Today, Google released data around the most popular questions, trends, and topics searched for by Australians during 2022.
Here are the searches that saw the biggest jumps in traffic compared to last year.
1. Wordle
The online word game that garnered global popularity in 2022 was the top trend. The New York Times bought the game from creator, Josh Wardle, in January.
2. Australian Open
This year’s tennis tournament saw Ash Barty win her first Australian Open (before her retirement just months later), while Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis took out the Men’s Doubles.
3. World Cup
The Qatar FIFA World Cup kicked off last month, with Australia winning a record number of games at the tournament.
4. Shane Warne
Legendary Australian cricketer Shane Warne passed away in March while in Thailand. A state memorial service was staged at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to honour Warne’s life.
5. Ukraine
Russia invaded Ukraine in February, causing the deaths of thousands of people and the forced migration of millions.
6. Novak Djokovic
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic dominated national headlines at the start of the year when he was deported by the Federal Government ahead of the Australian Open due to his COVID-19 vaccination status.
7. Ashes
Australia dominated England on home turf during the 2021/22 Ashes Series. They won four of the five matches, and drew the other.
8. Ash Barty
Australian tennis star Ash Barty won her first Australian Open title in January. In March, she announced her retirement from the game.
9. Olivia Newton-John
Australian actress Olivia Newton-John passed away in August after a long battle with cancer. Her family accepted an offer for a state funeral from the Victorian Government.
10. Betty White
Legendary actress and comedian Betty White passed away on New Year’s Eve last year. She died less than three weeks before her 100th birthday.
