Unlike What’s Trending – October 2015, October this year was all about big news events and support for great charities like the McGrath Foundation and the Movember Foundation.

The tragic accident on the Thunder River Rapids Ride at Dreamworld on 25 October shocked the nation and had Australians on Google searching for news on the event. Four people were killed on the ride when a raft collided with second raft that was stuck on the ride’s conveyor belt. Citizens of the Gold Coast, Dreamworld’s home, were the most concerned, followed by residents in nearby Brisbane. Searches peaked on the day as Australians sought out updates with related search terms like ‘Dreamworld ride accident’, ‘accident at Dreamworld’ and ‘news Dreamworld accident’.

Women of all ages on Facebook shared their support for the annual National Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign, which aims to increase awareness and detection of the disease. They also shared posts about the McGrath Foundation, founded by Jane and Glenn McGrath to raise money for placement of breast cancer nurses.

Revered Australian sports journalist and broadcaster Rebecca Wilson passed away on 7 October, aged 54, from a very private battle with breast cancer. When news of her unexpected death became public, Australians from all parts of the country sought out news and articles paying tribute to Wilson, who was well known for her role on the sports talk show The Fat opposite host Tony Squires.

Men’s health was also in the spotlight in October, as predominantly younger men on Facebook prepared for Movember, the annual event held in November where men grow moustaches to raise much-needed awareness for men’s health issues. They encouraged their Facebook friends to donate to the Movember Foundation and expressed their support for the cause.

Australians on Google kept up with world events as category 5 Hurricane Matthew formed on 28 September and dissipated on 10 October, hitting the Western Atlantic region with deadly force and destruction. The tropical cyclone was estimated to have killed over 1,600 people across Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic, southeastern United States, Canadian Maritimes and Lucayan Archipelago. The most concerned Australians could be found in the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the ACT, with ‘Hurricane Matthew Florida’, ‘Hurricane Matthew radar’ and ‘Hurricane Matthew Path’ being among the most popular related queries.

Australians on Facebook joined in on the global noise surrounding then-candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as they made their way around the country on the campaign trail in a bid to become the next President of the United States. Stories on both candidates flooded the platform as the election date got closer, with Donald Trump ultimately becoming America’s next President after the Presidential Election was held on 8 November.

As the annual Spring Racing Carnival kicked off on the 29 October with Derby Day, keen race-goers got excited for the main event on 1 November – the Melbourne Cup – by keeping in the loop on Google. Searches for this term became popular towards the end of the month, especially with gamblers in the Gold Coast, Canberra, Brisbane and Perth. ‘Melbourne Cup sweep’, ‘Melbourne Cup horses’ and ‘Melbourne Cup tips’ were top of mind for many Googlers, and TAB and Sportsbet were the methods of choice for placing a bet. Almandin won the race at $11 odds.

Brand buzz for Qantas was rife on Facebook in October, as the Australian airline revealed a new logo and typography via a Facebook Live broadcast from the Qantas Sydney Jet Base. The new logo symbolises the beginning of a new era for the much-loved brand as it heads toward its centenary, and was embraced by Australians on Facebook, particularly older women.

Over the month of October, Halloween was a topic that maintained steady interest which then grew to a peak in late October as the day rolled around. Sunshine Coast locals were the keenest to get in the spirit of things on what is traditionally perceived as an American holiday, with roots in Celtic-speaking countries and Christianity. Googlers were interested in all manner of Halloween-themed ideas, and a selection of these included ‘simple Halloween makeup’, ‘Halloween printables’ and ‘easy Halloween costumes’. But not everyone wanted to participate: ‘no Halloween sign’ was also a popular term; suggesting trick-or-treaters still aren’t welcome at everyone’s house.

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