On This Day
On this day: The world first sees a live platypus
Stuffed platypus specimens had been viewed with incredulity for more than a century until a live animal was exhibited outside of Australia
Tag: on this day
On This Day
On this day: Tragic lighthouse first lit
At Bustard Head lighthouse – the site of suicide, drowning, tragic accidents and murder – the light has not been enough to stop endless waves of misfortune.
On This Day
On this day: Australia’s first indigenous MP born
Neville Bonner would go on to become our first indigenous MP and an Australian of the Year.
On This Day
On this day in history: WWII Broome air raid
On 3 March 1942, the Australian mainland felt the heat of a second air raid, this time on Broome, as WWII began to heat up in the Pacific.
On This Day
On this day in history: Canberra given to NSW
To get New South Wales to agree to federation, the other colonies gave it Canberra at this ‘secret’ conference.
On This Day
On this day in history: 2004 Boxing Day tsunami
In 2004 the Boxing Day tsunami took hundreds of thousands of lives. Today, Australia spearheads a warning system for the Indian Ocean.
History & Culture
On this day in history: Cyclone Tracy
In 1974, Territorians had to pitch in together on Christmas morning after raging Cyclone Tracy flattened 70 per cent of Darwin.
On This Day
On this day: Gough Whitlam becomes Prime Minister
Few Australian Prime Ministers have been as polarising as Whitlam.
On This Day
On This Day: Australia joins WWI
On 6 August 1914, Australia officially joined the allied forces in WWI.
On This Day
On this day: The Ragtag Fleet is born
During World War II more than 3000 Aussies who couldn’t join the military signed up for ‘The Ragtag Fleet’ and faced fire in the Pacific.