2000s

The 2000s opened with fresh energy and global attention. Cathy Freeman’s Olympic victory and Lleyton Hewitt’s Wimbledon win defined sporting achievement, while Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations was a milestone of national reckoning. Australian cinema flourished internationally with Moulin Rouge! and Somersault, while digital revolutions reshaped daily routines. MP3 players – hello, iPod nano – changed how Australians consumed culture. The decade zipped from Olympic gold to digital playlists, showing a nation plugged in, switched on and newly connected to the world.

Please be advised that this page contains names, images and voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.