12 April 2026
► EVENTS ON 12 APRIL;
1835, The ship George III, which was carrying 308 people to Port Arthur from Woolwich, England, was wrecked in Tasmania’s D’Entrecasteaux Channel.
Over 100 of the 220 convicts who were confined to the hold, including 40 boys, perished because they were prevented from leaving. A total of 134 lives were lost.
1934, in New Hampshire U.S.A., The strongest surface wind gust recorded in the world at the time, at 597 kilometres per hour, was measured on the summit of Mt Washington.
1937, in Rugby, Warwickshire, England, Sir Frank Whittle ground-tested the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft..
1954, in New York, U.S.A., Bill Haley & His Comets recorded Rock Around The Clock. It went to No 1 on the United States and United Kingdom charts and charted again during the 1960s.
1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, orbiting Earth in 89 minutes 6 seconds, aboard Vostok 1.
1962, The Southern Aurora became the first train to run direct from Sydney to Melbourne on the new standard gauge track
1966 in Melbourne, Victoria Ford Australia announced that safety belts would be fitted to the front seats of all new Ford vehicles assembled in Australia after July, making that company the first to fit seat belts as standard equipment to its full range of vehicles.
1975 in Tarcoola, South Australia, The first sod was turned for the new standard gauge Alice Springs railway, which was designed to replace the old, flood-prone narrow-gauge line between Oodnadatta and Alice Springs. In 2001, work commenced on extending the railway from Alice Springs to Darwin.
1981 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S.A. The Space shuttle Columbia was launched on its first mission.
1981 in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Advance Australia Fair officially became Australia’s National anthem, replacing God Save The Queen, which had been restored by the Fraser Government – after the previous Whitlam Government had previously proclaimed Advance Australia Fair as the National Anthem.
► ARRIVALS ON THIS DATE
1981, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.A.: Helen Fogel alias Helen Forrest, jazz singer, who served as the female vocalist for three of the mosf popular band of the Big Band era, those of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Harry James. She died in 1991.
1919, Glasgow, Kentucky, U.S.A.: Richard Vaughn alias Billy Vaughn,musician and orchestra leader who charted 42 singles and 36 albums, beginning with 1958’s Sail Along Silvery Moon and ending with 1970’s Winter World of Love. He died in 1991.
1925, Rains, Utah, U.S.A.: Henry Ned Miller, alias Ned Miller, country singer song-writer who recorded between 1956 and 1970, and was best known for his 1963 No 1 hit From A Jack To A King. He also composed and recorded Invisible Tears, which charted in 1965. He died in 2016.
Today’s photo: A new, live cam photo taken early yesterday (11 April) of Dove Lake, in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
From the Weather Watch Network Facebook page:
Today’s Playlist :
| TRACK | RELEASE YEAR | PLAY TIME | LAST PLAYED |
| A Band Of Rain – I Love You Whatever | 2026 | 06:06 | 3/4/2026 |
| Larry Cann – Keepin’ It Real | 2025 | 06:13 | 4/7/2025 |
| Tommy Vlaeminck – Bridge of Hope | 2025 | 06:16 | 15/8/2025 |
| Helen Forrest & Harry James Orchestra – It Must Be Him Helen Forrest, BORN THIS DAY in 1918, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. Died 1991 | 06:22 | 30/8/2024 | |
| Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra – I’m Moving On Billy Vaughn, BORN THIS DAY in 1919, Glasgow, Kentucky USA Died 1991 | 06:25 | 18/4/2014 | |
| Ned Miller – From A Jack To A King Ned Miller, BORN THIS DAY in 1925, Rains, Utah USA Died 2016 | 1963 | 06:28 | 22/3/2026 |
| Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra – This Guy’s In Love With You | 06:32 | 19/6/2015 | |
| For A Listener: Rod Stewart – Sailing | 1975 | 06:36 | 14/12/2025 |
| Vintage Vinyl Rosemary Clooney & Guy Mitchell – You’re Just In Love | 1951 | 06:41 | 5/4/2019 |
| Aaron Boultinghouse – Fading Away | 2026 | 06:45 | 27/3/2026 |
| David Hammerschlag – Country Calypso | 2025 | 06:50 | 21/11/2025 |
| Diamond 33 – From the L P “SPANISH EYES” Charting on this day 1966 Al Martino – One Has My Name The Other Has My Heart | 1966 | 06:54 | – |
| John Williamson – Just A Dog | 06:57 | 30/9/2022 | |
| Allan Caswell & Lindsay Waddington – Always Ride A Train | 2025 | 07:06 | 20/2/2026 |
| COUNTRY ROAD + Glenn Jones – Western Herald | 07:12 | – | |
| + Wendy Jewel – Are You Looking At The Same Stars | 2026 | 07:13 | 1/3/2026 |
| For A Listener: Larissa Tormey – Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool | 2018 | 07:18 | 5/9/2025 |
| Vintage Vinyl Bill Haley & His Comets – Rock Around The Clock | 1955, 1964, 1968 | 07:24 | 28/9/2025 |
| Vintage Vinyl Buddy Holly – Listen To Me | 1958 | 07:26 | 26/3/2013 |
| Pepe Jaramillo & His Latin American Rhythm – The Shadow Of Your Smile | 07:32 | 8/6/2014 | |
| Behind the Sea – Kiss Kiss Moi | 2026 | 07:36 | 29/3/2026 |
| Highway 95 – She Believes | 2025 | 07:38 | 6/6/2025 |
| Diamond 33 – From the L P “I HEAR A SYMPHONY” Charting on this day 1966 Supremes – Stranger in Paradise | 1966 | 07:43 | 8/10/2017 |
| Graeme Clarke – Baby With No Name | 2025 | 07:46 | 14/11/2025 |
| Shelley Minson – Dance When The Music Plays | 2026 | 07:50 | 3/4/2026 |
| Julian Lennon – Too Late For Goodbyes | 07:56 | 1/2/2026 | |
| Dave Lawlor – Quando Quando Quando | 2021 | 08:05 | 12/1/2024 |
| CoL Joye – Fools Like Me | 1959 | 08:11 | – |
| COMFORT ZONE + Charley Pride – Wings Of A Dove | 1971 | 08:14 | 11/1/2026 |
| + Anne Murray – Dream A Little Dream Of Me | 08:16 | 7/12/2025 | |
| Deb Mepham – Merry Model T | 2024 | 08:22 | 23/11/2025 |
| Vintage Vinyl Lonnie Lee – Defenceless | 1960 | 08:27 | 18/10/2015 |
| Roberto Delgado & His Orchestra – Rhodos Melody | 08:32 | 6/10/2023 | |
| Diamond 33 – From the L P “BOOTS” Charting on this day 1966 Nancy Sinatra – As Tears Go By | 1966 | 08:37 | – |
| Engelbert Humperdinck – As Time Goes By | 08:40 | – | |
| For A Listener: Box Car Willie – Sioux City Sue | 08:45 | – | |
| The Charlesys – I`ve Got Tomorrow | 2026 | 08:48 | – |
| The Wolfe Tones – A Nation Once Again | 08:51 | – |