Records 1994

The estimated population of the Northern Territory is 167,091 with 77,634 residing in the Darwin region.

Image courtesy of Library & Archives NT, Department of Lands, Planning and Environment,Aerial photographs, NT series, NTRS 3862/P2, Unit 321, Item NTc1250_ Frame 6_Run 1 [Aerial photograph of Darwin region, 1994]

“You’ll never never know if you never never go!” became the catch cry for the Northern Territory when the tourism campaign fronted by TV personality Daryl Somers from1994-1998 puts the Northern Territory on the tourism destination map. The advertising campaign includes television and print, going on the win national and international awards and creating a substantial boost in visitors to the NT. For more information, go to the Territory Stories website.

26 January – In the Australia Day honours list, The Honourable Austin Asche QC is appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for service to the law, to tertiary education and to the community, particularly the people of the Northern Territory.

Image courtesy of Library & Archives NT, Hon. Austin Asche. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/328208 [accessed 13 November 2024] PH0629/0006

24 May – In a tragic accident during the inaugural Cannonball Run, high speed motor race down the Stuart Highway, two Japanese competitors crash into two race officials, killing all four people.

1 June – The Deckchair Cinema opens on Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin. The first film shown was The Castanet Club, an Australian production about a Newcastle dance troupe.

4 June – The Country Liberal Party wins the general election in the Northern Territory. Marshall Perron remains Chief Minister.

6 July – Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre opens at Beatrice Hill, 60 km south of Darwin on the Adelaide River floodplain. The Centre provides a comprehensive and spectacular interpretative display of the wetlands.

Windows on the Wetlands, 2002 Image courtesy of Library Archives NT, NT Tourist Commission, NTRS 4967/P1, Box 7, Item [77] unnumbered.	Windows on the Wetlands, 2002 Image courtesy of Library Archives NT, NT Tourist Commission, NTRS 4967/P1, Box 7, Item [102] unnumbered.

18 August – Governor-General of Australia Bill Hayden officially opens Parliament House, Darwin.

18-28 August – At the Commonwealth Games held in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Alice Springs shooter Christine Trefry wins three gold medals in pistol events and boxer James Swan wins a bronze medal. Australia wins 87 gold, 52 silver and 43 bronze in total.

15 November - The Cyclone Tracy exhibit opens at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in time for the 20th anniversary commemorations.

Jacqueline Healy, Museum Director, Cyclone Tracy exhibition opening MAGNT, 15 November 1994 Image courtesy of Library & Archives NT, NT Archives Service Photographic collection, Accession 2025/15, unit 3, [Item 63] Image 16.

22 November – A small fishing boat carrying 13 Vietnamese refugees runs ashore at a boat ramp in Nightcliff in the early hours of the morning. In the ensuing weeks, authorities estimate that a total of 393 refugees, mainly Chinese, arrive in northern Australia.

26 December – Alice Springs Yacht Club’s entry, The Alice, sails in the Sydney/Hobart yacht race but retires before the finish of the race.

The Hon. Paul Keating is Prime Minister of Australia, and Dr John Hewson AM is the Leader of the Opposition, followed by Alexander Downer AC after a leadership challenge in May 1994.

27 February – Federal Sport and Environment Minister Ros Kelly resigns over the “sports rorts” affair where decisions were made on submissions for funding solely based on verbal advice from staff, and the short-listing of applications was done using a “great big whiteboard” in her office, which were erased without permanent record once the decisions were made.

The investigation into the administration of the $30 million grant allocation, found the actions were “not illegal”, but her administration was deficient.

2 March – A bomb explodes in the Adelaide headquarters of the National Crime Authority (NCA killing Detective-Sergeant Geoff Bowen and severely wounding NCA lawyer Peter Wallis. The man responsible, Dominic Perre, was arrested within weeks but charges were not laid at the time due to lack of evidence. In 2018, Perre was charged with murder and attempted murder, and found guilty in 2022.

15 July – Former Western Australian Premier Brian Burke is sentenced to eight months jail for fraud.

25 July – Telephone numbers in Australia begin transitioning from six to eight digits. Mona Vale in Sydney is the first suburb to change to the new numbers.

September 5 – New South Wales State MP for Cabramatta John Newman is shot and killed outside his home, in Australia’s first political assassination since 1977.

4 November – Sydney Airport’s third runway opens, amidst protests about noise levels.

2 December – The Australian government agrees to pay reparations to the Indigenous people of Maralinga, South Australia, who were displaced during British Nuclear Testing in the 1950’s and 1960s.

6 January – Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan is assaulted at the US Figure Skating Championships in Detroit. It is later discovered that the assault was planned by rival Tonya Harding’s ex-husband with the goal to prevent Kerrigan competing in the championships and Olympics. Harding denied her involvement but later pleaded guilty to conspiring to hinder the prosecution. Kerrigan recovered quickly and went on to win a silver medal at the Olympics in Lillehammer in February.

1 February – Australian businessman Christopher Skase is arrested in Spain. Skase avoided extradition and remained in Majorca until his death in 2001. The “Chase for Skase” became a media headline after he fled Australia.

24 February – In Gloucester, England, local police begin excavations at 25 Cromwell Street, the home of Fred and Rosemary West, suspects in the disappearance and murder of multiple victims. Both are arrested on February 28.

20 April – The People’s Republic of China gets its first permanent connection to the internet.

1 May – Three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna is killed in an accident during the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy.

6 May – The Channel Tunnel, which took 15,000 workers more than seven years to complete, officially opens between England and France; it enabled passengers to travel by rail between the two countries in 35 minutes.

10 May – Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as South Africa’s first black President.

17 June – Former professional NFL player and Hollywood star OJ Simpson flees from police in a low-speed pursuit in Los Angeles Southern California in a white Ford Bronco before surrendering to police. Simpson is charged with the murder of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Simpson is later acquitted on criminal charges but found liable for the wrongful death and battery of Goldman.

28 June – Members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult execute the first sarin gas attack at Matsumoto, Japan, killing 8 people and injuring 20.

5 July – Jeff Bezos founds Amazon online book shop. 16 August – The release of the IBM Simon smartphone. It is the first ever commercially available smartphone.

28 September - The car ferry MS Estonia sinks in the Baltic Sea, killing 852 people.

1 October - The World Wide Web Consortium is founded by Tim Berners-Lee, becoming the main international standards organisation for the World Wide Web.

15 December – The initial release of Netscape Navigator, a web browser that will go on to control the majority of the usage share for web browsers for the rest of the 1990s.

18 January – Blue Heelers, Australian police drama TV series, debuts on Channel 7.

12 to 27 February – the XVII Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway. Australia wins one bronze medal in short track speed skating.

21 March – Schindler’s List, historical drama film, wins 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Steven Spielberg.

5 May – Australian film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, is screened at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. The film written and directed by Stephan Elliot, showcases Central Australia and the Northern Territory. The film wins the 1995Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

15 June – Disney’s The Lion King is released, becoming the highest grossing movie of1994 with a worldwide box office gross of$763 million.

20 June to 3 July – Pete Sampras defeats Goran Ivanisevic in the Men’s Singles at Wimbledon. Conchita Martinez defeats Martina Navratilova in the Women’s Singles.

21 July – Australian TV sitcom Mother and Son finale airs. The ABC series ran from1984 to 1994.

14 September – The 1994 World Series in baseball is officially cancelled due to the ongoing work stoppage. It is the first time since 1904 that a World Series would not belayed.

19 September – American medical TV drama ER debuts in America and runs for 15seasons.

22 September – the TV sitcom Friends debuts starring Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. The series runs for 10 years becoming one of the most popular television shows of all time, being nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards winning the award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2002.

24 September – West Coast Eagles (20.20.143) defeats Geelong (8.15.63) to win the 98th AFL premiership.

25 September – In the NRL Grand final Canberra Raiders (36) defeat Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs (12 in Sydney.

29 September – Muriel’s Wedding, written and directed by PJ Hogan and starring Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths is released. The film wins awards including Australian Film Institute Best Film and Best Actress and Supporting Actress. The film leads to a revival in the popularity of ABBA’s music.

1 November – British horse Jeune wins the Melbourne Cup with odds of 16 to one. The horse is trained by David Hayes, with Wayne Harris as jockey. Wayne Harris dedicates the win to a 12-year-old boy from Victoria, Andrew Read, who was suffering from a brain tumour.

17 November – American film Forrest Gump opens in Australia, starring Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Garry Sinese and Robin Wright. The film wins 6 Academy Awards the following year, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director and 3 Golden Globe awards. The soundtrack reaches number 2 on the Billboard album chart.

24 November – Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction opens in Australia, starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman. The film wins the Palme d’Or at the 1994 Cannes Film festival and its success reinvigorates Travolta’s acting career. "Love is All Around” by Wet Wet Wet from the “Soundtrack to Four Weddings and a Funeral” was the highest selling Australian single of the 1994 according to the ARIA charts. Fashion trends of 1994 included denim, velvet and animal print. Mighty Morphin Power Ranger action figures are the most popular toy for children. Justin Bieber, Harry Styles, Dakota Fanning, Tom Daley, Emma McKeon, Jessica Fox are all born in 1994.