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In December 1955, the character Edna Everage (performed by Barry Humphries) made her first stage appearance at a Christmas revue in Melbourne. Edna welcomed ticket holders to the Melbourne Olympics and appeared on the first television broadcasts in 1956.
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In 1956, Australia hosted its first Olympic Games in Melbourne
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In 1957, the Danish architect, Jørn Utzon (1918–2008), won an international competition for the design of the Sydney Opera House
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In April 1974, a public opinion poll found that Advance Australia Fair was preferred to God Save the Queen as the national anthem.
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In 1981, Olivia Newton-John's single Physical went to number one in the US charts.
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In 1964, at the height of Beatlemania, the Beatles toured Australia. In Adelaide, the band was greeted by an estimated 300,000 people (approximately one-third of the city's population) lining the 15-kilometre route from the airport
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In March 1985, the long-running Neighbours TV series made its debut on Channel 10 and was voted the most popular program.
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In 1989, Kylie Minogue's debut album, Kylie, sold more than 12 million copies in 20 countries
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The terms of two prime ministers dominated the 1990s. Paul Keating of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) was elected as prime minster from 1991 until 1996. Subsequently, John Howard was prime minister of a Liberal government from 1996 until he lost his parliamentary seat in 2007
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In 1991, a complete ban on asbestos-containing materials was introduced in Australia.
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In 1991, the Yothu Yindi single 'Treaty' became a national and international hit.
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The Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria were the result of extreme temperatures and weather conditions on 7 February 2009. The eighth-deadliest bushfire ever recorded spread across inaccessible forest, killing 173 people and injuring 414. Over 2,000 houses were destroyed and more than 500 people displaced. About 430,000 hectares was affected by the fire
