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Australia 2011
It was a tragic start to 2011.
Unexpected flash flooding triggered an inland tsunami surge through the Queensland suburbs of Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley.
Many Brisbane suburbs flooded in the following days, with more than 20,000 homes inundated by the time the waters peaked. Thirty lives were lost in floodwaters last summer.
But nature wasn't done with Queensland as the full force of category five Cyclone Yasi crossed the coast between Cairns and Townsville at an estimated at 285 kilometres per hour.
The massive storm destroyed homes, shredded crops and smashed marinas and island resorts as it roared ashore.
Then everything came to a standstill. Thousands of airline passengers across Australia and New Zealand were left stranded when airlines were forced to cancel dozens of flights due to an ash cloud from a puffing Chilean volcano.
Australia's media community was rocked when three ABC news men died in a helicopter crash in remote South Australia. Thinking of colleagues Paul Lockyer, Gary Ticehurst and John Bean this Christmas.
More tragedy in Queensland. Australia's worst house killed 11 Pacific Islanders, including eight children and teenagers, in the Brisbane suburb of Slacks Creek. Jeremiah Lale tragically lost his wife, three sons and two daughters in the fire.
The High Court declared the Government's so-called Malaysia solution invalid, leaving its refugee policy in tatters. Critics continue to blame the Government's switch to on-shore processing as the reason for the number of asylum seeker boat tragedies off Australia's coast.
Qantas took the extraordinary and unprecedented step of grounding its entire fleet over an industrial dispute with employees, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded across the globe. The airline and unions have since shaken hands.
The Queen touched down for her 16th and possibly last official tour of Australia. Her Majesty arrived in Canberra and was greeted by hundreds of well-wishers and dignitaries.
It took plenty of pushing but the Gillard Government finally passed a carbon tax legislation which will become law from July 1 next year.
Big industry polluters will pay $23 per tonne of carbon emissions and households will be compensated for extra costs through tax cuts and benefits.
US president Barack Obama landed in Canberra for a much-anticipated whirlwind visit to Australia, after cancelling on two previous occasions.
Australia will host up to 2,500 US Marines by 2017 in an agreement designed to strengthen America's presence in the Pacific.
And finally, the Australian Labor Party changed its policy platform on the legal definition of marriage, extending it to same sex couples.
It also voted to give MPs a conscience vote on the issue when a bill is expected to be introduced into Parliament in 2012.
Thanks to everyone for all their support this year, especially my wife Jade.
Merry Christmas
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