1961 in Australia
 |
| 1961 in Australia | |
|---|---|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor-General | William Morrison, then William Sidney |
| Prime minister | Robert Menzies |
| Population | 10,548,267 |
| Elections | Federal, VIC |
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| Decades: | |||||
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| See also: | |||||
Incumbents
- Monarch – Elizabeth II
- Prime Minister – Robert Menzies
- Governor General – William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil (died in office 3 February), then William Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle
State Premiers
- Premier of New South Wales – Robert Heffron
- Premier of Queensland – Frank Nicklin
- Premier of South Australia – Sir Thomas Playford
- Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
- Premier of Western Australia – David Brand
- Premier of Victoria – Henry Bolte
State Governors
- Governor of New South Wales – Sir Eric Woodward
- Governor of Queensland – Sir Henry Abel Smith
- Governor of South Australia – Sir Edric Bastyan (from 4 April)
- Governor of Tasmania – Thomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan
- Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner
- Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooks
Events
- 2 January – Oral contraceptives are first sold in Australia
- 20 January to early March – Disastrous bushfires affect Western Australia, completely destroying a number of towns.
- 25 February – Last electric tram service runs in Sydney
- 23 June – Australia signed the Antarctic Treaty
- 12 August – Richmond become the only team since 1922 to fail to score a goal in a VFL/AFL match.
- 31 October – Parkes radiotelescope officially opened by the Governor General
- 30 November – Ansett-ANA Flight 325, a Vickers Viscount aircraft, crashes into Botany Bay shortly after takeoff, killing all 15 on board
Arts and literature
- Dame Joan Sutherland is announced as Australian of the Year
- William Edwin Pidgeon wins the Archibald Prize
- The novel Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence is banned from sale
- Riders in the Chariot by Patrick White is awarded the Miles Franklin Literary Award
Television
- 19 August – Four Corners TV current affairs program first screened on ABC TV
Sport
- Cricket
- New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield
- The Ashes: Australia defeats England 2-1 and retains The Ashes
- Football
- Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Norths defeated Valleys 29-5
- New South Wales Rugby League premiership: St. George defeated Western Suburbs 22-0
- South Australian National Football League premiership: won by West Adelaide
- Victorian Football League premiership: Hawthorn defeated Footscray 94-51
- Golf
- Australian Open: won by Frank Phillips
- Australian PGA Championship: won by Alan Murray (golfer)
- Horse Racing
- Summer Fair wins the Caulfield Cup
- Dhaulagiri wins the Cox Plate
- Magic Night wins the Golden Slipper
- Lord Fury wins the Melbourne Cup
- Motor Racing
- The Australian Grand Prix was held at Mallala and won by Lex Davison driving a Cooper Climax
- Tennis
- Australian Open men's singles: Roy Emerson defeats Rod Laver 1–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–4
- Australian Open women's singles: Margaret Court defeats Jan Lehane O'Neill 6-1, 6–4
- Davis Cup: Australia defeats Italy 5-0 in the 1961 Davis Cup final
- Wimbledon: Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser win the Men's Doubles
- Wimbledon: Rod Laver wins the Men's Singles
- Yachting
- Astor takes line honours and Rival wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Births
- 1 January – Sam Backo, Indigenous Australian rugby league footballer
- 14 March – Garry Jack, rugby league footballer and coach
- 16 March – Brett Kenny, rugby league footballer
- 24 March – Dean Jones, cricketer
- 12 April
- Magda Szubanski, actor and comedian
- Lisa Gerrard, singer
- 16 May – Gina Riley, actor and comedian
- 31 May – Justin Madden, Australian rules footballer
- 16 June – Peter Sterling, rugby league footballer
- 6 July - Rick Price, singer
- 21 July – Morris Iemma, Premier of New South Wales
- 15 September – Terry Lamb, rugby league footballer and coach
- 8 October – Simon Burke, actor
- 19 October – Cliff Lyons, rugby league footballer
- 18 November – Anthony Warlow, entertainer
- 23 November – Merv Hughes, cricketer
- 17 December – Larry Anthony, politician
- 29 December – Mal Brough, politician
Deaths
- 3 February – William Morrison (born 1893), Governor General of Australia
- 20 February – Percy Grainger (born 1882), pianist and composer
- 22 May – Lionel Lindsay (born 1874), artist
- 27 September – Peter Dawson (born 1882), singer
- 3 December – Pat O'Hara Wood (born 1891), tennis player
- 20 December – Earle Page (born 1880), Prime Minister of Australia
