2021 has been a truly overwhelming year. Lockdowns, Parliamentary disasters, floods, earthquakes and more.

As this year comes to a close, ( thank god), it's the perfect time to look back on the stories that piqued the interests of Australians across the country.

Thanks to data, we can pinpoint the moments of 2021 that captured the most attention. It ranges from the rescue of Cleo Smith, the reemergence of Adele, the story of Olympic sprinter Peter Bol, to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and updates in the case of William Tyrrell.

So without further ado, let's unpack what we were all frantically googling in 2021.

Watch: Things you never say in 2021. Post continues below.

News Events.

COVID-19.

Now it simply couldn't be a 2021 deep dive without a mention of COVID.

When it came to COVID-19 related searches, there was a specific interest in updates for New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland cases and border restrictions.

Only spiking in the last month, Omicron has also 'made a name for itself' in Google Search, with many Aussies trying to find out the variant's severity and relevance.

Dr Angelique Coetzee, chair of the South African Medical Association, was amongst the first to spot the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

When Dr Coetzee spoke toMamamia this year, she highlighted that data suggests a high transmission rate, but that "we don't see severely ill patients" when it comes to contracting Omicron.

As for what's trending in search currently re COVID-19? Aussies are still apprehensive of border closures and restrictions in the lead-up to Christmas: we have our fingers crossed for a bit of normalcy this festive season.

Cleo Smith:

The story of Cleo Smith, not only captured the hearts and attention of Australia but also across the globe.

The four-year-old girl went missing from her family's tent while camping at the remote Blowholes campsite in Western Australia. Eighteen days later, she was discovered by police in a locked Carnarvon home.

When the news broke that Cleo had been found, there was shock, relief and gratitude, therefore explaining the keen interest in the case regarding Google Search results.

Media coverage was monumental to say the least over Cleo's disappearance and rescue. But once Cleo was returned to her relieved family and able to start to healing process, the news coverage didn't stop. Rather it amplified.

Listen to Mamamia Out Loud: Welcome home, Cleo. Post continues after audio.

AsMamamia'snews editor, Gemma Bath, wrote this year:"We are not owed a front-row seat to Cleo's recovery. We can report. We should be reporting. It's an important story to tell, and the police and Cleo's family are sharing details they are happy for us to publish. The issue arises when the media - and the public that demands it - probe too far."

William Tyrrell:

In 2014, three-year-old William Tyrrell went missing from his foster grandmother’s house in Kendall on the NSW Mid-North Coast.

Seven years later, there have been major developments in the case.