2 January 2026
► LOOKING at events on 2 January;
On this day in 1959 the Soviet Union launched Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon. It was intended to crash into the moon, but missed by 6,000 kilometres and went into orbit around the Sun.
In 1960, Oodnadatta, South Australia recorded Australia’s highest ever temperature 50.7 C (123.3F). The same temperature was recorded in Onslow, West Australia on 13 January 2022.
In 1964, in the remote north-east of South Australia, the bodies of a family of five, who perished after becoming stranded in desolate country over a week previously, were discovered 19 km from their broken-down car. They were buried beneath a nearby coolibah tree.
1964 in Bass Strait, a fishing boat and the Royal Navy submarine HMS Trump (!!!!) were racing through heavy seas to rescue a dismasted Sydney-Hobart yacht race competitor, the sloop Lolita.
1964 again, America’s Ranger 6 spacecraft crashed on the western edge of the Moon’s Mare Tranquillitatis as planned, but failed to transmit any photographs of the moon’s surface.
2004 The space probe Stardust flew past Comet Wild 2, collecting samples which were returned to Earth.
► BORN…..
Roger Miller was born on this day in 1936 in Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A. He was a singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his novelty songs, such as King Of The Road, Dang Me and England Swings. Died 1992.
Graeme (alias Shirley) Strachan was born on this day in 1952 in Malvern, Victoria. He was a rock singer and part of the band Skyhooks. His nickname “Shirley” was acquired because of his long, sun bleached and curly hair, reminiscent of the child actress Shirley Temple. Died 2001.
► DIED…..
Woodward Maurice Ritter alias Tex Ritter, died on this day in 1974 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A. at the age of 68. He was a country singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s.
Alan Hale Mackahan alias Alan Hale Jr,, died on this day in 1990 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. aged 68. He was a movie and television actor, known for his lead role in the 1950s television series Casey Jones; also as Skipper on the sitcom Gilligan’s Island. Hale was the lookalike son of popular film actor Alan Hale.
Eric Jupp, died on this day in 2003 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 80. He was a British-born musician, composer, arranger and conductor who gained wide popularity in Australia after emigrating in the 1960s. He hosted a long-running light music TV show.
Today’s photo – A former Willow Court psychiatric hospital building under restoration, New Norfolk.
Today’s Playlist
| TRACK | RELEASE YEAR | PLAY TIME | PREVIOUS PLAYS | LAST PLAYED |
| Greg McInnes – Beautiful Day | 2025 | 09:05 | 2 | 7/12/2025 |
| Esther van Kommer – Christmas is Everything | 2025 | 09:10 | 0 | |
| John McCall – Love in Katoomba | 2025 | 09:13 | 2 | 12/12/2025 |
| 70s Classic ABBA – Fernando | 1976 | 09:20 | 23 | 31/8/2025 |
| Foster & Allen – Crystal Chandelier | 09:24 | 2 | 9/6/2017 | |
| Miss Lana – I Am Strong | 2025 | 09:28 | 1 | 5/12/2025 |
| Oscar Volk Orchestra – Melody In F | 09:34 | 7 | 21/5/2023 | |
| Nicole Conring – Weihnachtszauber | 2025 | 09:36 | 1 | 28/12/2025 |
| Roger Miller – King Of The Road | 1965 | 09:41 | 6 | 7/3/2025 |
| For a Listener Barron Knights – The House of Johann Strauss | 1965 | 09:46 | 12 | 17/1/2025 |
| Diamond Classic – Charting on this day 1966 Connie Francis – Jealous Heart | 1965 | 09:49 | 7 | 2/2/2024 |
| Diamond Classic – Charting on this day 1966 Statler Brothers – Flowers On The Wall | 1965 | 09:52 | 3 | 12/7/2019 |
| For a Listener Beatles – Help | 1965 | 09:55 | 17 | 5/12/2025 |
| Petula Clark – You’re The One | 1965 | 09:58 | 4 | 12/12/2025 |
| Watling & Bates with Shelly Jones Band – West Out Of Redrock | 2025 | 10:05 | 0 | |
| Skyhooks – All My Friends Are Getting Married | 1975 | 10:10 | 7 | 29/12/2024 |
| Daniel O’Donnell – All My Loving | 10:15 | 0 | ||
| Tex Ritter – High Noon | 1952 | 10:20 | 3 | 10/7/2022 |
| Vintage Vinyl Ames Brothers – Rag Mop | 1950 | 10:23 | 0 | |
| J K Coltrain – The Monster Mash | 2025 | 10:27 | 2 | 12/12/2025 |
| Eric Jupp – Cherish | 10:32 | 2 | 2/3/2025 | |
| Larissa Tormey – Christmas Is On The Way | 2025 | 10:36 | 0 | |
| Allan Caswell – The Day We Sold The Farm | 2025 | 10:39 | 0 | |
| 70s Classic Maxine Nightingale – Right Back Where We Started From | 1976 | 10:43 | 3 | 13/4/2025 |
| Musical Youth – Pass The Dutchie | 1982 | 10:48 | 4 | 1/1/2021 |
| Starship – Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now | 1987 | 10:50 | 1 | 20/4/2012 |
| For a Listener Kevin Shegog – Phar Lap | 10:56 | 6 | 17/2/2023 | |
| Ol’ 55 – Anywhere The Girls Are | 1980 | 11:05 | 3 | 19/8/2016 |
| Two Man Band – Hobart Just A Day Away | 1983 | 11:10 | 5 | 26/1/2025 |
| Kathy Carver – Yellow Moon On The Swan | 2025 | 11:13 | 3 | 8/6/2025 |
| For a Listener Carpenters – For All We Know | 1971 | 11:20 | 7 | 17/11/2024 |
| Vintage Vinyl Nat King Cole – To The Ends Of The Earth | 1956 | 11:23 | 1 | 29/12/2023 |
| Horst Wende’s Accordeon Band – Rosamunde | 11:33 | 5 | 24/3/2023 | |
| Diamond Classic – Charting on this day 1966 Johnny Tillotson – Our World | 1965 | 11:36 | 0 | |
| Diamond Classic – Charting on this day 1966 Vic Dana – Crystal Chandelier | 1965 | 11:39 | 14 | 26/8/2022 |
| Leonard Teale & Andy Sundstrom – Bound For Hobart Town | 1965 | 11:43 | 13 | 7/3/2025 |
| Lucky Starr – I’ve Been Everywhere | 1962 | 11:46 | 0 | |
| Rebekka Lundstrøm – Keep On Dancing | 2025 | 11:49 | 1 | 10/10/2025 |
| Cootamundra Jazz Band – Red Red Robin | 11:54 | 4 | 7/4/2023 |