FROM Aussie stars romancing overseas superstars, to international superstars hooking up with some not so well known Aussies. Welcome to 2011.
And along with those pairings came babies, babies and more babies with the help of Australian born Princess Mary giving birth to twins and several other Aussie celebs welcoming their first additions to the family into the world.
But along with the year’s newborns also came some goodbyes as the rock’n'roll world lost two of its musical greats, and the Australian film industry said farewell to one of its most iconic actors.
HOOK UPS
- DELTA GOODREM AND NICK JONAS
After announcing her split to Brian McFadden via a statement on April 1, singer Delta Goodrem wasted little time finding a new suitor, being spotted all over the place with Disney star Nick Jonas.
Goodrem, 27, and 19-year-old Jonas, best known for his part in sibling singing trio The Jonas Brothers, were snapped in Bali in June. Although they have been tight-lipped about their romance most of the year, Goodrem opened up about the relationship to Australian reporters in November and introduced Jonas to her family this month.
Pictures: Delta Goodrem
Pictures:Jonas Bros
- NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE AND CAMERON MCGLINCHEY
The former Rogue Traders band-mates wed this year at an intimate ceremony in Melbourne on December 4. Natalie Bassingthwaighte, who is now known for her solo music career and as a judge on Seven’s The X Factor, wore a J’Aton gown as she walked down the aisle in front of around 100 people. The couple already have a 16-month-old daughter together called Harper. They returned from their honeymoon yesterday.
Pictures: Natalie Bassingthwaighte’s wedding
- LEONARDO DICAPRIO AND ALYCE CRAWFORD AND KENDAL SCHULER.
Leo sure loves the Australian hospitality. While the Hollywood hunk has been Down Under this year filming on the set of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby he’s been rumoured to have romanced not one, but two Aussie beauties.
Just days after his break up with Gossip Girl actress Blake Lively, Leo was reportedly receiving regular visits from 21-year -old Australia’s Next Top Model Alyce Crawford, and then just weeks later he was rumoured to be dating another Aussie model Kendal Schuler.
Pictures: Leonardo DiCaprio’s many lovers
Pictures: The Great Gatsby film set
- SHANE WARNE AND LIZ HURLEY
We’ve known about this unlikely pairing for a while, but the ex-Aussie cricketer and Hollywood star announced their engagement this year.
Warne took to Twitter to thank fans for their congratulations on October 2 and tweeted "I didn’t do it in front of 200 people at dinner. It was done privately and was very romantic – if I say so myself PS left knee is sore." The pair says they’re in no hurry to get married.
- JENNIFER HAWKINS AND JAKE WALL
The former Miss Universe and face of Myer and long-time boyfriend Jake Wall announced their engagement early this year, after Wall popped the question on a holiday over the New Year break.
The pair hosted a Moroccan-themed engagement party in March and plan to wed in early 2012.
HATCHINGS
Supermodel Miranda Kerr and her Hollywood star husband Orlando Bloom had their first child Flynn Christopher Blanchard Copeland Bloom, in January.
After the birth Kerr admitted she wouldn’t let Bloom leave the room during her 27-hour labour stating on America’s Conan O’Brien show "I made him pee in a bottle."
She returned to the Victoria Secret runway in November.
- BABY PRINCE AND PRINCESS
Not to be outdone by the British royal event this year with Prince William and Catherine Middleton, Australian-born Mary, Princess of Denmark, wife of Prince Frederik, gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, on January 8. The royals named the boy Prince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander and the girl was named Princess Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda.
Forty-four-year-old Nicole and country superstar husband Keith Urban welcomed a new addition to their family, Faith Margaret Urban Kidman, through surrogacy. Although Faith Margaret was born on December 28 in Nashville, the couple didn’t reveal their new daughter until January. Kidman and Urban are Faith Margaret’s biological parents.
Channel Seven presenter Grant Denyer became a first-time father to a baby girl with wife Cheryl on May 7. The couple revealed their daughter’s name, Sailor Shelley, two weeks after the birth.
Celebrity chef Curtis Stone’s first child, a boy with wife Lindsay Price, named Hudson, was born on November 6 in the United States.
We know she’s not really an Aussie, but Mel B’s on our screens and at our awards often enough for us to almost claim her as one. The former Spice Girl and hubby Stephen Belafonte had their first child Madison Brown Belafonte in LA in September. Mel has two other children from previous relationships.
Ben Cousins the footballer famous for his public battle with substance abuse welcomed his first child, Bobby Ernest Cousins, with girlfriend Maylea Tinecheff in September.
Ranting radio host Kyle Sandilands accidentally revealed that he had fathered a love child with an unnamed woman in October. The claim was later exposed as a stunt by the radio jock.
Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman gave birth to her first child, daughter Ruby Anne Susie Murch, with husband James Murch on July 8.
Australian/Canadian TV presenter and author Tara Moss and husband Dr Berndt Sellheim welcomed a baby girl named Sapphira on February 22.
Nine’s Getaway presenter Catriona Rowntree gave birth to her second child, Charles Stephen Rowntree Pettit, to farmer hubby James Pettit on March 11.
FINAL FAREWELLS
Australian acting legend Bill Hunter passed away surrounded by family and friends on May 21 after a battle with liver cancer.
Hunter was most famous for his roles in Australian films such as Muriel’s Wedding, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Gallipoli. His last two roles were cameos in this year’s hit film Red Dog as well as The Cup. He was 71 years old.
The rock ‘n’ roll world was shocked when the founding drummer of Australian rock band Cold Chisel died of a brain tumour on January 16, aged 56. Prestwich was diagnosed with the brain tumour two weeks before he died.
Cold Chisel embarked on their first tour in 30 years in October.
Just one day prior to Prestwich’s death, Sherbet guitarist 58-year-old Harvey James died in Melbourne on January 15 after a six-month battle with lung cancer.
Aussie hip-hop artist Robert Hunter, better known by his rapping name Hunter, died from neuroendocrine cancer on October 20, just weeks before the release of his charity album for youth cancer organisation, CanTeen. Hunter was a founder of Perth’s hip-hop scene. He was 36 years old.
The film and theatre actress, who had endured a long battle with cancer, died the day after her 78th birthday on October 6. Cilento, who was once married to James Bond actor Sean Connery, was awarded the Centenary Medal for her service to Australian arts and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 1957 film Tom Jones.
Actor, presenter and son of television food personality Lyndey Milan died on April 17 after being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia just three days prior.
The 29-year-old was best known for his presenting role on Nickelodeon’s Coast to Coast.
Jon Blake was famous for roles in the ’80s including Aussie soap opera The Restless Years and television mini-series ANZACS, before he was paralysed in a car accident in 1986. He died on May 30 from pneumonia aged 52.
The indigenous actor, from the Yamatji people, was found in a park in Fremantle, WA, and pronounced dead at the hospital on July 17, aged 44.
He three-time AFI Award-winning actor was most famous for his roles in Australia, Rabbit Proof Fence and Blackfellas.
- DELTA GOODREM AND BRIAN MCFADDEN
After seven years together and a three-year engagement the singing duo decided to call it quits in April, saying they had grown apart.
Goodrem, a former Neighbours star, and Irish singer McFadden, who collaborated on pop ballad Almost Here in 2005, released a statement to the media stating that they "mutually decided to end their relationship".
Goodrem has since been sighted with Disney star Nick Jonas, while McFadden, who was a judge on The X Factor, is dating Irish TV personality and DJ Vogue Williams.
- LARA BINGLE AND JASON DERULO
The model and Dancing with the Stars contestant was rumoured to be dating international RnB superstar Jason Derulo in February with Bingle telling Australian media they would continue to spend time together.
But sightings of the pair became less frequent and in July Bingle announced that she was in love with English rugby union player Danny Cipriani.
- THEN LARA BINGLE AND DANNY CIPRIANI
Just one month after doing a couple spread on the cover of Who magazine accompanied by an interview in which Bingle declared her love for the rugby player, their relationship was over.
Bingle’s manager announced the breakup telling The Sunday Telegraph, "Lara was as surprised about the split as I’m sure anyone else might be."
- ERIN McNAUGHT AND NATHAN JOLLIFFE
The model and MTV presenter split from her model boyfriend in September after a two-year relationship. The pair, who shared an apartment together in Bondi and were often seen on red carpets around Australia together, cited professional differences for the break up.