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first light
In 1900, Adelaide introduced electric street lighting, though Tamworth in regional NSW was the first town to introduce it in 1888. In 1904, Sydney streets were lit for the first time by electric lights, ten years after Melbourne, whose city streets were illuminated by electricity in 1894. -
three people reached the south pole
In 1909, Edgeworth David, Douglas Mawson and Alistair McKay reached the south magnetic pole. -
Los Angeles Olympic Games.
In 1932, 16-year-old Clare Dennis won three gold medals in swimming for Australia at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. -
HMAS Sydney
On 11 December 1941, the War Cabinet agreed to call up men for full-time home defence army service. By June 1942, nearly 100,000 men had enlisted -
First woman on a boat
In 1990, for the first time women in Australia's defence forces were allowed to take part in combat-related duties. Women sailors were on board HMAS Westralia when it was sent into a combat zone in 1991. Women served as medical personnel in Iraq, Rwanda and Western Sahara in the early 1990s
