Born in 1980
Turns 46 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1980
1980 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 1980 · Australia
A little history to go with their gift.
Pac-Man helped video games become familiar popular culture, and The Empire Strikes Back expanded the Star Wars story on screen. At Wimbledon, Björn Borg and John McEnroe met in a memorable final. Games, cinema and sport each supplied a lasting image of 1980.
What happened in 1980?
Australia’s first female airline pilot takes the controls
Ansett pilot Debbie Wardley became the first Australian woman to fly as a commercial airline pilot.
Melbourne opens its first underground loop section
The first section of Melbourne’s underground railway loop opened in January 1980.
Fraser retains office as Coalition majority shrinks
On 18 October 1980, Fraser?s Coalition kept office with a smaller House majority and lost Senate control. This shifted the balance in federal politics.
SBS Television begins full-time broadcasting
SBS Television began full-time transmission in Sydney and Melbourne on 24 October 1980.
Firsts and new ideas
Voyager 1 made its Saturn flyby
On November 12, Voyager 1 made its closest approach to Saturn, extending its tour of the outer planets.
Cosmos premieres on public television
Carl Sagan's Cosmos: A Personal Voyage premiered on PBS on September 28, 1980.
Number ones and music in 1980
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
AC/DC begins a hard rock comeback
AC/DC released Back in Black in the United States and United Kingdom, introducing Brian Johnson as the band's new lead singer.
Lennon and Ono record a shared return
John Lennon and Yoko Ono released Double Fantasy in November 1980, ending Lennon's long break from recording.
Prices and everyday money in 1980
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, sliced milk loaf (about 1½ lb loaf) | about 64 cents | per about 1½ lb loaf Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Tea (½ lb equivalent) | about 70 cents | per ½ lb equivalent Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Sugar (2 lb equivalent) | about 43 cents | per 2 lb equivalent Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Potatoes (per lb equivalent) | about 20 cents | per lb equivalent Australian Bureau of Statistics |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1980 turns 46 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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