1979 in Australia
 |
| 1979 in Australia | |
|---|---|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor-General | Zelman Cowen |
| Prime minister | Malcolm Fraser |
| Population | 14,359,255 |
| Elections | SA, TAS, VIC |
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| Decades: | |||||
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| See also: | |||||
Incumbents
- Queen of Australia – Elizabeth II
- Prime Minister – Malcolm Fraser
- Governor General – Zelman Cowen
- Premier of New South Wales – Neville Wran
- Premier of South Australia – Don Dunstan, Des Cocoran
- Premier of Queensland – Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
- Premier of Tasmania – Harry Holgate
- Premier of Western Australia – Charles Court
- Premier of Victoria – Rupert Hamer
- Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – Paul Everingham
Events
- Neville Bonner is announced as Australian of the Year
- 9 June – A fire at Luna Park Sydney kills 7. The park is forced to close.
- 1 July - Commonwealth Death Duties abolished
- 11 July – The American space station Skylab crashes in Western Australia
- 19 July – The Miss Universe final is celebrated in Perth.
- 20 July – inaugural meeting of the National Farmers' Federation
- 24 July - Fourteen Coalminers die in a lethal gas explosion at Appin NSW.
- 19 October – The Australian Federal Police is established
Arts and literature
- Wes Walters wins the Archibald Prize for his portrait of Philip Adams
- David Ireland's novel A Woman of the Future wins the Miles Franklin Award
Film
- My Brilliant Career, directed by Gillian Armstrong, is released
- Mad Max
Television
- 11 February – The Australian 60 Minutes begins on the Nine Network
- 27 February – Prisoner makes its debut on the 0–10 Network.
Sport
- 14 January – Tasmania beats Western Australia by 47 runs to win their first Gillette Cup title.
- 25 March – Australia is represented by nine long-distance runners (all men), including Robert de Castella, at the seventh IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Limerick, Ireland. Steve Austin is Australia's best finisher, claiming the 29th spot (38:36.0) in the race over 12 kilometres.
- 28 April – Collingwood beat a sixty-year-old record for the greatest VFL winning margin when they demoralise St Kilda by 178 points, beating South Melbourne’s 171-point margin also against St Kilda, from 1919.
- 28 July – Fitzroy set a still-standing record winning margin when they beat Melbourne by 190 points at VFL Park. Their score of 36.22 (238) was a record until 1992.
- 12 August – Robert de Castella wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:13:23 in Perth.
- 22 September: The 1979 NSWRFL season culminates in St. George's victory over Canterbury-Bankstown
- 29 September Carlton Football Club wins the 1979 VFL Grand Final over Collingwood.
- 6 November – Hyperno wins the Melbourne Cup
- Victoria wins the Sheffield Shield
- Bumblebee IV takes line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Screw Loose is the handicap winner
- England defeats Australia 5-1 in The Ashes
- Australia wins the Admiral's Cup
- Jack Newton wins the Australian Open golf championship
- The National Basketball League is founded
Births
- 2 January – Robert Newbery, diver
- 3 January – Brooke Morrison, field hockey striker
- 4 March – Geoff Huegill, swimmer
- 12 March – Jamie Dwyer, field hockey forward
- 16 March — Suzie Faulkner, field hockey striker
- 4 April
- Heath Ledger, actor (died 2008)
- Rebecca Stoyel, gymnast
- 9 April – Graeme Brown, cyclist
- 18 April – Zain Wright, field hockey midfielder
- 22 April-Daniel Johns-Frontman and guitarist from Australian band silverchair
- 4 June - Jade MacRae, singer
- 5 June - Matthew Scarlett, footballer and coach
- 7 July – Loudy Tourky, diver
- 14 August – Paul Burgess, pole vaulter
- 23 August – Lance Whitnall, Australian Rules footballer
- 12 September – Aaron Hopkins, field hockey defender
- 29 September - Nathan Foley, singer (Hi 5)
- 11 October - Ryan Harris, cricketer
- 20 October – Tim Neesham, water polo player
- 12 November – Matt Stevic, footballer and umpire
- 16 November - Salli Wills, gymnast
- 15 December - Sam Cawthorn, motivational speaker, author & entrepreneur
- 21 December – Stephen Lambert, field hockey goalkeeper
Deaths
- 7 January – Ivan Stedman (83), swimmer (born 1895)
- 15 April – David Brand, Premier of Western Australia (born 1912)
- 6 June – Ion Idriess, author (born 1889)
