What happened on 17th August in Australia?

Answer 1

Arguably the most significant event that happened in Australia on 17 August was the disappearance in 1980 of baby Azaria Chamberlain at Ayers Rock. Michael and Lindy Chamberlain and their three children had arrived at Ayers Rock just the day before. When baby Azaria disappeared, Lindy claimed that a dingo had stolen her baby. No trace of the child was ever found, although her bloodstained clothes were found a week later by another tourist. Controversy dogged the case for years. At the first inquest into her death, commencing in February 1981, it was found that the likely cause of Azaria's disappearance was a dingo attack.

Police and prosecutors moved for a second inquest which was held in September 1981. This time, the new finding was made that Azaria had been killed with a pair of scissors and held by a small adult hand until she stopped bleeding. Lindy Chamberlain was convicted of murder on 29 October 1982. Her acquittal came several years later when a British tourist fell to his death from the Rock. When his body was finally located 8 days later amid an area full of dingo lairs, Azaria Chamberlain's missing jacket was also found. New evidence was presented showing that the methods of testing previous evidence had been unreliable, and no conviction could be made on those grounds. Lindy was released, and eventually awarded AU$1.3 million in compensation for wrongful imprisonment.

Answer 2

Probably not a whole lot.

The First Fleet landed in Australia at Port Jackson on 26 January 1788, so on the 27th, they were probably still unloading convicts and goods from the ships.