Craig Hill
Australia
On this day (Australia): In 1985, the Mutitjulu people of central Australia were given freehold title to Uluru and the surrounding National Park
On 26 October 1985, the Mutitjulu people of central Australia were given freehold title to Uluru and the surrounding National Park. Mutitjulu is an Aboriginal Australian community in the Northern Territory of Australia located at the eastern end of Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock). It is named after a knee-shaped water-filled rock hole at the base of Uluru, and is located … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1938, the Kyeema air disaster killed 18 in Mount Dandenong, Victoria
On 25 October 1938, the Kyeema air disaster killed 18 people in Mount Dandenong, Victoria. The Kyeema airline crash occurred when the Australian National Airways Douglas DC-2 Kyeema, tail number VH-UYC, flying from Adelaide to Melbourne, commenced final approach to Essendon Airport through heavy fog and crashed into the western slopes of Mount Dandenong, also known as Mount Corhanwarrabul, killing all 18 on board instantly. The flight … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1889, the Tenterfield Oration was delivered by Henry Parkes, calling for the Federation of the states
On 24 October 1889, the Tenterfield Oration was delivered by Henry Parkes, calling for the Federation of the states. The Tenterfield Oration was a speech given by Sir Henry Parkes, Premier of the Colony of New South Wales at the Tenterfield School of Arts in Tenterfield, in rural New South Wales, Australia. In the Oration, Parkes called for the Federation of the six Australian colonies, which were at … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1937, the ACTU called on the government to boycott trade with Japan, following the Japanese invasion of China
On 23 October 1937, the ACTU called on the Australian government to boycott trade with Japan, following the Japanese invasion of China. From The Advertiser (Adelaide), October 1937: The full executive of the All Australian Council of Trade Unions, the central body of the trade unions of Australia, decided to appeal to the people of … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1894, serial killer Martha Needle was hanged in Melbourne Gaol
On 22 October 1894, Martha Needle was hanged in Melbourne Gaol for the poisoning of her husband, and three children, in an attempt to obtain money from insurance policies. Martha Needle was an Australian serial killer known for poisoning her husband, three children, and prospective brother-in-law. She was hanged on 22 October 1894, at the age of 31. … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1978, pilot Frederick Valentich vanished over the Bass Strait after reporting contact with an unidentified aircraft
On 21 October 1978, civilian pilot Frederick Valentich vanished in a Cessna 182 over the Bass Strait south of Melbourne, after reporting contact with an unidentified aircraft. Frederick Valentich was an Australian pilot who disappeared while on a 125-nautical-mile (232 km) training flight in a Cessna 182L light aircraft, registered VH-DSJ, over Bass Strait on the evening of Saturday 21 October 1978. Described … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1989, the Grafton bus crash killed 21 people killed and injured 22
On 20 October 1989, the Grafton bus crash killed 21 people and injured 22 when a tourist bus collided with a semi-trailer on the Pacific Highway near Grafton. This crash was one of several on the Pacific Highway involving buses during a relatively brief period. At the time, this crash was the worst in Australian … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1991, the perjury trial of former Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen ended in a hung jury
On 19 October 1991 , the perjury trial of former Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen ended in a hung jury. Prosecutors decided against a retrial on the basis of Joh’s advancing age & divided public opinion. Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen KCMG was born on 13 January 1911. He was an Australian conservative politician. He was the longest-serving and … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1869, the Lithgow Zig Zag Railway was opened
On 18 October 1869, the Lithgow Zig Zag Railway was opened. Zig Zag Railway is an Australian heritage railway, situated near the town of Lithgow in the state of New South Wales. It was opened by the not-for-profit Zig Zag Railway Co-op. Ltd. as an unpaid volunteer-staffed heritage railway in October 1975, using the alignment of the Lithgow Zig Zag line that formed … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1854, the Melbourne daily newspaper The Age was first published
On 17 October 1854, the Melbourne daily newspaper The Age was first published. The Age is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and southern New South Wales. It is delivered both in print and … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1975, the Balibo Five, a group of Australian television journalists based in Portuguese Timor, were killed by Indonesian troops
On 16 Ocober 1975, the Balibo Five, a group of Australian television journalists based in the town of Balibo in the then Portuguese Timor (now East Timor), were killed by Indonesian troops. The Balibo Five was a group of journalists for Australian commercial television networks who were killed in the period leading up to the Indonesian invasion of … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1970, a portion of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne collapsed, killing 35 people
On 15 October 1970, a portion of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne collapsed, killing 35 people. The West Gate Bridge is a steel box girder cable-stayed bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, spanning the Yarra River just north of its mouth into Port Phillip. It is a vital link between the inner city (CBD) and Melbourne’s western suburbs, with the industrial suburbs in … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1824, W. C. Wentworth and Robert Wardell began publication of The Australian, the first independent newspaper in Australia
On 14 October 1824, W. C. Wentworth and Robert Wardell began publication of The Australian, the first independent newspaper in Australia. Not to be confused with the modern day publication of the same name, it was published in Sydney from1824-1848. It first appeared in 1824 and was the second newspaper to be printed on mainland … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1982, Ian Thorpe was born
On 13 October 1982, Ian Thorpe was borne in Milperra, Sydney. He is one of Australia’s most successful Olympians. He started swimming at age five and was fourteen when he made the Australian squad for the 1997 Pan Pacific Games. At the World Championships six months later, Thorpe was victorious in the final of the … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 2002, eighty-eight Australians were killed in Bali in bombings committed by Jemaah Islamiyah
On 12 October 2002, eighty-eight Australians were killed in Bali in bombings committed by Jemaah Islamiyah. At about 11pm on 12 October 2002 three bombs were detonated in Bali, two in busy nightspots – the Sari Club and Paddy’s Bar – and one in front of the American consulate. The explosions killed 202 people, 88 … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1852, the University of Sydney was inaugurated, Australia’s first university
On 11 October 1852, the University of Sydney was inaugurated, Australia’s first university. The University of Sydney (USYD, or informally Sydney Uni) is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is Australia’s first university and is regarded as one of the world’s leading universities. The university is one of Australia’s six sandstone universities. Its campus, spreading across the … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1996, schoolboy Tjandamurra O’Shane was set alight in his school playground in a racial attack
On 10 October 1996, schoolboy Tjandamurra O’Shane was set alight in his school playground in a racial attack. Tjandamurra (Jandamarra) “Janda” O’Shane, born 15 August 1990, is a Murri Aboriginal Australian who at age six was the victim of a fire attack whilst playing at a schoolyard in Cairns, Queensland on 10 October 1996. He is the nephew of New South Wales magistrate Pat O’Shane, and Aboriginal … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1942, The Statute of Westminster Adoption Act, which symbolically represents Australia’s independence from the United Kingdom, became law
On 9 October 1942, The Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942, which symbolically represents Australia’s independence from the United Kingdom, became law. The Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 is an Act of the Australian Parliament that formally adopted sections 2–6 of the Statute of Westminster 1931, an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom enabling the total legislative independence of the various self-governing … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1908, the capital of Australia was chosen, settling a feud between rivals Melbourne and Sydney
On 8 October 1908, the capital of Australia was chosen, settling a feud between rivals Melbourne and Sydney. Before European settlement, the area in which Canberra would eventually be constructed was seasonally inhabited by Indigenous Australians. Anthropologist Norman Tindale suggested the principal group occupying the region were the Ngunnawal people, while the Ngarigo lived immediately to the south of the ACT, the … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1830, the “Black Line” campaign of the Black War began in an attempt to capture all Tasmanian Aborigines
On 7 October 1830, the “Black Line” campaign of the Black War began in an attempt to capture all Tasmanian Aborigines. The campaign lasted seven weeks and only succeeded in bringing two Aborigines to the authorities. From the first recorded contact between Europeans and Tasmania’s Aboriginal population in 1772, relations between the two peoples were … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1911, compulsory enrolment for compulsory voting was introduced
On 6 October 1911, compulsory enrolment for compulsory voting was introduced in Australia. Compulsory voting was first advocated by Alfred Deakin at the turn of the 20th century. Voting was voluntary at the first 9 federal elections. Compulsory enrolment for federal elections was introduced in 1911. In 1915, consideration was given to introducing compulsory voting … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1892, The Australian Cricket Council announced an intercolonial cricket competition called the Sheffield Shield
On 5 October 1892, the Australian Cricket Council announced an intercolonial cricket competition to be known as the Sheffield Shield. The Sheffield Shield is one of the oldest cricket competitions in the world. Beginning in 1892-93 as a three-state contest between New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, the Sheffield Shield continues to be the … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1935, Luna Park in Sydney was officially opened
On 4 October 1935, Luna Park in Sydney was officially opened. The famous face pictured above is the entrance to Luna Park, Sydney’s most famous amusement park and mainstay since the 1930s, albeit with a history of closures, overhalls, protests, brawls and terrible tragedy along the way. Prior to European settlement of Australia and well … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1950, Australian forces fought against communist China in the First Battle of Maryang San during the Korean War
On 3 October 1950, Australian and British forces fought against communist China as the First Battle of Maryang San began during the Korean War. In early October 1951, 3RAR (3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment), in conjunction with British Commonwealth troops, attacked a group of hills near the Imjin River. The attack was named after the … Continue reading
On this day (Australia): In 1990, opera singer Dame Joan Sutherland announced her retirement
On 2 October 1990, opera singer Dame Joan Sutherland announced her retirement. She was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s. She possessed a voice combining extraordinary agility, accurate intonation, “supremely” pinpoint staccatos, a trill and a tremendous upper register, although music critics often complained … Continue reading
Most Recent Posts Post on My Blog About China: China News
Cadence Column: Asia, October 25, 2021
Taiwan was thrust into a position without being asked. In 1971, the United Nations removed the Taipei-seated government known today as “Taiwan” and switched to recognizing the Beijing-based government known as “China”. The Taiwanese were elbowed out of the global forum. Now, the US is working to bring Taiwan back in, but not the same […]
China’s trade practices come under fire
China’s trade policies have come under strong criticism during a review at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The US accused China of “skewing the playing field” by using “unfair trade practices” such as preferential treatment for state businesses. Meanwhile Australia said the country’s behaviour was “inconsistent” with its WTO commitments. China said it was committed […]
China’s economy weakens, then gets even worse and now there’s a global shipping crisis. What’s next?
The world is waking up to the fact that maybe being dependent upon China for its goods is not such a good idea. In 2019 at about the same time the US was closing on the trade deals with China, COVID emerged in China. In 2019 China’s economy was also beginning to slow down. COVID […]
U.S. needs nuclear spacecraft to compete with China, NASA official tells Congress
A NASA official told Congress on Wednesday that the United States needs more nuclear spacecrafts in order to compete with China. “Strategic competitors including China are aggressively investing in a wide range of space technologies, including nuclear power and propulsion,” Bhavya Lal, NASA’s senior advisor for budget and finance, told the House Science, Space, and […]
China shows off drones recycled from Soviet-era fighter jets
China has for the first time showed off retired 1950s era fighter jets that have been converted to unmanned drones, with satellite photos of two of its east coast bases near Taiwan showing a large number of the jets on site. The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command published the photos of two Shenyang J-6s […]
China’s propaganda machine is intensifying its ‘people’s war’ to catch American spies
“Let’s fight a ‘people’s war’ against the spies, so that they cannot move a single step and have no place to hide!” That was the rallying cry of a Chinese military newspaper on social media over the weekend, as Beijing urges public vigilance against American espionage following the launch of a CIA mission center dedicated […]
China’s blackouts break power cutoff pledge
As China struggles to control the latest surge of power shortages, the government seems to be hoping that the public will have short memories for how it has dealt with similar problems in the past. After months of downplaying the power crisis and recommending partial fixes, central government authorities belatedly acknowledged the spread of electricity […]
Cadence Column: Asia, October 18, 2021
According to Chinese and US claims, China has a high-orbit, hypersonic missile that can hit a target within 24 miles. And, that’s why China is the new boss of the world and everyone else should hate America. The end. But, that’s not the end in the mind of Taiwan or the US Pentagon. This week, […]
China ‘making its nuclear submarines harder to detect’
China is upgrading its nuclear missile-equipped submarines to make them harder for rival powers such as the US to detect, reports suggest. The People’s Liberation Army Navy has redesigned its type 094 submarines to make them quieter, The South China Morning Post reports. Defence experts believe the Chinese 094 submarine can carry and launch the […]
Could China’s economy collapse?
For almost half a century, Chinese officials have overseen one of the greatest economic transformations in human history. The country has gone from collectivized farms and famine to world-leading tech companies and gleaming megacities connected by superfast trains. More than 800 million Chinese have been pulled out of poverty as the Communist Party and its leader […]
