And for a year that no one could have predicted, the most Googled topics by Australians were actually quite predictable.

The News category well and truly led the way in predictability.

News topics

1. US election
2. Coronavirus
3. Fires near me
4. Coronavirus Victoria
5. Toilet paper
6. NSW fires
7. Qantas share price
8. Air quality Melbourne
9. Beirut explosion
10. NSW coronavirus

Toilet paper is clearly the odd one out, a sad reflection on what we prioritised when the pandemic struck.

Historians might wonder if it is somehow connected to the many fires. Did someone roll out some paper and light it? If this were the case we’d surely see a trending search for pyro named ‘The Loo lighter’.

A number of searches from the news list also appear on the top overall searches.

Overall searches

1. US election
2. Coronavirus
3. NBA
4. Zoom
5. Coronavirus symptoms
6. Kobe Bryant
7. Weather tomorrow
8. Fires near me
9. Coronavirus Victoria
10. Trump v Biden

Here we have a taste of a year like any other, with the inclusion of ‘weather tomorrow’. But this is where the familiarity stops. It’s fair to suggest most of the weather tomorrow results were ‘fire’ or 'smoke'.

This list does suggest to employers that their staff weren’t lying when they said they couldn’t find Zoom.

What surprises me on a personal level is why 'spell chiwowa' or 'spell lasarnya' aren't in here.

The category to highlight just how absurd 2020 really was has to be the most Googled global public figures.

Global Public Figures

1. Joe Biden
2. Kim Jong-un
3. Boris Johnson
4. Kamala Harris
5. Tom Hanks
6. Kanye West
7. Joe Exotic
8. Donald Trump
9. Prince Harry
10. Carole Baskin

Imagine you’re in the year 2070 doing a history report for Year 10. The topic: ‘Who was influential in the year 2020?’.

Next thing you know you’re writing about two big cat owners; one a confirmed criminal and one a suspected criminal (at least suspected by the confirmed criminal).

Along with that you have a rapper who ran for president and has at times claimed to be Jesus himself.

Plus, a Prince…the real shock here comes when you discover his Uncle’s sweat gland claims.

See below for more of Googles top search categories in Australia.

Australian public figures

1. Dani Laidley
2. Celeste Barber
3. Gladys Berejiklian
4. George Pell
5. Quaden Bayles
6. Pete Evans
7. Nicola Gobbo
8. Peter Dutton
9. Richard Pusey
10. Ben Cousins

‘Can I ….?’

1. Where can I buy toilet paper?
2. Where can I buy hand sanitiser?
3. Where can I get tested for coronavirus?
4. Can I access my super?
5. How many people can I have in my house?
6. When can I access my super?
7. Can I go fishing in NSW?
8. How much can I borrow home loan?
9. How far can I travel in Qld?
10. Can I leave Australia?

Recipes

1. Hand sanitiser
2. Sourdough bread
3. Beef stroganoff
4. Spaghetti bolognese
5. Doughnut
6. Crumpet
7. Macaron
8. Anzac cookie
9. Banana bread
10. Dalgona coffee

How to ….?

1. How to make hand sanitiser
2. How to make a face mask
3. How to use Zoom
4. How to get tested for coronavirus
5. How to make bread
6. How to make self-raising flour
7. How to apply for Centrelink
8. How to buy shares
9. How to apply for JobKeeper
10. How to make whipped coffee

DIY

1. DIY hand sanitiser
2. DIY face mask pattern
3. DIY neck hammock
4. DIY ventilator
5. DIY foot scrub
6. DIY fire pit area
7. DIY toilet paper
8. DIY pottery kit
9. DIY antibacterial wipes
10. DIY scrunchie holder

Main Image: Google Trends