Celebrating 50 Years

The timeline

Explore JCU’s rich history, which begins in North Queensland and stretches around the globe. From ground-breaking research and discoveries to milestones in education, JCU is continually growing and forging a brighter future for the Tropics.

1950

The beginning of a legacy
- 1957
  
  A regional university
- 1958 12 October
  
  Official news
1960

Building a strong foundation: From fundraising to official openings and graduations
- 1960 February
  
  Fundraising begins
- 1960
  
  State Cabinet announcement
- 1961 1 January
  
  Dr Frank Olsen
- 1961 27 February
  
  Official opening of University College of Townsville
- 1962 21 June
  
  A gift of land
- 1962 8 December
  
  Dr Ken Back
- 1964 2 March
  
  First graduate
- 1964 7 November
  
  Breaking ground
- 1965
  
  Research station opens
- 1966 29 July
  
  Foundation stone
- 1966
  
  Foundation for Australian Literary Studies
- 1967
  
  Buildings open
- 1968
  
  Library foundations
- 1969
  
  Eddie Koiki Mabo
- 1969 10 December
  
  JCU bill passes
1970

A royal visit, a cyclone strikes and world-class research paves the way
- 1970 20 April
  
  Her Majesty visits
- 1970 - September
  
  Super computer arrives
- 1970
  
  The start of a 50-year contribution
- 1971
  
  Chancellor elect
- 1971
  
  Student representation
- 1971 December
  
  Cyclone Althea
- 1972
  
  Cyclone research
- 1972
  
  Open sea
- 1972
  
  Coat of arms
- 1973
  
  Reef protection
- 1973
  
  First JCU graduates
- 1974
  
  A new era
- 1974
  
  Free university
- 1974
  
  Student representation
- 1976
  
  Library grows
- 1977
  
  Cyclone research
- 1977 August
  
  Open to the community
- 1978
  
  Lifesaving research
- 1978
  
  Classroom in the outback
- 1978
  
  Classroom on the reef
- 1979
  
  Honorary fellow
- 1979
  
  Sad news
1980

Research goes into uncharted waters while doors open farther north
- 1980
  
  First honorary degree
- 1980
  
  University teaching centralised
- 1981 August
  
  Land rights
- 1982
  
  Growing numbers
- 1982
  
  Life saving invention
- 1983
  
  Protect and Serve
- 1983
  
  Marine studies
- 1984
  
  Order of Australia
- 1985
  
  Looking at Cairns
- 1986
  
  25 years in Townsville
- 1986
  
  Passing of the torch
- 1987
  
  Tropical health
- 1987
  
  A wealth of knowledge
- 1987
  
  JCU comes to Cairns
- 1989
  
  Breaking new ground
- 1989
  
  Cairns leadership
1990

Offerings grow and educational opportunities broaden
- 1990
  
  Tourism comes to JCU
- 1990
  
  Australian Festival of Chamber Music
- 1990
  
  The next generation of nurses
- 1990
  
  A new tune
- 1992 21 January
  
  Mabo Legacy
- 1992
  
  Research excellence
- 1992
  
  A new era of graduate
- 1992
  
  Breaking new ground
- 1993 15 February
  
  Unexpected tragedy
- 1993 March
  
  New Chancellor
- 1993 April
  
  Leaving a mark
- 1993
  
  Art and design
- 1994
  
  Distinguished service
- 1994
  
  Improving health in PNG
- 1994
  
  Order of Australia
- 1995
  
  Cairns campus finds a new home
- 1996
  
  Change in leadership
- 1997
  
  New Vice-Chancellor
- 1997
  
  Mount Isa
- 1997 December
  
  Legislative naming
- 1998
  
  Finding our name
- 1998 - 2 May
  
  Professor Martin Nakata
- 1998 26 May
  
  National Sorry Day
- 1999
  
  New Chancellor
- 1999
  
  Pharmacy launches
- 1999
  
  Rhodes scholar
2000

Global recognition, JCU Singapore opens, and Eddie Koiki Mabo remembered
- 2000
  
  JCU Medicine comes alive
- 2003 August
  
  Global recognition
- 2003
  
  International growth
- 2003
  
  Thursday Island
- 2006 March
  
  JCU grows
- 2006
  
  Animal Care
- 2007 15 January
  
  New leadership
- 2008
  
  Ancestral discovery
- 2008 21 May
  
  Reconciliation
- 2008 September
  
  JCU Singapore moves
- 2008
  
  Herbarium opens
- 2009
  
  Oral care
2010

Frogs to Innovation, via the Daintree Rainforest Observatory and a rugby league legend
- 2010
  
  Frog research
- 2010
  
  AITHM
- 2010
  
  Fresh water
- 2011
  
  Oldest dino discovery
- 2011
  
  Singapore joins the JCU family
- 2011
  
  Outstanding alumni - entrepreneurial expertise
- 2011
  
  State-of-the-art facility opens
- 2011
  
  Discovery Rise
- 2012
  
  Outstanding alumni - humanitarian
- 2012
  
  Oral health for the community
- 2012
  
  20th anniversary of the historic Mabo Decision
- 2013
  
  Cairns Institute established
- 2013
  
  Historic hominid fossil discovery
- 2013
  
  Reconciliation Action Plan
- 2013
  
  Outstanding alumni - reef protector
- 2014
  
  Classroom in the rainforest
- 2014
  
  TEDx
- 2014
  
  Outstanding alumni - Antarctic research
- 2014
  
  State of the Tropics
- 2015
  
  Chancellor elect
- 2015
  
  3D satellite mapping of reefs
- 2015
  
  Study in the City
- 2015
  
  Outstanding alumni - legal leader
- 2015 December
  
  Rugby legend honoured
- 2016
  
  Outstanding alumni - Indigenous health advocate
- 2016
  
  JCU Singapore
- 2016 - 29 June
  
  International Day of the Tropics
- 2016
  
  General Practice training for regional and rural communities
- 2016
  
  Improving gender equity in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine
- 2017
  
  An Australian first at JCU
- 2017
  
  Broderick Review
- 2017
  
  JCU recognised as No. 1
- 2017
  
  A place for science
- 2017
  
  Cairns growth
- 2017
  
  Outstanding alumni - smart tech
- 2017 16 August
  
  Indigenous Education and Research Centre launch
- 2018
  
  Living on campus
- 2018
  
  JCU Dentistry - No tolerance for Domestic Violence
- 2018
  
  Zambian class of 2018
- 2018
  
  Outstanding alumni - marine expert
- 2019
  
  Innovating
2020

A celebration!
- 2020 January
  
  50 treasures for 50 years
- 2020 March
  
  Central Plaza opens
- 2020
  
  COVID-19
- 2020 April
  
  Chancellor re-elected
- 2020 20 April
  
  JCU celebrates 50 years
- 2020 April
  
  Student Support
- 2020 May
  
  Deputy Chancellor Elect
- 2020 June
  
  Mabo footage released for the first time
- 2020 June
  
  The Mabo Interpretive Wall opens
- 2020 July
  
  JCU Ideas Lab
- 2020 August
  
  JCU graduate job success
- 2020 October
  
  Heroes in Business
- 2020 October
  
  Coral discovery
- 2020 December
  
  Indigenous campus naming
- 2021 February
  
  Pharmacy expands
- 2021 March
  
  Graduations
- 2021 April
  
  Icons honoured
- 2021 September
  
  Vice Chancellor Elect
- 2021 September
  
  JCU’s Thursday Island campus Indigenous name unveiled
- 2021 October
  
  Knightly honour for JCU Professor
- 2021 November
  
  First DVC Indigenous Education and Strategy
- 2021 November
  
  Retirement of distinguished Professor Terry Hughes
- 2021 November
  
  JCU Alumni Shine
- 2022 February
  
  A new legacy begins
- 2022 May
  
  Deputy Chancellor Elect
- 2022 May
  
  First Indigenous Supreme Court Judge
- 2022 June
  
  Prof Gracelyn Smallwood AM named as a Queensland Great
- 2022 June
  
  30th Anniversary of Mabo Decision
- 2023 January
  
  Indigenous leader elected as JCU’s next Chancellor
- 2023 May
  
  Mackay JCU campuses gifted Indigenous name
- 2023 June
  
  Professor Ngiare Brown formally inducted as JCU’s sixth chancellor
- 2023 June
  
  JCU holds a panel discussion of the upcoming Voice to Parliament vote
- 2023 October
  
  Australians vote in the referendum concerning the Voice to Parliament

Celebrating 50 Years

1950

1957

1958 12 October

1960

1960 February

1960

1961 1 January

1961 27 February

1962 21 June

1962 8 December

1964 2 March

1964 7 November

1965

1966 29 July

1966

1967

1968

1969

1969 10 December

1970

1970 20 April

1970 - September

1970

1971

1971

1971 December

1972

1972

1972

1973

1973

1974

1974

1974

1976

1977

1977 August

1978

1978

1978

1979

1979

1980

1980

1980

1981 August

1982

1982

1983

1983

1984

1985

1986

1986

1987

1987

1987

1989

1989

1990

1990

1990

1990

1990

1992 21 January

1992

1992

1992

1993 15 February

1993 March

1993 April

1993

1994

1994

1994

1995

1996

1997

1997