2009: A devastating tsunami, triggered by a large earthquake, killed more than 150 people in Samoa.

2009: Rory Fallon made history scoring the winning goal in the All Whites World Cup qualifier against Bahrain.

2009: This property on the corner of Wainoni Rd and Hampshire St became known as the 'House of Horrors' after the bodies of Tisha Lowry and Rebecca Chamberlain were found buried beneath.

2009: The nation watched as David Bain was retried for the murder of five family members. The jury promptly returned a not guilty verdict.

2008: Terrorists created death and destruction in India, killing 170 people.

2008: John Key was elected Prime Minister of New Zealand.

2008: Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.

2008: NZ farewelled Sir Edmund Hillary.

2008: The Beijing Olympics saw a courageous battle from Mahe Drysdale.

2007: The Silver Ferns lost the final of the world championships.

2007: The All Blacks left another World Cup broken-hearted.

2007: Hundreds of police officers raided communities in the North Island with search warrants obtained under new anti-terror legislation.

2007: Wellingtonians saw stars when David Beckham and the LA Galaxy came to town.

2007: Reluctant hero Willie Apiata is awarded the Victoria Cross, the first NZer to do so since World War II.

2006: Snow shut down parts of Canterbury after a huge snowstorm hit in June.

2006: Nick Willis won gold at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

2006: The Super 14 final between Wellington and Canterbury was played out in the fog.

2006: The world mourned the loss of Steve Irwin, who died after being stung by a stingray.

2006: Zinedin Zidane causes controversy with a head-butt in the Football World Cup.

2005: Michael Campbell wrote New Zealand sporting history be winning the US Open.

2005: Despite a long battle with illness, the death of Pope John Paul II still shocked the Catholic world.

2005: Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein goes on trial in Baghdad. The trial lasts for months as the irate dictator regularly sacks his legal team, some of whom become the target of attacks.

2005: Four bombs in quick succession ripped through London buses and Underground trains on July 7, killing 52 and injuring 700.

2004: The biggest recorded earthquake in history, 9.3 on the Richter scale, triggered a tidal wave that devastated coastal areas around the Indian Ocean.

2004: Nine-year-old wether Shrek had evaded capture (and shearing) for six years, earning him attention from international media.

2004: Hamish Carter and Bevan Docherty finished first and second in the triathlon to claim medals at the Athens Olympics.

2004: Terrorists continued to create death and mayhem in 2004, killing 200 commuters in an attack on Madrid.

2003: The space shuttle Columbia broke up and exploded high above Texas, killing seven astronauts.

2003: Investigators look over the crash site of the Air Adventures flight, after it crashed killing the pilot and seven Crop and Food Research staff.

2003: Taylor Bourne carries the helmet of his father Possum Bourne at his funeral.

2003: The broken mast of NZL82 summed up NZ's loss of the 2003 America's Cup to Russell Coutts' Alinghi team.

2003: The Silver Ferns put the smile back on our faces by winning the netball world championship in Jamaica.

2003: After a long, controversial campaign in Iraq, Saddam Hussein was captured in December.

2002: International terrorism hit home when Timaru man Mark Parker was one of three New Zealanders and 149 others killed in the Bali bombings at Kuta Beach.

2002: Terence Traynor snatched eight-month-old Kahurautete Durie at gunpoint from her pushchair while her adoptive mother Donna Hall was out walking near her Lower Hutt home in April 2002. Baby Kahu was held hostage in a Taumarunui home for eight days before police swooped.

2002: Mark Inglis became the first double amputee to climb Mount Cook.

2002: Almost overnight the Tall Blacks captured the hearts of a rugby nation with a stunning run to the semi-finals of the basketball world championships in Indianapolis.

2002: Bailey Junior Kurariki became the youngest person in Nz, aged 12, to be convicted for manslaughter for the beating of pizza delivery man Michael Choy. The nation was also shocked by the high profile killings and convictions and infamous names like Mark Lundy, Bruce Howse, Jules Mikus and William Bell for the triple RSA murder.

2001: Waikato trainer Sheila Laxon becomes the first woman to train the winner of the Melbourne Cup after Ethereal and jockey Scott Seamer won the race.

2001: Canterbury multi-sport legend Steve Gurney finishes the Coast-to-Coast race for the seventh of his nine wins in the famous race.

2001: Ben Blair is congratulated by team mates after scoring a last-minute try and conversion to save the Ranfurly Shield. Canterbury ewnt on to win the NPC title.

2001: The attacks on the World Trade Centre on September 11 changed the way Americans viewed the world.

2001: Sir Peter Blake, yachting hero, was shot by pirates on the Amazon River while on an environmental exploration trip for the UN.

2001: Russell Crowe wins an Oscar for Gladiator, Peter Jackson launches the first of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Kiwi director Andrew Adamson introduces the world to Shrek.

2000: We partied like it was 1999 and jumped into the new millenium full of excitement, expectations and fears that all our computers would come to a halt.

2000: After the infamous partial recount in Florida, George W. Bush became president of the United States.

2000: Todd Blackadder lead the Crusaders to their third consecutive Super 12 title.

2000: Air France flight 4590 crashed at Charles de Gaule international airport near Paris. All 109 passengers and nine crew were killed in an accident which proved to be the beginning of the end for this iconic aircraft.

2000: Rob Waddell saved New Zealand's blushes at the Sydney Olympics by winning gold in the single sculls.

2000: A furious storm in October 2000 destroyed the Lyttelton marina and smashed several boats.

2000: Black Magic NZL32 defended the America's Cup. The Kiwis were led by Sir Peter Blake and skipper Russell Coutts.

2000: Tensions run high in Taranaki after Senior Constable Keith Abbott shoots Steven Wallace in April.