AUSTRALIAN HISTORY FridayJanuary 11915. :   Four Australians are killed when two Turks attack a picnic train near Broken Hill. Each New Year’s Day in Australia,...

Born on this day FridayJanuary 21920. :   Chemist and science-fiction writerIsaac Asimovis born. Isaac Asimov was born on 2 January 1920 in PetrovichiUSSR. When...

Born on this day SundayJanuary 31892. :   J.R.R.Tolkienauthor of ‘Lord of the Rings’is born. J.R.R.Tolkien was born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien on 3 January 1892...

Born on this day WednesdayJanuary 41809. :   Louis Brailleinventor of the raised-dot writing system for the blindis born. Louis Brailleinventor of the Braille...

Born on this day MondayJanuary 51778. :   George Evansexplorer in the early New South Wales colonyis born. George William Evans was born on 5 January...

Born on this day MondayJanuary 61412. :   Tradition suggests that Christian martyr Joan of Arc was born. Whilst the exact date of Joan of Arc’s birth is...

Australian Explorers MondayJanuary 71799. :   Bass and Flinders complete their first circumnavigation of Van Diemen’s Land. Matthew Flinders and George Bass were early sea explorers who charted...

Born on this day TuesdayJanuary 81935. :   Elvis PresleyKing of Rock ‘n’ Rollis born. Elvis Aaron Presley was born in TupeloMississippion 8 January...

Australian Explorers TuesdayJanuary 91816. :   Explorer James Kelly lands at Port DalrympleTasmaniawhere he is arrested as a bushranger. Captain James Kelly was born in Parramatta,...

Australian History SaturdayJanuary 101852. :   South Australia’s first lighthouse begins operation. Kangaroo Island is a protected and unspoilt island off the coast of South Australiaand 112...

Born on this day WednesdayJanuary 111843. :   The man who built Fremantle Harbour and who brought water to the Western Australian goldfieldsCY O’Connoris born....

Born on this day WednesdayJanuary 121876. :   Jack Londonauthor of “Call of the Wild”is born. Jack London was born John Griffith Chaney on 12 January...

Australian History FridayJanuary 131939. :   71 people die in Victoria in bushfires on ‘Black Friday’. Friday the thirteenth is considered by the superstitious to be a day...

Born on this day ThursdayJanuary 141875. :   German theologianmusicianphilosopherand physicianAlbert Schweitzeris born. Albert Schweitzer was born on 14 January 1875 in Kaysersberg,...

Born on this day TuesdayJanuary 151929. :   Civil rights activistMartin Luther Kingis born. Martin Luther KingJr. was born on 15 January 1929 in Atlanta,...

Australian Explorers SaturdayJanuary 161909. :   Australian geologists Douglas Mawson and Edgeworth David become the first to reach the magnetic South Pole. The South Pole is the southernmost...

Australian Explorers SundayJanuary 171773. :   Captain James Cook’s shipthe ‘Resolution’becomes the first known ship to cross the Antarctic Circle. James Cook was born at Marton...

Born on this day ThursdayJanuary 181849. :   Edmund Bartonthe first Prime Minister of Australiais born. Sir Edmund Bartonfirst Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of...

Australian History TuesdayJanuary 191790. :   The second fleet of convicts sets sail from England to New South Wales. The First Fleet of convictswhich established the colony...

Australian History ThursdayJanuary 201803. :   Superintendent of public worksCharles Grimesarrives at the Mornington Peninsulanow a popular holiday spotwhere he pronounces it unsuitable for...

Born on this day WednesdayJanuary 211801. :   Unofficial founder of MelbourneJohn Batmanis born. John Batman was born in ParramattaSydneyon 21 January 1801. As...

Australian History TuesdayJanuary 221788. :   Captain Arthur Phillip names Manly Cove in Sydney. In 1786 the decision was made in England to send a colonisation party of...

Australian Explorers SaturdayJanuary 231830. :   Charles Sturt’s exploration party narrowly avoids a confrontation with hostile Aborigines. Captain Charles Sturt was born in India in 1795. He came...

Australian History ThursdayJanuary 241788. :   French ships are noted outside Botany Bay just two days before Captain Arthur Phillip takes formal possession of New South Wales. Over...

Born on this day ThursdayJanuary 251759. :   Scottish poet Robert Burns is born. Robert Burnsoften called the Bard of Ayrshirewas born on 25 January 1759...

Australian Explorers TuesdayJanuary 261802. :   Flinders crosses the 129th degree of longitudewhich is later to become the border between Western Australia and South Australia. Matthew Flinders...

Born on this day TuesdayJanuary 271756. :   Austrian Classical composerWolfgang Amadeus Mozartis born. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 in SalzburgAustria....

Australian Explorers ThursdayJanuary 281802. :   Flinders discovers and names Fowlers Bay in South Australia. Matthew Flinders was born on 16 March 1774 in LincolnshireEngland. He became...

Born on this day TuesdayJanuary 291850. :   Lawrence HargraveAustralian inventor of the box kiteis born. Lawrence Hargrave was born on 29 January 1850 at Greenwich,...

Born on this day SundayJanuary 301910. :   British actorDavid Nivenis born. James David Graham Niven was born on 30 January 1910 in LondonEngland. After...

Born on this day SundayJanuary 311762. :   Colonel Lachlan MacquarieGovernor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821is born. Lachlan Macquarie was born on 31...