We may, indeed, be living in the end of times, with natural disasters, death and politics dominating Google searches in Australia in 2025.
Cyclone Alfred was the number one overall Google search term by Australians in 2024, according to the annual search results list released by the tech company on Thursday.
It was followed by American political activist Charlie Kirk, who also topped Wikipedia’s list of the year’s most-read articles after being fatally shot in September, and in third place was Australian federal election 2025.
When we weren’t voting or doomscrolling, we were watching television. Belle Gibson, the Australian wellness scammer and subject of the hit show Apple Cider Vinegar, made it into the overall top 10 list, as did serial killer Ed Gein from the series Monster. In a nod to our sporting roots, England v India also made the top 10.
The American tennis player Madison Keys, who took out the 2025 Australian Open title, was the top trending global public figure, followed by the American TV host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who went viral after he was temporarily suspended over comments made about Kirk’s killing, and Danielle Collins, also a tennis player.
Natural disasters, the federal election and foreign conflict were the most searched news events, along with high-profile crime cases including Erin Patterson’s mushroom trial and the search for fugitive Dezi Freeman.
But there were some surprise inclusions. Bianca Censori Grammys ranked eighth of all news events after she wore a completely sheer outfit on the red carpet alongside her husband, Kanye West. Andy Bryon, the chief executive of Astronomer who was forced to resign after being caught cheating at a Coldplay concert, came in 10th.
Camilla Ibrahim, the search trends communications manager at Google Australia, said “this year, our searches showed we were tuned in to the events shaping our world, both at home and abroad”.
“We braced for natural disasters, turning to search not just for the latest updates on ‘Cyclone Alfred’ … but for crucial advice, asking ‘how to prepare for a cyclone’,” she said.
“We followed the election, went out to vote and searched for Peter Dutton and Sussan Ley. Beyond our borders, we followed the news about Charlie Kirk, and looked up Pope Francis, Pope Leo and Greta Thunberg.”
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Ibrahim said while it was a year of “seismic change and upheaval”, some trends remained constant.
Searches that continued to trend year on year included DIY car maintenance, St Patrick’s Day and, perhaps concerningly, how to talk to women.
The Easter holidays also had a dominant year, with hot cross buns coming in as the most searched recipe and Easter recipes coming in fourth (unsurprisingly, the viral Dubai chocolate recipe also made the list, though so did bacon dessert).
When is Easter? was the most searched question, followed closely by what does 6 7 mean? and who is Charlie Kirk? Bonus points for anyone who understands why “how to make ice-cream grow in a garden?” was highly searched.
The most searched games, toys and entertainment included the plush doll Labubu, so popular it got its own South Park episode, as well as the surprise smash hit KPop Demon Hunters and the Oscar-winning film Anora.
And if you wondered what Discog means, you weren’t alone. The term was the most searched definition of 2025, perhaps indicating an uptake in vinyl collecting.
Now to find out what’s in bacon dessert.
