1906 in Australia
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The following lists events that happened during 1906 in Australia.
| 1906 in Australia | |
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| Monarch | Edward VII |
| Governor-General | Henry Northcote, 1st Baron Northcote |
| Prime minister | Alfred Deakin |
| Population | 4,059,083 |
| Elections | Federal, South Australia, Tasmania |
Incumbents
- Monarch – Edward VII
- Governor General – Henry Northcote, 1st Baron Northcote
- Prime Minister – Alfred Deakin
- Chief Justice – Samuel Griffith
State premiers
- Premier of New South Wales – Joseph Carruthers
- Premier of South Australia – Thomas Price
- Premier of Queensland – Arthur Morgan (to 19 January), then William Kidston
- Premier of Tasmania – John Evans
- Premier of Western Australia – Cornthwaite Rason (to 7 May), then Newton Moore
- Premier of Victoria – Thomas Bent
State governors
- Governor of New South Wales – Sir Harry Rawson
- Governor of South Australia – Sir George Ruthven Le Hunte
- Governor of Queensland – Frederic Thesiger, 3rd Baron Chelmsford (from 30 November)
- Governor of Tasmania – Sir Gerald Strickland
- Governor of Western Australia – Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford
- Governor of Victoria – Major General Sir Reginald Talbot
Events
- 27 January – A cyclone damages Cairns and Innisfail in Queensland.
- 6 February – The world's first surf lifesaving club is formed at Bondi Beach.
- 5 May – The first electric trams begin running in Melbourne from St Kilda to Brighton.
- 16 June – The town of Roma, Queensland becomes the first town in Australia to be lit and powered by natural gas, however the gas reserve only lasts ten days.
- 16 July – The Australian Army Cadet Corps is formed.
- 1 September – Control of British New Guinea is formally transferred to Australia from Britain.
- 12 December – 1906 Australian federal election: The government of Prime Minister Alfred Deakin is returned to power, however voter turn-out is low.
Science and technology
- 12 July – The first wireless radio transmission is made from the Australian mainland between Point Lonsdale, Victoria and Devonport, Tasmania.
Arts and literature
Film
- 26 December – The national premiere of The Story of the Kelly Gang, generally regarded as the world's first feature length film, takes place at the Athenaeum Hall in Melbourne.
Sport
- 26 January – New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield.
- 26 April – 2 May – The 1906 Intercalated Games are held in Athens, Greece – Australia wins three bronze medals.
- 22 September – Carlton wins the VFL grand final, beating Fitzroy 15.4 (94) to 6.9 (45).
- 6 November – Poseidon wins the Melbourne Cup.
Births
- 18 January – Hedley Bunton, missionary (died 1997)
- 19 January – Rachel Cleland, community worker (died 2002)
- 5 February – Alexander Spence, soldier (died 1983)
- 16 May – Ernie McCormick, cricketer (died 1991)
- 27 May – Raymond Ferrall, businessman, author and cricketer (died 2000)
- 17 July – Dunc Gray, Olympic cyclist (died 1996)
- 12 August – Harry Hopman, tennis player and coach (died 1985)
- 22 August – Lotus Thompson, silent film actress (died 1963)
- 31 August – Edwin Sherbon Hills, geologist (died 1986)
- 2 October – Thomas Hollway, Premier of Victoria (died 1971)
- 21 November – Tom Clarke, VFL footballer for Essendon (died 1981)
- 30 November – Mabel Miller, lawyer and politician (died 1978)
- 3 December – Frank Packer, media proprietor and father of Kerry Packer (died 1974)
- 9 December – Douglas Nicholls, Aboriginal pastor and Governor of South Australia (died 1988)
- 22 December – Clive Turnbull, Tasmanian author and journalist (died 1975)
Deaths
- 1 January – Hugh Nelson, Premier of Queensland (born 1835)
- 4 January – Jessie Rooke, Tasmanian temperance campaigner and suffragette (born 1845)
- 14 January – Henry Yelverton, politician (born 1854)
- 5 March – Hugh Ramsay, artist (born 1877)
- 7 March – Frederick William Haddon, journalist (born 1839)
- 14 March – George Selth Coppin, actor and politician (born 1819)
- 10 April – Sir Adye Douglas, 17th Premier of Tasmania (born 1815)
- 16 April – William Farrer, agronomist and wheat breeder (born 1845)
- 6 August – George Waterhouse, 6th Premier of South Australia (born 1824)
- 8 August – William Purkiss, West Australian politician (born 1844)
- 3 September – Sir Samuel Davenport, South Australian politician (born 1818)
- 6 October – James Bonwick, writer (born 1817)
- 31 October – Charles Troedel, printer (born 1836)
- 2 November – Henry Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden, Governor of New South Wales (born 1841)
