers arriving in or returning to Australia from overseas must self-isolate for 14 days, mirroring a similar requirement imposed by New Zealand [Covid-19]

2020

13 March

The 2020 Australian Grand Prix is cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

2020

11 March

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic

2020

10 March

Australia reported its 100th case of Covid-19. Australia's first wave begins.

2020

03 March

Australian Associated Press announces it will close its newswire service in June, after 85 years in operation.

2020

01 March

Australia records its first death from the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020

20 February

Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements announced to look into the fires that devastated the country over summer. 18 million hectares (44 million acres) burned, 28 people died, and 3,000 homes were destroyed,

2020

17 February

General Motors announces it is pulling its Holden brand from Australia.

2020

01 February

Australia banned the entry of foreign nationals who had been in mainland China, and ordered its own returning citizens who had been in China to self-quarantine for 14 days [Covid-19]

2020

31 January

The ACT becomes the first Australian region to legalise recreational cannabis

2020

30 January

WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

2020

25 January

Australia confirms its first COVID-19 case in Melbourne

2020

23 January

Biosecurity officials began screening arrivals on flights from Wuhan to Sydney for Covid-19

2020

19 January

Melbourne records first case of Covid-19. On same day Sydney recorded 3 more cases.

2020

12 January

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirms its concern about Coronavirus outbreak

2020

05 January

The New South Wales town of Eden is evacuated due to the bushfires.

2020

01 January

Bushfires devastate parts of New South Wales, causing significant damage and loss of life

2019

31 December

A novel coronavirus that caused a respiratory illness was identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019, and reported to the World Health Organization (WHO).

2019

06 July

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage. One of the world’s oldest and most extensive aquaculture sites, dating back at least 6600 years.

2019

18 May

Scott Morrison remains Australian prime minister in surprise win election

2018

24 August

Scott Morrison succeeds Malcolm Turnbull as Australian prime minister.

2018

09 January

The first weddings under the amended same-sex marriage law occurred.

2017

09 December

Same-sex marriage bill comes into effect. Couples still had to wait the 1 month waiting time to get married.

2017

15 November

The same-sex marriage referendum produced 61.6% of respondents voting "YES" for same-sex marriage.

2016

02 July

Australian federal election: Malcolm Turnbull remains as Prime Minister of Australia.

2015

15 September

The Matagurup Refugee Camp is founded in Perth to defend Aboriginal Rights

2015

20 March

Death of Malcolm Fraser, 22nd Prime Minister of Australia.

2014

15 December

A lone gunman held hostage 10 customers and 8 employees of a Lindt chocolate café in the APA Building in Martin Place, Sydney, Australia.

2014

14 April

Carbon price is dropped by the Abbott Government.

2013

13 October

Over 100 bushfires burnt across the state of New South Wales. 2 fatalities & 248 houses and other structures destroyed.

2013

17 September

Australian federal election: Tony Abbott defeats Kevin Rudd to become the 28th Prime Minister of Australia.

2013

26 June

Kevin Rudd defeats Julia Gillard in a leadership spill, 57 votes to 45. Gillard resigns from parliament, Rudd is sworn in as prime minister.

2012

01 July

Carbon price introduced by the Gillard Government.

2010

21 August

Australian federal election: Election results in hung Parliament and narrow victory by Julia Gillard (ALP) over Tony Abbott (Lib-Nat Coalition)

2010

21 August

Liberal Ken Wyatt becomes the first Aboriginal elected to the Australian House of Representatives

2010

23 June

Julia Gillard challenged and replaced Kevin Rudd as leader of the Labor Party to become the 27th and first female Prime Minister of Australia.

2009

07 February

Black Saturday bushfires: Massive bushfires swept across Victoria, resulting in 173 fatalities

2008

05 September

Quentin Bryce assumed office as Governor-General of Australia & the first female

2008

13 February

Longest heatwave for an Australian capital city recorded in Adelaide.

2008

22 January

Heath Ledger Dies from an accidental prescription drug intoxication

2007

24 November

Australian federal election: Kevin Rudd (Australian Labor Party) defeats John Howard (Liberal-National Coalition) to become the 26th Prime Minister of Australia.

2007

08 September

Australia avoids recession amidst Global Financial Crisis

2006

08 September

Peter Brock, an Australian motor racing driver, was killed in an accident on the Targa West road rally

2006

08 September

Australian Forces are again deployed to East Timor to help stabilize the country

2006

15 March

The Commonwealth Games are held in Melbourne.

2006

06 February

The Wandoo fire in New South Wales burnt over 9,000 hectares of farmland.

2005

27 December

Media mogul Kerry Packer dies. Claimed to be richest man in Australia.

2005

13 December

Bradley Murdoch is sentenced to life for the 2001 murder of British tourist Peter Falconio

2005

06 December

New anti-terrorism bill passed in response to London bombings in July. Generated heated debated among community.

2005

02 December

Nguyen, convicted Australian heroin smuggler,executed in Singapore. The first since McAuliffe in Malaysia in 1993.

2005

01 November

Makybe Diva breaks records by winning 3rd consecutive Melbourne Cups

2005

03 October

Dr Barry Marshall & Dr Robbin Warner won the Nobel Prize for Medicine, proving that a bacteria not stress caused stomach ulcers & gastritis.

2005

02 October

Suicide bombers once again targeted tourists in Bali, with another bomb attack.

2005

02 September

Victorian Coroner hands down finding that Prime Minister Harold Holt's life was claimed by wild surf at Cheviot Beach in 1967

2005

22 July

Premier Bob Carr announces his retirement after 10yrs of service

2005

18 June

Labor returned in the Northern Territory, led by Chief Minister Clare Martin

2005

27 May

Schapelle Corby sentenced to 20yr jail term in Bali for possession of over 4kg of marijuana.

2005

18 April

The Bali Nine are arrested in Bali for allegedly smuggling 11kg of heroine into Sydney

2005

16 March

The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commissions is officially abolished by Federal legislation

2005

28 February

Cate Blanchett wins Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Aviator

2005

26 February

WA Labor Government of Dr Geoff Gallop is returned with a solid majority

2005

25 January

Plastic surgeon and burns specialist Dr Fiona Wood named Australian of the Year

2004

09 October

Australian federal election: John Howard Government (Lib-Nat Coalition) defeats Mark Latham (Labor)

2004

09 September

A bomb explodes outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia

2003

19 September

Slim Dusty, Country Music Singer and Musician Dies aged 76

2003

18 January

The Canberra bushfires entered the suburbs of Canberra & 4 people died, over 490 injured, and 470 homes destroyed or severely damaged.

2001

24 December

The Black Christmas bushfires occurred when strong westerly winds fuelled more than 100 bushfires across the state, creating a plume of smoke that extended across Sydney.

2000

15 September

Sydney hosts the Summer Olympics

1996

26 September

First death following euthanasia legislation in Australia

1996

28 April

35 people shot dead at Port Arthur, Tasmania

1993

27 December

From 27 December 1993 to 16 January 1994, over 800 severe fires burned along the coastal areas of New South Wales. 4 people died, over 200 homes destroyed.

1989

28 December

Australia's most devastating earthquake hit Newcastle, New South Wales at 10:27am.

1985

28 May

The last train to use the Bunbury railway station departed.

1982

30 September

Brisbane hosts the Commonwealth Games

1979

05 January

Highest rainfall in Australia over 24hrs, recorded at Bellenden Ker, Queensland - 1140mm (45").

1977

01 January

The Festival of Sydney begins.

1974

25 December

Cyclone Tracy flattens Darwin (NT) leaving 49 dead & more than half the city's inhabitants evacuated.

1965

05 March

The Chatsbury/Bungonia bushfires were a series of fires that burned in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales, destroying the villages of Tallong, Wingello, and most of the surrounding orchards.

1956

04 November

HSV 7 Melbourne began broadcasting on 4 November 1956.

1956

27 September

First nuclear weapons test by British at Maralinga

1948

29 November

Australia's first locally made car, the Holden 48-215, launched

1947

27 November

Australian banks nationalized.

1947

24 November

The Old Bunbury railway station, which served as the terminal for the Australind passenger train to Perth, transported its first passengers.

1946

01 January

Commonwealth & State governments agree to celebrate Australia Day on January 26th

1945

10 December

Florey, Fleming & Chain win Nobel Prize for developing penicillin

1945

26 June

Australia plays an important role in the founding of the United Nations

1944

16 October

The Liberal Party of Australia is formed

1942

04 November

Japanese bomb Darwin but are halted on the Kokoda Trail

1939

14 January

Seaham, NSW, was partially destroyed by bushfires.

1938

10 June

The Myall Creek massacre was a pivotal moment in Australian history, setting a legal precedent and beginning the shift of attitudes towards the mass killing of Aboriginal people.

1932

17 May

Formation of the Australian Broadcasting Commission - ABC

1932

01 January

Height of the Great Depression, with 32% unemployment

1930

04 November

Phar Lap wins the Melbourne Cup

1920

16 November

QANTAS established

1919

27 January

Influenza pandemic reaches Australia

1918

28 June

End of First World War & Treaty of Versailles

1917

17 October

Completion of line linking Western Australia with the Eastern States.

1916

25 April

The First ANZAC Day commemorations

1915

15 February

NSW Government gains power to remove Aboriginal children from their families

1907

21 February

Australia's first Lifesaving Club established at Bondi Beach

1902

12 June

Commonwealth Franchise Act gives women the vote in Federal elections.

1901

23 December

White Australia Policy enshrined in law

1901

01 January

Federation of the Commonwealth of Australia.

1901

01 January

Federation of Australia, with Western Australia becoming one of the founding states

1900

19 January

Bubonic Plague arrives in Australia

1899

04 March

Cyclone Mahina was a devastating and historically deadly storm that claimed the lives of hundreds of divers and seamen from South-east Asia, the Torres Strait, and Pacific islands.

1898

01 February

The Red Tuesday bushfires in South Gippsland, Victoria, claimed 12 lives, destroyed over 2,000 buildings, left 2,500 homeless & total area of 260,000 hectares of bushland and farmland destroyed.

1887

22 April

Cyclone strikes pearling fleet at Eighty Mile Beach near Broome claiming 140 lives. The storm was unexpected, being so late in the season.

1884

01 September

Sydney's General Post Office (GPO) is opened in Martin Place

1884

15 June

Brisbane's Victoria Bridge is opened

1874

24 November

The Victorian Government requires all children to be vaccinated against smallpox within 6 months of work

1873

13 December

Adelaide Cricket Ground is opened

1873

12 November

New Act to regulate conditions in sweat shops which exploit female & under-age workers

1873

12 May

Total Lunar Eclipse

1872

17 December

Free, compulsory & secular education introduced in Victoria

1872

01 October

Brisbane Telegraph begins publication

1872

28 September

Brisbane's first General Post Office (GPO) opens

1872

25 June

The first telegrams are sent from Sydney to England

1872

25 June

Copper discovered near Orange, NSW

1872

13 June

Royal Mint opened in Melbourne

1872

31 May

Free compulsary & secular education. The first of colonies to introduce such legislation

1872

06 May

Adelaide General Post Office (GPO) opens

1871

05 December

Sandhurst, better known as Bendigo, is proclaimed a city. At this time Bendigo was one of the colony's greatest producers of gold since it was first discovered there in 1856.

1871

21 November

Australia receives it's first telegraph message

1871

03 February

South Australian Parliament voted to legalise the right for a man to marry his dead wife's sister

1870

20 December

Married women are now allowed to own personal property, such as wages & dividends

1870

05 December

WAs first Legislative Council meets

Australia's Timeline

A Journey Through Time