As is traditional in this column (well, dating back to 2019), the old year slouching out through the home paddock gate has to be reviewed. And then perhaps put down.
Drought, fires, floods, pandemic. Was that the worst year ever? Maybe, but first we revisit 12 months worth of other stuff that turned up on the bush telegraph.
January - In Canberra, already known for bulldust, a dust storm blocks out the sun, followed 24 hours later by huge hail.
February - Say it isn't so. General Motors announces there will be no more Holdens.
March - Fear of having the runs and being caught short leads to a nationwide run on loo paper. Haven't people heard of putting pages from the paper on a spike, behind the door in the long-drop?
April - Perth Airport parks bulldozers on the runway to get Virgin to pay some bills.
May - A Queenslander, trying to free a whale caught in a net, is fined for his trouble.
June - The CSIRO names five newly discovered flies after Marvel superheroes Thor, Loki, Black Widow, Deadpool, and Stan Lee.
July - Olympics cancelled. No Bledisloe Cup. General sporting misery.
August - Parkes Observatory, left over after being built as a prop for 'The Dish', is put on the National Heritage List.
September - Brisbane Broncos finish last, earning their first NRL wooden spoon.
October - Elon Musk, of Tesla electric car fame, names his boy X AE A-12.
November - Ex-PM Tony Abbott is appointed joint president of Britain's Board of Trade to flog global deals for the UK.
December - Speaking of joint-presidents, as we go to press there appears to be something about a country, whose No 1 is often called the leader of the free world, in uproar about who that leader might be. Biding their time, no doubt.
So was that the worst year ever? Not according to historians, who say 536 was 'the worst year to be alive' because of extreme weather events (sounds familiar), caused by volcanic eruptions that led to declining temperatures in Europe and China, with crop failures and then famine for well over a year.
Runner-up was 1918, mainly because of the Spanish flu pandemic, which killed millions of people. (Also sounds familiar).
Third is the year we've just survived. Phew. Hurry up 2021. Merry Christmas.