National Timeline

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

10 July

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

2021

26 June

Total travel bubble paused from all Australian states to New Zealand [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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30 January

WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

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

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

20 March

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

2014

14 April

Carbon price is dropped by the Abbott Government.

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.

2008

05 September

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

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

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

2005

27 December

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1932

17 May

Formation of the Australian Broadcasting Commission - ABC

1932

01 January

Height of the Great Depression, with 32% unemployment

1919

27 January

Influenza pandemic reaches Australia

1918

28 June

End of First World War & Treaty of Versailles

1916

25 April

The First ANZAC Day commemorations

1902

12 June

Commonwealth Franchise Act gives women the vote in Federal elections.

1901

23 December

White Australia Policy enshrined in law

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.

1873

12 May

Total Lunar Eclipse

1872

25 June

The first telegrams are sent from Sydney to England

1871

21 November

Australia receives it's first telegraph message

1870

20 December

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

1870

17 January

Total Lunar Eclipse

1869

23 July

Lunar eclipse

1868

09 January

Convict transportation to Australia ends

1856

04 February

The secret ballot was introduced, and all adult men could vote

1833

01 January

During a period of eighty years, over 162,000 convicts were sent to Australia, with around 7,000 arriving in 1833 alone!

1832

14 July

From 1831 the British and Australian colonial governments subsidised or paid for thousands of migrants to move to Australia.

1831

18 April

The Sydney Herald (later to become The Sydney Morning Herald) was first published.

1824

10 September

A penal settlement is established at Redcliffe on Moreton Bay (still NSW). The following February it is moved to the Brisbane River, which is now the City of Brisbane

1824

04 June

Ex-convict Andrew Bent founds first free press in the Australian colonies

1818

26 January

The first official celebrations are held in Sydney to mark the 30th anniversary of the original settlement

1814

17 July

Matthew Flinders' book "A Voyage to Terra Australis" recommended using the name Australia instead of New Holland

1814

25 February

Introducing the exciting 'holey dollar', Australia's first coin with a hole in the middle!

1809

25 April

Convict Isaac Nichols appointed as Australia's first postmaster

1808

26 January

The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australian history. Later referred to as the Great Rebellion. It lasted until 1st January, 1810.

1808

26 January

Martial Law is declared & Governor William Bligh is placed under house arrest & held prisoner for more than a year before being returned to England

1804

08 January

A report of a cricket match is published in the Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser. It is the first account of a sporting event in Australia

1803

09 June

Captain Matthew Flinders completed the first circumnavigation of the Australian continent (still known as "New Holland"). His ship the Investigator was subsequently judged to be unseaworthy and condemned.

1797

26 June

First Merino sheep are imported from South Africa

1793

30 November

The name Australia was specifically applied to the continent for the first time with the botanists George Shaw and Sir James Smith writing of "the vast island, or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia or New Holland" in their 1793 Zoology and Botany of New Holland.

1791

09 July

The first ship of the Third Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove.

1790

28 June

5 of 6 ships of the beleaguered Second Fleet have arrived during the past month. The colony was gripped by a food crisis.

1789

04 June

The first play performed in Australia was for the Kings birthday. The play called The Recruiting Officer was performed by convicts

1789

01 April

Smallpox and other diseases brought by European settlers decimated First Nations populations while the colonists remained relatively unscathed.

1788

31 December

Aboriginal Australians couldn't be coaxed into the settlement. Captain Phillip wanted to promote good relations between Aboriginal Australians and Europeans, so he captured one named Arabanoo & held him in confinement, hoping to learn his language.

1788

06 March

Lt. King took possession of Norfolk Island. British settlement founded.

1787

13 May

The First Fleet led by Captain Arthur Phillip left England to found a penal colony in Australia. It reached Botany Bay in mid-January 1788.

1770

22 August

Captain Cook takes possession of the whole eastern coast in the name of King George III, naming it New South Wales

1770

20 April

British Lieutenant James Cook, in search of the postulated continent of Terra Australis, was to be the first documented European expedition to reach the eastern coastline.

1700

01 January

Aboriginal people of northern Australia and Makasar from Sulawesi began trading with each other in an engaging manner.

1606

01 May

Pedro Fernandes de Queirós expedition reached the islands later called the New Hebrides (Vanuatu). Queirós landed on a large island which he took to be part of the southern continent, and named it Australia del Espiritu Santo.

1606

01 May

The name "Austrialia" was used for the first time by Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, a Portuguese navigator, who sailed south with the intention of finding Terra Australis, the mythical "great south land," and claiming it for Spain and the Church.

National Timeline

A Journey Through Time