Born in 1971
Turns 55 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1971
1971 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from $50.50Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from $50.50
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from $50.50
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from $50.50
Front Page: Australia edition. The year is filled in; add their name in the editor. “Your name” is a placeholder. Light news is selected. A new keepsake, not an original newspaper.
BACK TO 1971 · Australia
A little history to go with their gift.
Decimal Day replaced pounds, shillings and pence with a currency based on one hundred new pence, changing everyday shopping and banking. Intel released the 4004 microprocessor, and Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On brought war, racism, poverty and family into a searching Motown album.
What happened in 1971?
Neville Bonner enters federal Parliament
The Queensland senator's arrival marked a historic first for First Nations representation in federal politics.
Greenpeace begins its voyage
Environmental activists sailed from Vancouver toward Alaska in 1971 to oppose a planned United States nuclear test, beginning the Greenpeace story.
Disney builds a world of its own
Walt Disney World opened on 1 October 1971, expanding the theme-park idea into a large resort built around transport, hotels and storytelling.
D23: The Official Disney Fan Club · D23: The Official Disney Fan Club
Dennis Gabor wins the Physics Nobel
Dennis Gabor received the 1971 Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing and developing holography.
Firsts and new ideas
Apollo 15 takes science on wheels
Apollo 15 explored the Moon from 26 July to 7 August 1971, using a lunar rover to extend geological work around Hadley–Apennine.
The first space station opens
The Soviet Union launched Salyut 1 on 19 April 1971, placing the first space station into orbit and opening a new phase of human spaceflight.
Number ones and music in 1971
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
The Mixtures rode to No. 1
The Mixtures' The Pushbike Song reached No. 1 on Go-Set's Australian singles chart on 27 February 1971.
Stairway to Heaven joins Led Zeppelin IV
Stairway to Heaven appeared on Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album in 1971, building from a fragile guitar opening into a widely recognised rock statement.
Prices and everyday money in 1971
Australia figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| Bread, delivered (about 2 lb loaf) | about 31 cents | per about 2 lb loaf Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Tea (½ lb equivalent) | about 32 cents | per ½ lb equivalent Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Sugar (2 lb equivalent) | about 22 cents | per 2 lb equivalent Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Potatoes (per lb equivalent) | about 6.6 cents | per lb equivalent Australian Bureau of Statistics |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1971 turns 55 in 2026. Before their birthday they are one year younger. Choose the birth year for the print; add the full date in the editor if you know it.
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