Australia is a land of innovations and inventions: many of them developed out of necessity due to Australia's unusual or harsh conditions and environment. One such invention is the surf lifesaving reel. The world's first lifesaving clubs were spawned in Australia, when the Bronte Beach Surf Club was formed in 1903. Early rescue equipment was … Continue reading December 23, 1906 – Australian invention, the surf lifesaving reel, is demonstrated for the first time
December 23, 1888 – Vincent van Gogh chops off his ear
On December 23, 1888, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, suffering from severe depression, cuts off the lower part of his left ear with a razor while staying in Arles, France. He later documented the event in a painting titled Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. Today, Van Gogh is regarded as an artistic genius and his masterpieces sell for … Continue reading December 23, 1888 – Vincent van Gogh chops off his ear
December 22, 1845 – Land for the first gold mine in Australia is purchased
The first recorded gold discovery in Australia was in 1823 by James McBrien who discovered flecks of alluvial gold in the Fish River of New South Wales. Further traces of gold were discovered in areas of the Blue Mountains in the ensuing decades. Early discoveries of gold were kept secret as it was feared that … Continue reading December 22, 1845 – Land for the first gold mine in Australia is purchased
December 22, 1989 – The Brandenburg Gate between East and West Berlin is opened for the first time in nearly thirty years
Berlin, the capital city of Germany, was divided following World War II. With the development of the Cold War, tensions began to increase between the Soviet Union which controlled the East, and the western allies which controlled West Berlin. The border between East and West Germany was closed in 1952, but people continued to defect … Continue reading December 22, 1989 – The Brandenburg Gate between East and West Berlin is opened for the first time in nearly thirty years
December 21, 1817 – Governor Macquarie recommends the use of the name ‘Australia’ instead of New Holland for the continent
The first known Europeans to set foot on Australia’s shores were the Dutch, doing so over 150 years before English explorer James Cook ever sighted eastern Australia. In 1642, Abel Tasman sighted and named Van Diemen’s Land. After Tasman had established in 1644 that the continent was separate from other land masses to the north, … Continue reading December 21, 1817 – Governor Macquarie recommends the use of the name ‘Australia’ instead of New Holland for the continent
December 21, 1988 – Pan Am Flight 103 explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland
On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 from London to New York explodes in midair over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew members aboard, as well as 11 Lockerbie residents on the ground. A bomb hidden inside an audio cassette player detonated in the cargo area when the plane was at an altitude … Continue reading December 21, 1988 – Pan Am Flight 103 explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland
December 20, 1894 – Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, twelfth and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia, is born
Robert Gordon Menzies was born in the Victorian town of Jeparit on 20 December 1894. In 1928 he entered politics after being elected to Victoria’s Legislative Council for East Yarra. After six years in Victorian state politics as Attorney-General and Minister for Railways (1928–34), he was elected to federal parliament as Member for Kooyong. On … Continue reading December 20, 1894 – Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, twelfth and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia, is born
December 20, 1957 – Elvis Presley is drafted
On December 20, 1957, while spending the Christmas holidays at Graceland, his newly purchased Tennessee mansion, rock-and-roll star Elvis Presley receives his draft notice for the United States Army. With a suggestive style—one writer called him “Elvis the Pelvis”—a hit movie, Love Me Tender, and a string of gold records including “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be … Continue reading December 20, 1957 – Elvis Presley is drafted
December 19, 1964 – The newly-built town of Jindabyne, relocated for the building of the Snowy Mountain Hydro-electric scheme, is opened.
The town of Jindabyne resulted from the earliest settlements in Australia's Snowy Mountains. It is thought to have come about after the Pendergast brothers, sons of an ex-convict, arrived in the area possibly as early as the 1820s. Sheep farming, wheat and a flour mill gave the town its first start, and more impetus came … Continue reading December 19, 1964 – The newly-built town of Jindabyne, relocated for the building of the Snowy Mountain Hydro-electric scheme, is opened.
December 19, 1843 – Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” was published
On December 19, 1843, Charles Dickens’ classic story “A Christmas Carol” was published. Dickens was born in 1812 and attended school in Portsmouth. His father, a clerk in the navy pay office, was thrown into debtors’ prison in 1824, and 12-year-old Charles was sent to work in a factory. The miserable treatment of children and the … Continue reading December 19, 1843 – Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” was published
December 18, 1894 – Women in South Australia unofficially gain the right to vote
Women in South Australia gained the right to vote in 1894, and voted for the first time in the election of 1896. It is generally recognised that this right occurred with the passing of a Bill on 18 December 1894. However, a letter from the Attorney-General advising Governor Kintore that Royal Assent would be required … Continue reading December 18, 1894 – Women in South Australia unofficially gain the right to vote
December 18, 1865 – Slavery abolished in America with adoption of 13th Amendment
Following its ratification by the requisite three-quarters of the states earlier in the month, the 13th Amendment is formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution, ensuring that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude… shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Before the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln and other leaders of the anti-slavery Republican Party sought not to … Continue reading December 18, 1865 – Slavery abolished in America with adoption of 13th Amendment
December 17, 1967 – Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt goes missing whilst swimming at Portsea, Victoria
Harold Edward Holt was born in Sydney on 5 August 1908. After studying law at the University of Melbourne, he practised as a solicitor before being elected to Federal Parliament in 1936. After a thirty-year career in politics, he became Prime Minister following the retirement of Sir Robert Menzies in January 1966. Holt's time as … Continue reading December 17, 1967 – Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt goes missing whilst swimming at Portsea, Victoria
December 17, 1903 – The Wright brothers make the first sustained, controlled flights in a powered aircraft.
Near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight in history of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft. Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane, which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight. Orville and Wilbur Wright grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and developed an interest in aviation after learning of … Continue reading December 17, 1903 – The Wright brothers make the first sustained, controlled flights in a powered aircraft.
December 16, 1860 – Burke and Wills make the fateful decision to push on to the Gulf from Cooper Creek
Robert O'Hara Burke and William Wills led the expedition that was intended to bring fame and prestige to Victoria: being the first Europeans to cross Australia from south to north and back again. They set out on Monday, 20 August 1860, leaving from Royal Park, Melbourne, and farewelled by around 15,000 people. The exploration party … Continue reading December 16, 1860 – Burke and Wills make the fateful decision to push on to the Gulf from Cooper Creek
December 16, 1773 – The Boston Tea Party
In Boston Harbor, a group of Massachusetts colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded three British tea ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor. The midnight raid, popularly known as the “Boston Tea Party,” was in protest of the British Parliament’s Tea Act of 1773, a bill designed to save the faltering East India Company by … Continue reading December 16, 1773 – The Boston Tea Party
December 15, 2014 – Sydney, Australia, is gripped by a siege that lasts almost 17 hours and leaves three dead
Martin Place in the Sydney CBD is a popular plaza for both workers and visitors. It incorporates a range of commercial and retail businesses, as well as an amphitheatre utilised for corporate and community events, and is usually a bustling thoroughfare. On the morning of 15 December 2014, this peaceful and previously safe venue became … Continue reading December 15, 2014 – Sydney, Australia, is gripped by a siege that lasts almost 17 hours and leaves three dead
December 15, 1961 – Adolf Eichmann, ‘Chief Executioner of the Third Reich’, is sentenced to death for his war crimes
Adolf Eichmann was a member of the Austrian Nazi party in World War II. After his promotion to the Gestapo's Jewish section, he was essentially responsible for the extermination of millions of Jews during the war. He is often referred to as the 'Chief Executioner' of the Third Reich. Eichmann escaped from a prison camp … Continue reading December 15, 1961 – Adolf Eichmann, ‘Chief Executioner of the Third Reich’, is sentenced to death for his war crimes
December 14, 1840 – Governor Gipps appoints the first Government Printer
In the first two decades of British settlement in Australia, all government notices were printed on a portable wooden and iron printing press that had come to New South Wales on the First Fleet in 1788. There were no experienced printers among the convicts until the convict transport ship "The Royal Admiral" brought George Howe … Continue reading December 14, 1840 – Governor Gipps appoints the first Government Printer
December 14, 1503 – Physician, philosopher and seer, Nostradamus, is born
Michel de Nostredame, more commonly known as Nostradamus, was born on 14 December 1503, although some reports say he was born one week later. He was a well-educated man, studying mathematics, philosophy, astrology and medicine. Using his skills in astrology, Nostradamus wrote a series of books, consisting of "quatrains", which were purported to be prophecies … Continue reading December 14, 1503 – Physician, philosopher and seer, Nostradamus, is born
December 13, 1955 – Australian housewife “superstar”, Dame Edna Everage, makes her stage debut
Dame Edna Everage is the brainchild and ostentatious alter-ego of Australian actor Barry Humphries. The Moonee Ponds housewife, originally created as a parody of Australian suburban insularity, has developed from her earlier dowdiness to become a satire of stardom, the gaudily dressed, ostentatious, international Housewife Gigastar with outrageous glasses. Barry Humphries was born on 17 … Continue reading December 13, 1955 – Australian housewife “superstar”, Dame Edna Everage, makes her stage debut
December 13, 1925 – Dick Van Dyke, American actor, singer, and dancer was born
Richard Wayne Van Dyke was born on December 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri. He went on to become an actor, comedian, writer, singer, and dancer, whose award-winning career has spanned seven decades. He grew up in Danville, Illinois. His family line traces back to Mayflower passenger John Alden.He is the older brother of actor Gerry Van Dyke. His … Continue reading December 13, 1925 – Dick Van Dyke, American actor, singer, and dancer was born
December 12, 1882 – Australia’s worst gold mining disaster, to date, occurs in Creswick, Victoria
Creswick is a small town located in the heart of the central goldfields in Victoria, Australia. The town, which currently has a population of just over 3 000, was born after squatters Charles, John and Henry Creswick ran sheep in the area which became known as Creswick’s Creek in 1842. The discovery of gold in … Continue reading December 12, 1882 – Australia’s worst gold mining disaster, to date, occurs in Creswick, Victoria
December 12, 1953 – Charles (Chuck) Yeager becomes the first person to travel two and a half times the speed of sound
Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager was born on 13 February 1923 in Myra, West Virginia. After joining the army at age 16 and training as an aircraft mechanic, he was then selected for flight training. His service record during WWII was impeccable, becoming an "ace-in-a-day" after shooting down five enemy aircraft in a single mission. Yeager … Continue reading December 12, 1953 – Charles (Chuck) Yeager becomes the first person to travel two and a half times the speed of sound
December 11, 1931 – The Statute of Westminster gives complete legislative independence to countries of the British Commonwealth
Whilst the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia came into effect on 1 January 1901, this did not mean that Australia had achieved independence from Britain. Under colonial federation approved by the United Kingdom, the six self-governing states of Australia merely allocated some functions to a federal authority. Australia was given the status of a … Continue reading December 11, 1931 – The Statute of Westminster gives complete legislative independence to countries of the British Commonwealth
Craig Hill 