Australian Geographic – July-August 2019

Bert’s thoughts were that the

animal would have looked for

somewhere undercover to sleep off

his big meal and so began a circuit

of the run and, sure enough, on

top of a shack covered by a wild

tobacco bush was the said quoll.

It took off like a rocket straight

up a huge Norfolk pine and my

husband, as the youngest, was

chosen to climb up and talk it into

coming down quietly.

Not for Bob; he headed into

the house for the 10-gauge

shotgun and took up position at

the base of the tree.

So there we were with Bert

pleading for the animal’s life while

Bob demanded its demise.

My husband took a swing with

a broom handle, striking the quoll

above the eye, which only made it

climb higher.

Without further ado Bob knelt,

took aim and fired and down came

the quoll. Dead!

That fine animal was admired

by all. So strong and muscled with

vicious teeth and an interesting

spotted pattern.

The next time we visited, there

was the quoll in pride of place on

the mantelpiece above the fire.

Bert had done a fine taxidermy

job complete with eye wound

inflicted by my husband.

I know you may be horrified at

this story but it was another era

and a different time and 15 chooks

were valuable, but I’m sure that

Uncle Bert would have fully

supported AG’s quest to save this

beautiful creature.

HEATHER CRAMP,

WAGGA WAGGA, NSW

BREEDING TIME

This interesting article, The puzzle

of the platypus, AG 150, states that

the Healesville Zoo and Taronga

Zoo are the only two zoos

worldwide to have successfully

bred the species. David Fleay of

West Burleigh in Queensland

was the first to breed the species

in captivity. I think it was in

the 1940s.

ANDREW GALLAGHER,

CURRUMBIN VALLEY, QLD

PHOTO CREDIT

Just wanted to say that you have

some of the most beautiful

photographs of this country –

exceptional and breathtaking.

All credit to the photographers.

CHRISTINE TIERNEY,

RASMUSSEN,TOWNSVILLE, QLD

In April, we reported on some of the more

unknown behaviours of magpies,

including the fact that they basically

have their own judicial system.

Here’s what you had to say.

DAVID ABBOTT

I’ve seen them standing in a circle around

a dead one that just got hit by a car.

They all had their heads up singing. It was

early and cold and you could see the

steam coming out of their mouths –

so they have funerals too.

ALAN BURMAN

I saw a group of magpies ‘holding court’

earlier this year. At fi rst, I thought it was a

‘union’ meeting. But now I think I

understand.

KARA PATON

I miss having magpies close by all the

time because I now live in a heavily

populated area. I love that magpies

remember faces! So beautiful.

JOY WALFORD

We had a maggie with a really annoying,

over-the-top whingey chick and one day

the mum turned on it, knocked it over and

jumped on its belly in an extreme

tantrum. She then stalked o€ ru‚ ing her

feathers. It lay there for a while before

getting up and chasing aƒ er her.

Talkb@ck

Sign up to the Australian

Geographic email newsletter on our

homepage and we’ll deliver fresh

content to your inbox every week!

FREE

July. August 15

FIRST NATIONS FIRST

This month’s poster was

fascinating and I enjoyed

reading it. I do believe though

that the time has come to stop

glorifying some historic

moments: European settlers

didn’t discover any place in

Australia and were unlikely to

have been the first people

to cross the Blue Mountains

or even the continent.

Similarly, no European is

likely to have discovered a

plant or animal that the

first nations were not

already familiar with.

The knowledge of Australia’s

traditional owners is underval-

ued by the importance placed

on European explorers. If only

they’d asked more questions

instead of treating our country

like an unknown land needing

‘discovery’.

Jackie Steel, Coburg North, VIC

PHOTO CREDIT: BILL BACHMAN

1 65,000 FIRST AUSTRALIANS

Aboriginal

people believed to have occupied mainland Australia for at least 65,000 years. 20,000 2 FIRST BOOMERANG

The boomerang

features in Aboriginal creation stories, and for Aboriginal people the boomerang is considered as old as the continent. FIRST EUROPEAN MAP OF 3 1 FEBRUARY 1606AUSTRALIADutch explorer Willem Janszoon becomes the  rst European to make recorded contact with and map part of the Australian continent. 41700 EARLY TRADE BETWEEN MAKASSAR AND ABORIGINAL PEOPLEFrom at least 1700 until 1907, hundreds of  shermen sailed each year from Makassar on the island of Sulawesi (now part of Indonesia) to the northern Australian coast. 5 22 AUGUST 1770 COOK CLAIMS AUSTRALIA Captain James Cook claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for the British Crown, naming it New South Wales.26 JANUARY 1788 SYDNEY DECLARED A Captain Arthur Phillip, CONVICT SETTLEMENT 6 commander of the First Fleet, chose a site at Sydney Cove and began to establish a convict settlement. 1791 COAL DISCOVERED IN AUSTRALIA Coal was  rst discovered on the Hunter River in Newcastle by the convict William Bryant. 7 PEMULWUY LEADS RESISTANCE AGAINST 1792 Two years after the arrival of the First Fleet, Aboriginal warrior Pemulwuy began to resist the 8 COLONISTS incursion of white settlers onto his people’s traditional lands. MERINO SHEEP ARRIVE The  rst Australian-produced  eece was sold in England in 91797 1807 and by the late 19th century, wool had become Australia’s major export.PLATYPUS PUZZLES GEORGE SHAW 1799 European Botanist George Shaw  rst describes 10 Australia's platypus as an elaborate hoax. 18011803FLINDERS CIRCUMNAVIGATES AUSTRALIA Matthew Flinders proved Australia was 11 a single continent. By using the term “Australia” in his maps and writings, he helped the word enter common usage. 121810 TICKET OF LEAVE SYSTEM INTRODUCEDConvicts that were well behaved could shorten their sentence by applying for a ticket of leave.18 MAY 1813 BLUE MOUNTAINS CROSSING 13 Gregory Blaxland, William Charles Wentworth and William Lawson became the  rst European settlers to successfully navigate a path across the Blue Mountains. FIRST COIN The economy of the colony of New South Wales was plagued by a 14 26 NOVEMBER 1814lack of currency during its early years. Governor Lachlan Macquarie tried to alleviate this by importing 40,000 Spanish coins, stamping out the middle to create a holey dollar, and doubling the quantity of colonial currency. 15 John Oxley founds the settlement that later becomes Brisbane. 1823 BRISBANE FOUNDED SETTLEMENT OF PERTH 16 12 JUNE 1829Captain James Stirling sailed to the Swan River and persuaded the British government to found a colony there. 171833 CONVICT TRANSPORTATION PEAKSBetween 1788 and 1868, more than 162,000 convicts were transported to Australia. Of these, about 7000 arrived in 1833 alone. 18 FOUNDEDSouth Australia, the  rst colony 28 DECEMBER 1836 SOUTH AUSTRALIA established with only free settlers, is o cially founded.10 JUNE 1838 MYALL CREEK MASSACREEarly on the morning of 18 December that same year, 19 seven men were publicly hanged at the Sydney Gaol for their involvement in the massacre. They were the  rst British subjects to be executed for the massacre of Aboriginal people. 20 TO 22 MAY 1840 CONVICT TRANSPORTATIONNEW SOUTH WALES ENDSThe British government decides to end convict transportation to New South Wales. 21 3 APRIL 1848 LEICHHARDT EXPEDITION German explorer Ludwig Leichhardt attempts to

reach Perth from the Darling Downs. He and his companions were never seen again and their disappearance remains a mystery today.GOLD RUSH 221851 The discovery of gold in the 1850s started a series of rushes that transformed the Australian colonies.1 JULY 1851 NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA 23 SPLIT Victorians were ecstatic about their political separation from New South Wales and a healthy competition between the two states and capital cities continues to this day. 24 3 DECEMBER 1854 EUREKA STOCKADE REBELLION Miners from the Victorian town of Ballarat, disgruntled with the way the colonial government had been administering the gold elds, swore allegiance to the Southern Cross  ag at Bakery Hill and built a stockade at the nearby Eureka diggings. 251854 FIRST STEAM RAILWAY

The Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay Railway Company opened Australia’s

 rst steam railway line in Melbourne. The line is still in use today, having been converted to light rail for Melbourne tram services. 26 Stonemasons in Melbourne downed tools and walked 21 APRIL 1856 EIGHTHOUR WORKING DAYo the job in protest over their employers’ refusal to accept their demands for reduced working hours.7 AUGUST 1858FOOTBALL GAMEStudents from Scotch College, 27 FIRST AUSTRALIAN RULES Church of England Grammar (later Melbourne Grammar) and St Kilda Grammar competed against each other in several games of Australian Rules football.  28 6 JUNE 1859 QUEENSLAND GAINS INDEPENDENCEThe colony of Queensland separates from New South Wales. Queensland Day is celebrated on 6 June, recognising the birth of the state.25 DECEMBER 1859 European wild rabbits were introduced into Australia RABBITS INTRODUCED (^29) so they could be hunted for sport. Within 50 years, rabbits had spread across almost the entire continent, with devastating consequences. 301860 ISLANDER LABOUR BEGINS
A group of 67
South Sea Islanders were brought to Queensland to perform manual labour in the cotton and sugar industries. Some were kidnapped, or ‘blackbirded’, others were misled. 31 AFGHAN CAMELEERS ARRIVEAfghani, Pakistani and Turkish cameleers played a JUNE 1860vital role in shaping Australia’s outback. BURKE AND WILLS 32 20 AUGUST 1860EXPEDITION Robert O’Hara Burke, William John Wills, John King and Charles Gray became the  rst Europeans to cross Australia south to north. Burke, Wills and Gray all perished on the return trip south. 33 1861 VICTORIAN ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY FOUNDED The Victorian Acclimatisation Society was established to introduce, domesticate and acclimatise useful European animal and plant species to Australia, with sometimes catastrophic results. 1861 FIRST MELBOURNE CUP 34 About 4000 people gathered at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne to watch a horserace that would become one of Australia’s most important sporting events. 351861 FIRST MOSQUEAustralia's  rst mosque was built by Afghan cameleers in the town of Marree, South Australia. The 'Afghans' were mostly Muslims from then-British India. 1861 36 FIRST ENGLISH CRICKET TOUR
An English
cricket team, the All England Eleven, tours the Australian colonies. This was the  rst cricket tour made by an overseas team to Australia. 9 JANUARY 1868 CONVICT TRANSPORTATION 37 TO AUSTRALIA ENDS On 9 January, the convict transport Hougoumont arrived at the port of Fremantle. The ship’s arrival marked the end of 80 years of continuous penal transportation to the Australian continent. 38 The  rst Australian cricket team, consisting of 16 MAY 1868 ABORIGINAL CRICKET TEAM Jardwadjali, Gunditjmara and Wotjobaluk men, arrived in England for a series of matches. 1869 ABORIGINAL PROTECTION ACT VIC 39 Under the Aboriginal Protection Act 1869
(VIC),
the Governor could order the removal of any child from their family to a reformatory school– a tragic precursor to the Stolen Generations. 40 The Overland Telegraph line was linked to the 22 AUGUST 1872 OVERLAND TELEGRAPHJava-to-Darwin submarine telegraph cable, and Australia’s communication time with Europe was reduced from months to hours. 41 15 MARCH 1877 ENGLAND V. AUSTRALIA TEST MATCH The  rst test match between Australia and England takes place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 42 26 APRIL 1879 FIRST NATIONAL PARKThe Royal National Park was the  rst national park to be established in Australia, and the second in the world. Australia now has more than 500 national parks covering 280,000sq.km. 43 31 JANUARY 1880THE BULLETIN
MAGAZINE
In its early heyday, the weekly publication became known as the ‘Bushman’s Bible’. The Bulletin
was one of
Australia’s longest-running magazines. NED KELLY'S LAST STAND 28 JUNE 1880Victorian Police captured infamous bushranger Ned 44 Kelly after a siege at the Glenrowan Inn. Kelly and his gang had been outlawed for the murders of three police o cers at Stringybark Creek in 1878. 45 1880 THE HEIDELBERG SCHOOL
The Heidelberg
(^4647 1884) 1 JANUARY 1885 SUNSHINE HARVESTERHarvester, which could harvest, thresh and winnow wheat. BHP FOUNDEDHugh Victor McKay invents the Sunshine BHP Billiton has gone on to become the School was Australia's  rst home-grown art movement. The movement has more recently been described as Australian Impressionism.
(^48) colony’ at Mildura and Renmark on the Murray River. 49 and collieries, and greatly in uencing Australia’s industrial development.largest mining company in the world, expanding into steelworks, shipping 14 FEBRUARY 1887 droughts, the Cha ey brothers started building Australia’s  rst ‘irrigation 24 OCTOBER 1889 MURRAY RIVER IRRIGATION HENRY PARKES TENTERFIELD ORATION After a series of
Australia was developing its distinct national identity. 51 discussing federation for some time, this was the  rst direct appeal to the public.^50 The Tenter eld Oration is signi cant because, although politicians had been with organisers forming armed strike camps outside towns across The Bulletin26 APRIL 1890 5 JANUARY 1891 magazine, Banjo Paterson’s poem was written at a time when THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER SHEARERS’ STRIKES Strikes spread quickly First published in
struck gold in the small town of Coolgardie. 5352 central Queensland.^1892 10 OCTOBER 1892hand shears, Jack Howe amazed Australian’s everywhere when he sheared changed forever when prospector Arthur Bayley and his friend Bill Ford WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S GOLD RUSH JACK HOWE SPEED SHEARERWestern Australia was Armed only with
Australian economy. (^5554) build a safe, heavier-than-air  ying machine.321 sheep in a single day – a record that remains unbroken.economy had made international investors 18901893 (^1894) connected box kites, Hargrave proved to the world that it was possible to LAWRENCE HARGRAVE’S FIRST FLIGHT DEPRESSIONBy the end of the decade a stagnating global wary of investing in the By taking  ight in four
57 was instrumental in this process.Act, allowing women in SA to vote and stand for parliament. Su ragist Mary Lee losses su ered. 189556 The SA Parliament passed the Constitutional Amendment (Adult Su rage) 18 DECEMBER 1894 1903 was the worst in Australia’s history, if measured by the enormous stock THE FEDERATION DROUGHT WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIAThe Federation Drought from 1895 to
59 tennis in Athens, Greece.cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere.^58 footraces, took part in the marathon and won a bronze medal in doubles APRIL 1896 4 MARCH 1899deadliest cyclone in Australian history, and likely the most intense tropical FIRST OLYMPIAN C YCLONE MAHINAEdwin Flack won the 800m and 1500m Cyclone Mahina is considered the
(^60) Parliament, with Anderson Dawson as Premier.a vicious con ict between the British colonies and two independent Boer states. 6162 2 NOVEMBER 1899 1900 the world’s  rst Labour government is sworn in to the Queensland Australian contingents was sent to South Africa to  ght in the Boer War, 1 DECEMBER 1899 FIRST LAMINGTON FIRST LABOUR GOVERNMENT THE SECOND BOER WAR Armand Galland invents the lamington for the The  rst wave of On 1 December,
colonies to collectively govern in their own right as the Commonwealth of Australia.^6364 was designed to limit non-British migration to Australia. 23 DECEMBER 1901 when the British Parliament passed legislation enabling the six Australian 1 JANUARY 1901governor of Queensland. FEDERATIONWHITE AUSTRALIA POLIC Y Australia became an independent nation The legislation
66 were executed by  ring squad for murdering 12 Boer prisoners of war.vote in national elections and stand for the Australian Parliament.^65 of the Boer War, lieutenants Harry ‘Breaker’ Morant and Peter Handcock 27 FEBRUARY 1902 12 JUNE 1902 progressive politicians, women in Australia over the age of 21 could now FRANCHISE ACT BREAKER MORANT EXECUTED After lobbying by su ragists and some Just before the end
It was the  rst multi-reel, feature-length  lm ever produced in the world.that was both rust- and drought-resistant.^6867 wheat to produce Federation wheat, the  rst speci cally Australian variety^1903 26 DECEMBER 1906 The Story of the Kelly GangFEDERATION WHEATWORLD’S FIRST FEATURE FILM opened at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne. William Farrer experimented in crossbreeding On Boxing Day,
70 soon after.set the  rst federally arbitrated wages standard in Australia.^69 21 FEBRUARY 1907 8 NOVEMBER 1907Higgins, president of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Court, club was founded at Bondi in February and several others were established FIRST LIFESAVING CLUB HARVESTER JUDGEMENTThe  rst surf lifesaving Justice Henry Bourne
Macquarie Island. 72 beyond their shores – exploring 6347km of mainland Antarctica as well as the name of Australia’s new national capital.^71 Expedition was the  rst major scienti c expedition by Australians 2 DECEMBER 191112 MARCH 1913 the governor-general’s wife, Lady Denman, announced that Canberra was FOUNDING OF CANBERRA DOUGLAS MAWSON The Australasian Antarctic On 12 March,
75 of modern sur ng.^7374 coined ANZACs, after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.15 FEBRUARY 1915^1915 amendments to the^1914 Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian swimmer who is considered the father SURFING ARRIVES ANZAC BISCUITS ABORIGINAL PROTECTION ACT NSW These beloved rolled oatsbased biscuits were Sur ng is introduced to Australia by The 1915
Gallipoli campaign.time and for any reason.^76 World War I, produced some of the highest numbers of casualties during the Wales Aborigines Protection Board the power to remove any Aboriginal child at any 610 OCT AUGUST 1915Pine, fought between Australian and Ottoman Empire forces during Aborigines Protection Act 1909 THE BATTLE OF LONE PINE gave the New South The Battle of Lone
and plastic bank notes. Today it is solving the world’s greatest challenges, from^78 failed by a slim margin; a second took place in December 1917 and most Australians voted against it.^77 determine public support for conscription was held in October 1916 where it 28 OCTOBER 1916^1916 Research Organisation, Australia’s national science agency, invented wi- CSIRO FOUNDEDCONSCRIPTION REFERENDUMS The Commonwealth Scienti c and Industrial A referendum to
sustainable energy and cyber security, to climate change and health. (^79) 17 OCTOBER 1917
the  rst woman to be elected to an Australian EDITH COWAN12 MARCH 1921^81 Edith Cowan was the second-oldest airline in the world. Services Ltd with two open-cabin biplanes. Today, Qantas is established the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial^80 W. Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness and Fergus McMaster QANTAS FOUNDED16 NOVEMBER 1920newly formed Commonwealth a sense of national unity.eastern states and Western Australia. This helped give the isolated terrain, the railway provided a link between the Stretching across 1693km of Australia’s driest and most TRANSAUSTRALIAN RAILWAY
titled “Aboriginals: Their Traditions and Customs” in the be published. His earliest published works include articles David Unaipon becomes the  rst Aboriginal writer to FIRST ABORIGINAL WRITER 2 AUGUST 1924 (^8483) developed by an Australian chemist.Vegemite goes on sale after being VEGEMITE 1923 support network for country women and families.isolation and a lack of health facilities, united to create a formed when a group of women, who were  ghting rural The CWA of New South Wales was ASSOCIATION (^82) THE COUNTRY WOMEN’S AUGUST 1922 of women, children and the underprivileged.parliament, largely due to her dedication to improving the lives
Sydney
Daily Telegraph and ‘The Story of the Mungingee’ in
The Home
(^90) THE GREAT DEPRESSION 1932 cross the harbour.speculation and planning around a bridge or tunnel that would On 19 March, the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened to the public. The event marked the end of almost a century of SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE19 MARCH 1932 89 test of the 1928–29 Ashes series.England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the third scored his  rst international test century. It was against Don Bradman, Australia’s greatest cricketer, CENTURY DON BRADMAN’S FIRST 29 DECEMBER 1928 88 completing the  rst trans-Paci c  ight from the United States to Australia. (^87) Charles Kingsford Smith landed safely in Brisbane after 9 JUNE 1928 CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH– is released to the public. The  rst swimsuit produced under the brand name Speedo – previously known as Fortitude (^861928) SPEEDOhard-to-reach areas.a vision to provide a “mantle of safety” for the people in Reverend John Flynn founded the RFDS with (^85) SERVICE THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR 15 MAY 1928magazine.
The Australian
(^91) 17 MAY 1932 ABC ESTABLISHEDDepression.and competition from other commodity-producing countries. It took Australia almost a decade to recover from the Great economy su ered from falling wheat and wool prices,
The ABC is one of
(^92) NOVEMBER 1932 FIRST MILK BAR 20 million viewers and listeners per week, and plays an integral role in Australian society.and information. Today, the broadcaster reaches close to Australia’s most trusted sources of entertainment, news
Australia’s  rst
Australian Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act 1933kilometres, was transferred from Britain to Australia under the (^93) AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC TERRITORY The icy territory, which covers nearly 5.9 million square 1933 5000 customers, which soon rose to a weekly 27,000.milk bar, The Black and White, was opened in Martin Place by Greek migrant Mick Adams. First day of trade saw
.
(^94) 24 JUNE 1935 CANE TOADS
Australia’s best-known introduced pests. It has no The cane toad is one of
(^95) 7 SEPTEMBER 1936 THYLACINE EXTINCT ecosystems of northern Australia.known predators, and has had a serious impact on the
Only two
(^961938) FIRST ABORIGINAL ARTISTBeaumaris Zoo in Hobart.‘Benjamin’, the last known thylacine, died from exposure at the months after the species was granted protected status,
Upon his  rst
DARWIN BOMBING^98 19 FEBRUARY 1942PM Robert Gordon Menzies annnounces Australia’s involvement in World War II on every Australian radio station.WORLD WAR II^97 3 SEPTEMBER 1939  rst Indigenous artist to paint and exhibit professionally using a Western style.exhibition in Melbourne, Albert Namatjira became the
After the
HOLDEN LAUNCH^103 29 NOVEMBER 1948On 10 December they shared the Nobel Prize for medicine.infections and diseases by Australian Howard Florey. Fleming and later developed as an e ective treatment against The  rst antibiotic, PENICILLIN^102 penicillin, was discovered by Scotland’s Alexander 10 DECEMBER 1945perish” that emerged in the wake of World War II.the nation in this way was based on the notion of “populate or The decision by the Australian government to open up POSTWAR IMMIGRATION DRIVE2 AUGUST 1945^101 breakout in the Cowra detention camp in New South Wales, triggering a deadly manhunt.More than 1100 Japanese prisoners of war staged a^100 5 AUGUST 1944 COWRA BREAKOUTwas passed.^1902 Commonwealth Franchise Act the Senate – 41 years after the Dorothy Tangney was elected to represent Western Australia in Darwin (in Tasmania) in the House of Representatives, and Enid Lyons became the Member for PARLIAMENT^99 FIRST WOMEN IN FEDERAL 21 AUGUST 1943They were repelled by Australia forces on the Kokoda Trail.launched an attack over Papua’s Owen Stanley Ranges.fall of Singapore, Japanese forces bombed Darwin and
The Holden
(^104) 26 JANUARY 1949 CITIZENSHIP ACTnational pride and quickly become a national icon.motor car transformed suburban Australia, boosted
The passage of
the Nationality andCitizenship Act 1948
marked the
ELECTION OF MENZIES^106 10 DECEMBER 1949 of roads and railway tracks.16 dams, 80km of aqueducts, 225km of tunnels and 1600km The scale of ‘The Snowy’ was enormous. Over the course of the project, the workforce built seven power stations, SNOWY MOUNTAINS HYDRO17 OCTOBER 1949^105 legislation, including the Constitution. rst time the term ‘Australian citizen’ had been used in any
In the
(^107) 8 JUNE 1951 SCHOOL OF THE AIR Robert Menzies, as well as from 1939–41.on top. So began the Liberals’ 23-year term as Australia’s ruling party, led for 17 of those years by prime minister 1949 federal election, the Liberal Party came out
Alice Springs
BLACK BOX FLIGHT RECORDER^1091953 Montebello Islands, as well as Emu Field and Maralinga.Robert Menzies. These explosions took place at the 12 major nuclear weapons tests in Australia under Between 1952 and 1957, the British conducted^108 NUCLEAR TESTING3 OCTOBER 1952children of rural and outback Australia.dence school, providing long-distance education to the School of the Air became Australia’s  rst correspon-
The ‘black box’
plays an integral role in aviation crash investigationsWarren – has become a standard inclusion in all aircraft and  ight recorder– invented by research scientist David
.
FOR MELBOURNE OLYMPICS^112 TELEVISION INTRODUCED 16 SEPTEMBER 195633,000 people took part.soon after Federation in a competition in which nearly 14 FEBRUARY 1954What is now the Australian national  ag was created^111 AUSTRALIAN FLAG.young, glamorous monarchphenomenal success. The nation was trans xed by their Queen Elizabeth II’s tour met with AUSTRALIA3 FEBRUARY 1954 QUEEN ELIZABETH II VISITS^110
“Good evening and
BEATLES DOWN UNDER^115 JUNE 1964 complete dinosaur fossils ever found in Australia.Queensland, the muttaburrasaurus is one of the most^114 Named after the town of Muttaburra in central^1963 MUTTABURRASAURUS DISCOVEREDin Antarctica.resources, and marine and environmental conservation The Antarctic Treaty was the  rst of four international agreements that tackle issues of governance, distribution of THE ANTARCTIC TREATY1 DECEMBER 1959^113 Australian television by Bruce Gyngell.welcome to television.” These were the  rst words spoken on
The Beatles
(^116) FEBRUARY 1965 FREEDOM RIDEMelbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on their 1964 world tour.twist and shout their way through Adelaide,
Aboriginal activist
new currency – the Australian dollar. DECIMAL CURRENC Y14 FEBRUARY 1966 (^118) On Valentine’s Day 1966, Australians woke to a brand escalating con ict in Vietnam. Involvement in the war cost more than 500 Australian service personnel their lives.Robert Menzies commits Australian troops to the (^117) Prime minister VIETNAM WAR 29 APRIL 1965against Aboriginal people.around New South Wales to raise awareness of discrimination Charles Perkins leads the ‘Freedom Ride’ bus tour
(^150)  DEFINING MOMENTS IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY
seen as a watershed moment for equal rights in Australia. 149 as heterosexual couples. The passing of the Bill in the House of Representatives was Marriage Act on 9 December gave same-sex couples the same right to marry 9 DECEMBER 2017 1516 DECEMBER 2014held 18 people hostage at the Lindt Chocolate Café in Martin Place. MARRIAGE EQUALIT Y SYDNEY SIEGE On 15 December, a lone gunman The amendment of the federal
in Rome and became Australia’s  rst saint. charged with the murder of her daughter Azaria, is exonerated of all charges.^147148 Lindy Chamberlain, released from prison in 1986 after being wrongfully 7 FEBRUARY 2012 17 OCTOBER 2010 cofounder of The Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart – was canonised LINDY CHAMBERLAIN EXONERATEDFIRST SAINT On 17 October, Mary MacKillop –
(^145) Generations whose lives had been blighted by past government policies of forced minister, Julia Gillard.child removal and Indigenous assimilation.^146 13 FEBRUARY 2008governor-general, Quentin Bryce, swears in Australia’s  rst female prime 24 JUNE 2010 formal apology to Australia’s Indigenous peoples, particularly to the Stolen FIRST FEMALE PRIME MINISTER THE APOLOGY Prime minister Kevin Rudd made a Australia’s  rst female
(^144143) and wounded hundreds more. 142 6 NOVEMBER 1999 Kevin Rudd signed the instrument of rati cation of the Kyoto Protocol. 12 OCTOBER 2002 12 DECEMBER 2007Paddy’s Bar nightspots killed 202 people, 88 of whom were Australian, AUSTRALIAN REPUBLIC REFERENDUM BALI BOMBINGKYOTO PROTOCOL Explosions at the Sari Club and In his  rst act as prime minister,
Tasmania. Within four months, prime minister John Howard had orchestrated a tightening of Australia’s state and territory gun laws.of government from a constitutional monarchy to a republic. They voted against it.^141 On 6 November, Australians voted on whether to change Australia’s system 28 APRIL 1996 their lives when a lone gunman went on a shooting rampage in Port Arthur, PORT ARTHUR MASSACRE On 28 April, 35 people lost
(^140) often referred to as the ‘dinosaur tree’ and thought to have existed since the (^139) Jurassic period. 23 JANUARY 1996National Park, David Noble discovered the Wollemi Pine. The species is wireless networks now in use around the globe.SEPTEMBER 1994 WOLLEMI PINE WIFI The work of CSIRO scientists lies at the heart of In a narrow canyon of the Wollemi
(^138) Anangu traditional owners. 137 held traditional ownership of Mer (Murray Island). 136 recognised that a group of Torres Strait Islanders, led by Eddie Mabo, 3 JUNE 199219 APRIL 1984held to transfer custodianship of Uluru and neighbouring Kata Tjuta to its 26 OCTOBER 1985MABO DECISION NEW NATIONAL ANTHEM ULURU RETURNED On 3 June, the High Court of Australia On 26 October, a ceremony was The Australian National
135 Queethe  nish line to win the America’s Cup.n as the o cial national anthem.national anthem in 1971. By 1984, Anthem and Flag Quests Committee launched a competition for a new On 26 September, o the coast of Rhode Island, the yacht 26 SEPTEMBER 1983AUSTRALIA IIAdvance Australia Fair WINS THE AMERICA’S CUP had replaced Australia IIGod Save the crossed
(^133) response brought it national attention and helped to establish the parade as an ultimately led to the formation of The Greens political party.damming of the Franklin River. The political success of the groups involved annual event.^134 14 DECEMBER 1982 24 JUNE 1978 gay and lesbian people staged a day of events in Sydney. The violent police environmental activists worked with the Australian government to stop the FIRST MARDI GRAS PARADEFRANKLIN DAM VICTORY On 24 June, a small group of Protesters and
heralding a series of arrivals over the next few years.Aboriginal people to claim land rights for country where traditional ownership is proven.^131132 TERRITORY ACT 16 DECEMBER 1976 26 APRIL 1976 the  rst boatload of refugees  eeing Vietnam sailed into Darwin Harbour, The Act was the  rst legislation in Australia that enabled VIETNAMESE REFUGEES BOAT ARRIVAL ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS NORTHERN On 26 April,
(^130) 80 per cent of the city. greatest constitutional crises in the history of Federation. 129128 25 DECEMBER 1974 20 OCTOBER 1973 11 NOVEMBER 1975 in the small hours of Christmas Day, killed 71 people and devastated shocked by the dismissal of the Whitlam government, triggering one of the SYDNEY OPERA HOUSEC YCLONE TRAC YTHE DISMISSAL Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin On 11 November, Australia was
(^127) questions in a distinctly Australian environment. 126 it has become a national symbol.one of the 20th century’s most iconic buildings. Since its opening in 1973, 18 OCTOBER 1973 12 JULY 1971Prize in Literature. His work explores some of humankind’s great existential ABORIGINAL FLAG PATRICK WHITE Patrick White was awarded the Nobel The Australian Aboriginal Flag, designed The Sydney Opera House is
124 representing Queensland as a Liberal Party Senator from 1971 to 1983.tracking stations^125 moon landing with the help of Australia’s Honeysuckle Creek and Parkes Aboriginal to become a member of the Parliament of Australia, 11 JUNE 1971by artist Harold Thomas, was  rst raised at Victoria Square in Adelaide. 21 JULY 1969. MOON LANDINGS NEVILLE BONNER People around the world watch the Neville Bonner became the  rst
122 anywhere in Australia.and his disappearance remains a mystery to this day. ^123 1968 17 DECEMBER 1967Cheviot Beach near Portsea on 17 December. His body was never recovered 40,000–42,000 years old, making them the oldest human remains found MUNGO LADY FOUND HAROLD HOLT The remains of Mungo Lady are Holt disappeared while swimming at
amending the constitution. 120 constitution was held. Nearly 91 per cent of the electorate voted in favour of hanged on 3 February.^121 campaigning, a referendum on Indigenous recognition in the Australian 27 MAY 1967 3 FEBRUARY 1967 and killing warder George Hodson during a prison escape, Ronald Ryan was INDIGENOUS REFERENDUMLAST EXECUTION Charged with the crime of shooting After 10 years of
(^119) European and non-European migrants to Australia. 24 MARCH 1966The Migration Act 1966 END OF WHITE AUSTRALIA POLIC Y established legal equality between British,
in Australian HistoryMuseum of Australia for assisting with website of the National Museum of Australia. For more defining moments visit the wording of the text on this poster.With special thanks to the National WRITER ILLUSTRATOR The online exhibition nma.gov.au/defining-moments. Holly Cormack is hosted on the Michael Payne Defining Moments SUBEDITOR DESIGNER Elizabeth Ginisor phone 1300 555 176Supplement to issue 150, May–June 2019at Further copies available to purchase online Mike Ellott australiangeographic.com.au/shop© 2019 Australian Geographic Email: [email protected] 7, 54 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000 EDITOR Chrissie Goldrick
Wi - f i
Image sources: Getty; Newspix; National Library of Australia; Auspic
Australasian Antarctic Expedition led by Mawson