1952
Future Prime Minister Bob Hawke graduates and wins Rhode Scholarship to Oxford University.

1953
The Festival of Perth is launched, founded by Professor Fred Alexander, then Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

1971
Future Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia Robert French graduates in law from UWA.

1975
Two peacocks and three peahens are donated to the University by Laurence (later Sir Laurence) Brodie-Hill and Jean Brodie-Hall (UWA’s Landscape Architect). Initially introduced to Whitfeld Court, the birds made their home in the Arts Building where their offspring have lived ever since.

1983
Robert James Lee (Bob) Hawke, previous Guild President and UWA graduate, is elected Prime Minister of Australia (1983-1991), the first from UWA.

Professor Helen Milroy graduates and is recognised as the first Indigenous medical graduate in Australia.

1990
The Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery is opened, built as a result of donations amounting to $1.2million.

Graduate Carmen Lawrence becomes Premier of Western Australia (1990–1993) and the first woman to become a premier of a state of the Commonwealth of Australia.

1999
36 students enrol in UWA Albany. Courses offered are a part-time first-year enrolment in Arts and Science and a part-time enrolment in a Master of Education Management.