Beyond Disabilty

02/10/2025

October 4 2025

On 4 October 1913, the newly formed Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) "fleet unit," led by the battlecruiser HMAS Australia, sailed into Sydney Harbour, marking a significant milestone in Australia's history as it asserted its own defence capabilities. Other historical events on this date include the awarding of the Victoria Cross to Sergeant Lewis McGee in 1917 for bravery at the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge and the official opening of Prince's Bridge in Melbourne in 1888.

1913: The Fleet Unit Enters Sydney Harbour

* A Symbol of Maturity: The arrival of the seven brand-new ships, including the battlecruiser HMAS Australia, three cruisers, and three destroyers, was a potent symbol of Australia's maturity and growth as a self-governing nation. ��
* Taking Control of Defence: The event signified Australia's assumption of responsibility for its own naval command in the Australian Station, a role previously held by the Royal Navy. �
* A Modern Defence Force: It demonstrated the practical application of the new Australian government's commitment to a modern and capable navy to protect its maritime trade and national interests. �
Other Australian History on October 4th
* 1888: Prince's Bridge, a major landmark over the Yarra River in Melbourne, was officially opened on this day. �
* 1917: During the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge on the Western Front, Sergeant Lewis McGee was awarded the Victoria Cross for his courageous actions in capturing a German strongpoint and a machine gun post.

01/10/2025

We have moved! Please find our new page at facebook.com/BeyondDisabilityIncBDI

Beyond Disability Inc (BDI) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation providing accessible laptops and computing devices to people living with disabilities in South East Melbourne.

30/09/2025

1 October is 2025

Key Australian events on October 1 include the inauguration of Greater Brisbane in 1925, the transfer of Christmas Island to Australia in 1958, a major naval fleet review in Sydney Harbour in 1988, and the announcement of the Sheffield Shield cricket competition in 1892. Other notable events include the Australian Light Horse capturing Damascus in 1918 and the Australian National Flag being officially used for the first time on January 19, 1901.

Here are some notable events from Australian history that took place on October 1:
* 1892: The Australian Cricket Council announced the creation of the Sheffield Shield, an intercolonial cricket competition. �
* 1903: Samuel Griffith was appointed as the first Chief Justice of Australia. �
* 1918: Australian Light Horsemen captured Damascus during World War I. �
* 1925: Greater Brisbane was established as a single municipal authority under the Brisbane City Council. �
* 1948: The Australian Naval History Society noted that the RAN took command of the naval shore establishment in Kure, Japan, formerly known as HMAS COMMONWEALTH. �
* 1958: Christmas Island was transferred from Singapore to Australia. �
* 1988: The International Bicentennial Fleet, comprising over 50 warships from 16 nations, was reviewed in Sydney Harbour. �
* 1990: The Herald broadsheet newspaper in Melbourne was published for the last time as a separate newspaper after 150 years.

29/09/2025

September 30 2025

Significant Australian historical events on September 30 include the launch of the HMAS Brisbane in 1915, the start of the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, and the death of Nobel Prize-winning author Patrick White in 1990. Other events include the opening of the first government brewery in Australia at Parramatta in 1804, the first game of cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1854, and the introduction of the Palmerston and Pine Creek Railway in the Northern Territory in 1889.

Specific Events on September 30
* 1804: A government brewery is established in Parramatta to control the consumption of spirits.
* 1854: The first game of cricket is played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
* 1889: The Palmerston and Pine Creek Railway, a narrow-gauge line in the Northern Territory, is officially opened.
* 1915: The HMAS Brisbane, the first cruiser built in Australia, is launched at Cockatoo Island in Sydney.
* 1922: Major General Alan Stretton, a former senior Australian Army officer and Australian of the Year, is born.
* 1951: Barry Marshall, the Nobel Prize-winning professor of clinical microbiology, is born in Kalgoorlie.
* 1976: The long-running ABC radio serial Blue Hills concludes after 32 years on air.
* 1982: The Commonwealth Games begin in Brisbane.
* 1990: Patrick White, a Nobel Prize-winning author, passes away.

28/09/2025

28/09/2025

September 29 2025

In Australian history, the most significant event on September 29 is the Australian and US-led assault on the Hindenburg Line in 1918, which successfully broke the German defenses during World War I, leading to a significant Allied advance and Hubert Wilkins' decoration for bravery. Other notable events on this date include the British Commander George Vancouver claiming the west coast of Australia in 1791, the 1942 interception of a Vichy French ship during the Kokoda campaign, and the 2007 AFL Grand Final win by the Geelong Football Club.

Key Events on September 29
* 1791:�British Commander George Vancouver claimed the West Coast of Australia, expanding British claims beyond the previously claimed East Coast. �
* 1918:�Australian and US troops spearheaded the successful assault on the Hindenburg Line during the final stage of the Battle of the Hindenburg Line in World War I. �
* 1918:�Hubert Wilkins was awarded a bar to the Military Cross for rallying US troops and taking photographs during the Hindenburg Line battle, becoming the only Australian official photographer decorated for bravery in the field. �
* 1942:�During the Kokoda campaign, the destroyer HMAS Nizam and aircraft intercepted the Vichy French ship AMIRAL PIERRE. �
* 2007:�The Geelong Football Club won the 2007 AFL Grand Final, their first premiership in 44 years.

27/09/2025

September 28 2025

In Australian history, on September 28, 1946, a successful referendum expanded the Australian Parliament's power to legislate on social welfare matters, allowing for continued family and unemployment payments. In the military sphere, on September 28, 1918, Australian troops were involved in a decisive battle at Megiddo, leading to the capture of 70,000 Turkish soldiers, while in 1939, Wing Commander Ivan McLeod Cameron became the first Australian to be killed in action during World War II. On the tragic side of Indigenous history, 1983 marked the death of 16-year-old John Pat in police custody, an event that became a stark symbol of injustices against Aboriginal Australians.

Notable Events on September 28:
* 1918: Battle of Megiddo
* Two divisions of Australian mounted troops and the Australian Flying Corps played a significant role in a decisive victory against Turkish forces in Palestine.
* This victory led to the capture of 70,000 Turkish soldiers.
* 1939: First Australian Killed in WWII Action
* Wing Commander Ivan McLeod Cameron, serving with Britain's Royal Air Force, was shot down and killed over Germany during a reconnaissance mission.
* His death marked the first Australian casualty of the Second World War. �
* 1946: Social Welfare Referendum
* Australians voted to give the Parliament the power to make laws for family allowance, unemployment benefits, and other welfare payments.
* This constitutional change was necessary after the High Court ruled the Parliament's existing powers were unconstitutional for these payments. �
* 1983: Death of John Pat
* John Peter Pat, a 16-year-old Aboriginal Australian, died in police custody in Roebourne, Western Australia.
* His death became a prominent symbol of the systemic racism and violence faced by Indigenous Australians.

26/09/2025

September 27 2025

On September 27, 1932, Maude Bonney became the first woman to fly around Australia, while the British nuclear tests at Maralingabegan in 1956 with the "Operation Buffalo" series. In 1949, the naval vessel HMAS Karangi raised the sunken merchant ship EASR RIVER in Newcastle Harbour, and in 1943, Australian commandos on HMAS KRAIT successfully attacked Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour during the Operation Jaywick raid.

Key Events on September 27 in Australian History
* 1932:�Maude Bonney achieved a significant aviation milestone by becoming the first woman to complete a circumnavigation of Australia by air. �
* 1943:�During Operation Jaywick, Australian commandos from the HMAS KRAIT successfully attached mines to seven Japanese ships in Singapore Harbour, causing significant damage and sinking one vessel. �
* 1949:�In a naval operation in Newcastle Harbour, the boom defence vessel HMAS Karangi lifted the sunken wreck of the merchant vessel EASR RIVER. �
* 1956:�The British nuclear testing program at Maralinga began with the commencement of "Operation Buffalo," a series of tests that involved the use of nuclear devices and left considerable plutonium contamination at the site. �
* 1963:�Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies met with an Aboriginal delegation who were seeking a referendum on racial discrimination. �
* 1975:�Jack Lang, a prominent Australian politician and former Premier of New South Wales, passed away at the age of 98.

25/09/2025

September 26 2025

On September 26, 1983, the yacht Australia II famously won the America's Cup in a dramatic comeback, ending a 132-year American winning streak. In military history, on September 26, 1943, Z Special Unit commandos successfully raided Singapore Harbor, sinking seven Japanese merchant ships, and on September 26, 1917, John James Dwyer earned the Victoria Cross during the Battle of Polygon Wood in World War I.

1983: The America's Cup

* Australia II wins the America's Cup:�After being down 1-3 in the best-of-seven series, Australia's Australia II came from behind to win the final race against the United States. �
* Historical Significance:�This was the first time in 132 years that a country other than the United States won the prestigious sailing race. �
* Public Reaction:�The national excitement was so great that Prime Minister Bob Hawke declared that any boss who fired an employee for taking the day off to celebrate was a "bum". �
1943: Operation Jaywick

* Z Special Unit raid:�Members of the elite Z Special Unit, in kayaks, planted limpet mines on seven Japanese merchant ships in Singapore Harbor. �
* Successful Escape:�The operatives escaped without being detected, rendezvoused with the supply ship HMAS KRAIT, and made it back to safety. �
* Impact:�The raid was a major success, with 37,000 tons of Japanese shipping sunk or damaged. �
1917: Victoria Cross awarded

* John James Dwyer: During the brutal fighting of the Battle of Polygon Wood in Belgium during World War I, John James Dwyer earned the Victoria Cross for his bravery.

24/09/2025

September 25 2025

Key events in Australian history on September 25 include the opening of Australia's first church in Sydney (1793), the birth of Prime Minister Billy Hughes (1862), an explosion at the Esso gas plant in Longford (1998), and Cathy Freeman's iconic Olympic gold medal win in the 400m at the Sydney 2000 Games.

1793

* Australia's first church opens in Sydney: The St. John's Anglican Church is opened in Sydney, marking a significant milestone in the colony's development.
1862

* Birth of Billy Hughes: William Morris "Billy" Hughes, the seventh Prime Minister of Australia, is born in London.
1998

* Esso Longford Gas Plant Explosion:A major explosion occurs at the Esso natural gas plant in Longford, Victoria, leading to a significant industrial incident.
2000

* Cathy Freeman wins Olympic Gold: At the Sydney Olympics, Indigenous Australian athlete Cathy Freeman wins the gold medal in the women's 400 metres, an event that became an iconic moment for national pride and reconciliation.
2008

* Demolition of the E. S. "Ngger" Brown Stand:*: The stand at the Toowoomba sports ground, named with an offensive racial slur, is finally demolished.

23/09/2025

On September 24 in Australian history, Australia's first Prime Minister, Edmund Barton, resigned from his post to become a foundation member of the High Court in 1903. In 1904, the first Australian Open golf tournament was held. More recently, the Australia Telescope Compact Array was opened in 1987, and Sydney was announced as the host city for the 2000 Summer Olympics in 1993.
Key Events on September 24
1903: Edmund Barton, the first Prime Minister of Australia, resigned to become a judge of the newly established High Court of Australia.
1904: The first Australian Open golf tournament was held.
1987: The Australia Telescope Compact Array was opened.
1993: Sydney was announced as the host city for the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Notable Births
1898: Howard Florey, who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 for his work on penicillin, was born in Adelaide.
1899: Sir William Dobell, a prominent Australian artist, was born in Cooks Hill, New South Wales.

22/09/2025

September 23 2025

Key Australian history events on September 23 include the death of explorer John Ainsworth Horrocks in 1846, Keith Murdoch's crucial letter about the Gallipoli disaster in 1915, Sydney being chosen as the host city for the 2000 Summer Olympics in 1993, and the Governor-General assenting to the full private ownership of Telstra in 2005.

1846: Explorer John Ainsworth Horrocks died in South Australia after being accidentally shot during a hunting trip.

1915: Journalist Keith Murdochwrote a significant 25-page letter to the Prime Minister detailing the severe conditions at Gallipoli and criticizing the campaign, which helped to end the Gallipoli campaign and led to a strategic rethink of the war effort.

1942: General Thomas Blamey was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of Allied land forces in New Guinea, a decision that led to conflicts with General Douglas MacArthur.