I have cobbled together a few dodgy sources to build a 35 year graph of the total returns (includes dividends) for the ASX 200. The S&P/ASX 200 only came into being in 2000 so some of the data is of a composite nature. The thing that is always interesting about this is how little damage the 1987 crash actually did.
Thanks Chris it fascinates me how perception never matches reality
What is also interesting is that the market was down 40% in the year of the GFC and up 40% the following year plus 2 further years of + 20% returns and we are still yet to surpass the highs achieved pre-GFC in Australia. Illustrates how hard it is to come back from such a big negative hit.