Signing through time

Early history Informal sign languages evolved among deaf communities worldwide.

1790

Elizabeth Steel, the first known European deaf person in Australia, arrived as a convict on the Second Fleet.

1870

Samuel Watson, superintendent of the NSW Institution for the Deaf & Dumb & the Blind, became Australia’s first recorded sign language interpreter, working at church services in Sydney’s St Andrews Cathedral.

1932

The National Centre for Training of Welfare Staff for the Australian Deaf Societies began training its first interpreter, Wilfred Appleton.

1984

The first interpreted theatre performance took place at Sydney’s Theatre Royal.

1989

The first dictionary of Auslan was published by Dr Trevor Johnston, who coined the name Auslan.

1992

The Broadcasting Services Act 1992 makes closed captioning on news broadcasts a legal requirement.

2006

David Gibson is the first member of any Parliament in Australia to give a maiden speech in Auslan.