March 1, 1975: COLOUR TELEVISION officially began in Australia. The ABC launched colour TV with a 5-minute special, AUNTY JACK INTRODUCES COLOUR.
March 3 – 1911: PALMERSTON in the Northern Territory was renamed DARWIN in honour of Charles Darwin.
March 5 – 1854: ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY was established in Australia.
March 8 – 1828: AUSTRALIAN STAMPS were issued for the first time.
March 9 – 1974: The COUNTRY PARTY changed name to the NATIONAL PARTY.
March 13 – 1972: Controversial television drama, NUMBER 96, began screening on Channel 10.
March 16 – 1963: LIFE LINE was established in Australia by the Reverend Alan Walker (who died in 2003). Life Line was inspired in 1958 by the suicide of a 38-year-old man who left a note addressed to Walker that read – “A job and 150 pounds would have saved me, but I just don’t believe I am worth it, I am a failure. I am leaving the world unwanted, unloved, and without hope.” Life Line is now based in over 15 countries including the US, Japan, South Africa and Taiwan.
March 20 – 1973: The VOTING AGE was lowered in Australia from 21 to 18.
March 22 -1831: THE KING’S SCHOOL, Australia’s oldest independent school, was founded at Parramatta.
March 24 – 1927: The AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT sat in Melbourne for the final time before moving to Canberra.
March 27 – 1985: UNLEADED PETROL went on sale for the first time in Sydney. The rest of the country received the unleaded option a few months later.
March 29 – 1886: COCA COLA was launched as an “esteemed brain tonic and intellectual beverage”. * It wasn’t until 1894 that mass production bottling began. The tonic originally contained a dash of cocaine!
March 31 -1928: AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX was held for the first time at Cowes, Phillip Island – 1928. It was won by South Australia’s A.C.R.Waite in a 750cc supercharged Austin 7 which averaged 56 mph.
