As 2021 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the moments that made Aussies search, wonder and cook up a storm.

It was a year of more lockdowns, sporting victories and a rare earthquake in Melbourne. 

Australians rallied together for Cleo Smith, joined the #BartyParty and we also said farewell to Prince Philip and Bert Newton.

In the kitchen, we whipped up gnocchi, munched on Anzac biccies and sprinkled some spice on our curried sausages. 

Whether we were looking up definitions, building websites or making paper planes, we turned to Google Search to understand the world around us, learn new skills and find inspiration.

Here are five themes from our searches in Australia in 2021:

The pandemic is still powering our searches
As we navigated new seasons and surges of the pandemic, we searched to stay across outbreaks in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. We looked to book in for vaccines, get our vaccination certificates – and find the meaning of Omicron. We also showed our savvy and scientific curiosity, searching ‘how to make a face mask’ and interestingly, ‘how to make oxygen.’

Surprise surprise… we’re nuts for sport!
Our obsession with sport shines through again this year, as the top seven queries overall relate to basketball, footy, cricket, tennis and the Olympics. Despite restrictions on events and travel, we tuned in to cheer on our teams, track scores and share in the moments that made history. Both homegrown and international female athletes were standouts this year. We celebrated Ash Barty’s heroic win at Wimbledon, Ariarne Titmus’ Olympic triumph – and followed the journeys and resilience of Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles and Emma Raducanu.

We’re crafty, creative and ready to get down to business
When it comes to ‘how to’ and DIY searches, our queries were health-conscious, playful, artistic and ambitious. While ‘How to make a face mask’ topped the list, we still found levity during lockdown – channelling our creativity to make candles, playdough and paper boats. We were keen to sign-up to all kinds of classes nearby, including dance, pottery, piano and even glass blowing.

And while we may have lived in our leisurewear this year, we showed our entrepreneurial spirit and were ready to suit up – searching ‘how to make a website’ and ‘how to tie a tie.’

We searched for people, meanings and crypto
As we faced tragedy and tough times this year, we looked for answers when we were lost for words. Through Search, we showed our care and concern for Cleo Smith – and kept looking for William Tyrrell. We were shaken by the earthquake in Melbourne, the crisis in Afghanistan – and were curious about crypto. And as we wrapped our heads around complex issues and events, we looked up the meanings of terms like emancipated, insurrection and gaslighting.

Cravings for comfort, sugar and spice
Starting with appetisers, it seems we were keen for a chip and a dip this year, as we looked up guacamole and tzatziki recipes. For our heartier meals, we returned to classic comfort food – craving gnocchi, lamb shanks and minestrone soup. We did however allow for some adventure and spice, as curried sausages became an unexpected recipe trend. And while the menu for 2021 was mostly savoury, we did squeeze in some sweets with Anzac biscuits and rocky road.

Here are the top overall searches for Australia for 2021.

1. NBA
2. AFL
3. Australia vs India
4. NRL
5. Euro 2021
6. Wimbledon
7. Olympic medal tally
8. COVID NSW
9. Coinspot
10. Prince Philip

Are you surprised sport rates so highly in the most searched Australian terms?