1939 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1939 in Australia.

Incumbents

*Monarchy in Australia, Monarch – George VI of the United Kingdom, George VI
*Governor-General of Australia, Governor-General – Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, Alexander Hore-Ruvthen, 1st Baron Gowrie
*Prime Minister of Australia, Prime Minister – Joseph Lyons (until 7 April), then Earle Page, Sir Earle Page (until 26 April), then Robert Menzies
*Chief Justice of Australia, Chief Justice – Sir John Latham

State Premiers

*Premier of New South Wales – Bertram Stevens (politician), Bertram Stevens (until 5 August) then Alexander Mair
*Premier of Queensland – William Forgan Smith
*Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
*Premier of Tasmania – Albert Ogilvie (until 10 June), then Edmund Dwyer-Gray (until 18 December), then Robert Cosgrove
*Premier of Victoria – Albert Dunstan
*Premier of Western Australia – John Willcock

State Governors

*Governor of New South Wales – John Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst
*Governor of Queensland – Leslie Orme Wilson, Sir Leslie Orme Wilson
*Governor of South Australia – Winston Dugan, 1st Baron Dugan of Victoria, Sir Winston Dugan (until 23 February), then Malcolm Barclay-Harvey, Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey (from 12 August)
*Governor of Tasmania – Ernest Clark (governor), Sir Ernest Clark
*Governor of Victoria – William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield (until 4 April), then Winston Dugan, 1st Baron Dugan of Victoria, Sir Winston Dugan (from 17 July)
*Governor of Western Australia – ''none appointed''

Events

*13 January – The bushfires of Black Friday (1939), Black Friday kill 70 people in Victoria.
*27 March – The first CAC Wirraway training aircraft, A20-3, takes to the air at Fishermans Bend, Victoria.
*7 April – Prime Minister Joseph Lyons dies of a sudden heart attack, the first Prime Minister to die in office. Earle Page, Sir Earle Page, the leader of the National Party of Australia, Country Party is appointed caretaker Prime Minister until the United Australia Party can elect a new leader.
*26 April – Robert Menzies is elected leader of the United Australia Party, and is sworn in as Prime Minister.
*10 June – Premier of Tasmania Albert Ogilvie dies in office. Edmund Dwyer-Gray acts as Premier until he is officially elected as leader of the Australian Labor Party, Labor Party in Tasmania on 6 July.
*3 September – World War II begins. Australia Declaration of war, declares war on Germany, following the United Kingdom and British Dominions' declaration of same, after the Invasion of Poland (1939), German invasion of Poland.
*15 September – Robert Menzies announces a new First Menzies Ministry, War Cabinet.
*1 December – Australia agrees to take 15,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Europe, following the German occupation of Austria and Czechoslovakia.
*18 December – Edmund Dwyer-Gray steps aside as Premier of Tasmania, by prior arrangement with Robert Cosgrove to assume the premiership.

Arts and literature

* Max Meldrum wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of ''The Hon G J Bell, Speaker of the House of Representatives''

Sport

* ''Rivette'' wins the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup
* ''Mosaic'' wins the Cox Plate
* South Australia wins the Pura Cup, Sheffield Shield
* Balmain Tigers, Balmain win the 1939 NSWRFL premiership, defeating South Sydney Rabbitohs, South Sydney 33–4. Newtown Jets, Newtown finish in last place, claiming the wooden spoon.

Births

January

* 3 January – Janice Crosio, New South Wales politician
* 4 January – J. S. Harry, poet (d. 2015)
* 6 January
** Roderick Weir Home, academic and historian
** Murray Rose, Olympic swimmer (born in the United Kingdom) (d. 2012)
* 9 January
** Max Burr, Tasmanian politician
** Rik Kemp, cartoonist (born in the United Kingdom)
** Gary Shearston, singer, songwriter and priest (d. 2013)
* 10 January – Jill Kitson, radio broadcaster and literary journalist (d. 2013)
* 12 January – John Gregg (actor), John Gregg, actor (d. 2021)
* 15 January – Ken Doolan, rear admiral and author
* 20 January – Paul Braddy, 28th Deputy Premier of Queensland
* 23 January – Peter Richardson (politician), Peter Richardson, Western Australian politician
* 29 January – Germaine Greer, academic and feminist
* 30 January – Dale Baker, 34th Leader of the Opposition (South Australia), South Australian Leader of the Opposition (d. 2012)
* 31 January – Paddy Guinane, Australian rules footballer (Richmond Football Club, Richmond) (d. 2019)

February

* 1 February – John Haslem (politician), John Haslem, Australian Capitol Territory politician
* 5 February – Ian Norman (businessman), Ian Norman, businessman and retail executive (d. 2014)
* 7 February
** Betty Bobbitt, actress (born in the United States) (d. 2020)
** Ian Davis (politician), Ian Davis, Victorian politician (d. 2016)
* 11 February – Gary Hooper (Paralympian), Gary Hooper, Paralympian athlete
* 12 February – Nita Cunningham, Queensland politician (d. 2015)
* 13 February – Andrew Peacock, 22nd Leader of the Opposition (Australia), Federal Leader of the Opposition (d. 2021)
* 16 February – Peter Heerey, Federal Court judge (d. 2021)
* 19 February – Beatrice Faust, co-founder of Women's Electoral Lobby (Australia), Women's Electoral Lobby and author (d. 2019)
* 23 February – Elaine Lee (actress), Elaine Lee, actress (born in South Africa) (d. 2014)
* 25 February – Gerald Murnane, writer
* 27 February – Harry Roberts (rugby union, born 1939), Harry Roberts, rugby union player
* 28 February – Ron Leeson, Western Australian politician

March

* 1 March
** Ivan Petch, New South Wales politician
** Alan Thorne, academic (d. 2012)
* 5 March – Tony Rundle, 40th Premier of Tasmania
* 7 March – Tony Lamb, Victorian politician
* 8 March – Peter Nicholls (writer), Peter Nicholls, literary scholar and critic (d. 2018)
* 10 March – Lin Powell, Queensland politician
* 11 March – Bob Francis (radio presenter), Bob Francis, radio presenter (born in Egypt) (d. 2016)
* 18 March – Michael Kirby (judge), Michael Kirby, High Court of Australia, High Court justice and academic
* 20 March
** Patrick Quilty, geologist and palaeontologist (d. 2018)
** Johnny Rebb, rock and roll singer (d. 2014)
* 25 March – Ted Mullighan, Supreme Court of South Australia, South Australian Supreme Court judge (d. 2011)

April

* 4 April – Alex George (botanist), Alex George, botanist
* 7 April – Brett Whiteley, artist (d. 1992)
* 12 April
** Johnny Raper, rugby league footballer (d. 2022)
** Lyall Watson, botanist and author (born in South Africa) (d. 2008)
* 14 April – Jennifer Fowler, composer
* 20 April
** Elspeth Ballantyne, actress
** Chris Heyde, statistician (d. 2008)
* 21 April
** John Bangsund, science-fiction fan (d. 2020)
** Irwin Lewis, Indigenous artist (d. 2020)
* 27 April – David de Kretser, 27th Governor of Victoria (born in British Ceylon)

May

* 1 May – Roger Degen, New South Wales politician
* 4 May – Alan Carstairs, Western Australian politician
* 9 May
** Garry Spry, Victorian politician
** Ken Warby, motorboat racer (d. 2023)
* 10 May – Peter Wilenski, public servant and ambassador (born in Poland) (d. 1994)
* 12 May – Reg Gasnier, rugby league footballer (d. 2014)
* 13 May – Barry Murphy (politician), Barry Murphy, Victorian politician
* 14 May – John Price (New South Wales politician), John Price, New South Wales politician
* 15 May – Tony Staley, Victorian politician (d. 2023)
* 22 May – Angus Innes, Queensland politician and former Liberal Party of Australia (Queensland Division), Queensland Liberal leader (born in the United Kingdom)
* 24 May – Alan Hayes, Australian rules footballer (Richmond Football Club, Richmond) (d. 2019)
* 29 May
** Alby Schultz, New South Wales politician (d. 2015)
** Roger Steele, Northern Territory politician

June

* 1 June – Ernie Tuck, mathematician (d. 2009)
* 3 June – Colin Youren, Australian rules footballer (Hawthorn Football Club, Hawthorn) (d. 2015)
* 4 June – Elaine Schreiber, Paralympian athlete (d. 2017)
* 5 June – Ron Baensch, racing cyclist (d. 2017)
* 6 June – John Oswald (politician), John Oswald, South Australian politician
* 10 June
** Charles Abbott (footballer), Charles Abbott, Australian rules footballer (Hawthorn Football Club, Hawthorn)
** John Read (Australian politician), John Read, Western Australian politician and former Administrator of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
* 20 June – Rodger Head, Australian rules footballer (St Kilda Football Club, St Kilda) (d. 2012)
* 21 June
** Gordon Bilney, South Australian politician (d. 2012)
** Ken Catchpole, rugby union footballer (d. 2017)
** Marshall Younger, Australian rules footballer (Sydney Swans, South Melbourne)
* 22 June – Paul Winkler (director), Paul Winkler, film director (born in Nazi Germany, Germany)
* 23 June – David Hannay (producer), David Hannay, film producer (born in New Zealand) (d. 2014)
* 24 June – Annette Andre, actress
* 25 June
** John Abel (politician), John Abel, New South Wales politician (d. 2019)
** David Ramage, rower
** Brian Lowe, Australian rules footballer (Geelong Football Club, Geelong)
* 27 June – Neil Hawke, test cricketer and Australian rules footballer (Port Adelaide Football Club, Port Adelaide) (d. 2000)
* 29 June – Alan Connolly (cricketer), Alan Connolly, cricketer

July

* 3 July
** Frank Blevins, 6th Deputy Premier of South Australia (d. 2013)
** Michele Brown (athlete), Michele Brown, Olympic athlete
* 7 July – Ron Evans, Australian rules footballer (Essendon Football Club, Essendon) (d. 2007)
* 9 July – Jack Danzey, rugby league footballer (d. 2020)
* 10 July – Garry Young (footballer), Garry Young, Australian rules footballer (Hawthorn Football Club, Hawthorn)
* 12 July
** Phillip Adams (writer), Phillip Adams, broadcaster and writer
** Helen Frith, athlete
** Graeme Lee (Australian footballer), Graeme Lee, Australian rules footballer (St Kilda Football Club, St Kilda) (d. 2021)
** Ted Magrath, rugby union player
** Ann Symonds, New South Wales politician (d. 2018)
* 13 July – John Sinclair (environmentalist), John Sinclair, conservationist (d. 2019)
* 14 July – John Murray (New South Wales politician), John Murray, New South Wales politician
* 19 July – Victor Kelleher, author (born in the United Kingdom)
* 20 July – David Connolly (politician), David Connolly, New South Wales politician
* 21 July
** Barbara Scott, Western Australian politician
** Kevin Wickham, Olympic rower (d. 2020)
* 24 July
** John Anderson (sailor), John Anderson, Olympic sailor
** Thomas Anderson (sailor), Thomas Anderson, Olympic sailor (d. 2010)
* 26 July
** K. G. Cunningham, cricketer and radio personality
** John Howard, 25th Prime Minister of Australia
* 28 July
** Vince Lester, Queensland politician
** John Zillman, meteorologist
* 29 July – Mark Stoneman (politician), Mark Stoneman, Queensland politician
* 31 July – Bill D'Arcy, Queensland politician

August

* 2 August – Roger Ryan (politician), Roger Ryan, Northern Territory politician
* 7 August – Sally Thomas, judge and former Administrator of the Northern Territory (born in the United Kingdom)
* 12 August
** Pam Kilborn, Olympic athlete
** Mick Veivers, Queensland politician
* 13 August
** Graeme Campbell (politician), Graeme Campbell, Western Australian politician (born in the United Kingdom)
** John Nicholls (footballer), John Nicholls, Australian rules footballer (Carlton Football Club, Carlton)
* 18 August – Chris Pavlou, Australian rules footballer (Carlton Football Club, Carlton) (d. 2012)
* 23 August – Ray Halligan, Western Australian politician
* 27 August – Len Diett, rugby union and rugby league player (d. 2018)

September

* 3 September – John Langmore, Australian Capitol Territory politician
* 4 September – Richard Lewis (Australian politician), Richard Lewis, Western Australian politician (d. 2019)
* 5 September – George Lazenby, actor
* 7 September – John McGrath (Victorian politician), John McGrath, Victorian politician (d. 2021)
* 8 September – Lew Mander, organic chemist (born in New Zealand) (d. 2020)
* 9 September
** Arthur Dignam, actor (d. 2020)
** Hugh Wirth, veterinarian and animal welfare activist (d. 2018)
* 10 September – Mike Dancis, basketball player (born in Latvia) (d. 2020)
* 13 September – Kevin Rozzoli, New South Wales politician
* 15 September – Ron Walker (Australian businessman), Ron Walker, businessman, former Lord Mayor of Melbourne (d. 2018)
* 18 September – Gerry Harvey, entrepreneur
* 19 September – Jim Lisle, rugby union and rugby league player (d. 2003)
* 24 September – Tony Messner, South Australian politician and former Administrator of Norfolk Island

October

* 1 October – Philip Cox, architect
* 3 October – Dave Barsley, rugby league player (d. 2021)
* 4 October – Ivan Mauger, motorcycle speedway racer (born in New Zealand) (d. 2018)
* 5 October – Scott Ashenden, South Australian politician
* 7 October – Clive James, writer and broadcaster (d. 2019)
* 8 October
** Sam Chisholm, media executive (born in New Zealand) (d. 2018)
** Paul Hogan, comedian and actor
* 9 October – John Pilger, journalist and filmmaker (d. 2023)
* 12 October – Michael Clyne, linguist, academic, and intellectual (d. 2010)
* 25 October – Terry Gill, actor (born in the United Kingdom) (d. 2015)
* 26 October
** Barry Cunningham (politician), Barry Cunningham, Victorian politician (d. 2018)
** Nick Dondas, Northern Territory politician
* 27 October – Hurtle Lupton, Victorian politician

November

* 1 November
** Kevin Pay, Australian rules footballer (Collingwood Football Club, Collingwood) (d. 2020)
** Ted Pickering, New South Wales politician
** Barry Pullen, Victorian politician
* 4 November – George Mallaby (actor), George Mallaby, actor and scriptwriter (born in the United Kingdom) (d. 2004)
* 9 November – Philip Cummins, Supreme Court of Victoria, Victorian Supreme Court judge (d. 2019)
* 10 November – Allan Moffat, racing driver (born in Canada)
* 11 November – Lloyd McDermott, barrister and rugby union player (d. 2019)
* 18 November
** Max Phipps, actor (d. 2000)
** Clem Tisdell, economist and professor (d. 2022)
* 19 November – Bruce McMaster-Smith, Australian rules footballer (Carlton Football Club, Carlton) (d. 2017)
* 20 November – Michael Beecher (actor), Michael Beecher, model and actor (d. 1993)
* 25 November
** Bob Maza, actor and playwright (d. 2000)
** Ian Smith (Australian politician), Ian Smith, Victorian politician

December

* 3 December – Warwick Selvey, Olympic athlete (d. 2018)
* 4 December – Denis Hinton, Queensland politician
* 15 December – Andrew Lohrey, Tasmanian politician
* 18 December – Bob Horne, New South Wales politician
* 22 December – Silvia Smith, Tasmanian politician (d. 2020)
* 26 December
** Ron Campbell (animator), Ron Campbell, animator (d. 2021)
** Fred Schepisi, film director
* 30 December – Glenda Adams, novelist (d. 2007)

Deaths

* 14 February – James Webb (Australian politician), James Webb, New South Wales politician (b. 1887)
* 9 March – Edwin Greenslade Murphy, journalist and poet (b. 1866)
* 11 March – William Miller (Australian athlete), William Miller, athlete (born in the United Kingdom and died in the United States) (b. 1846)
* 7 April – Joseph Lyons, 10th Prime Minister of Australia and 26th Premier of Tasmania (b. 1879)
* 25 April – Charles Powers, Sir Charles Powers, High Court judge (b. 1853)
* 18 May – Francis Clarke (New South Wales politician), Francis Clarke, New South Wales politician (b. 1857)
* 10 June – Albert Ogilvie, 28th Premier of Tasmania (b. 1890)
* 13 June – Arthur Coningham (cricketer), Arthur Coningham, cricketer (b. 1863)
* 6 August – James MacCallum Smith, Western Australian politician (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1868)
* 11 August – Margaret Windeyer, librarian and feminist (b. 1866)
* 30 August – Edward Sydney Simpson, mineralogist and geochemist (b. 1875)
* 3 October – Henry Augustus Ellis, physician and federalist (born in Ireland and died in the United Kingdom) (b. 1861)
* 22 October – John Langdon Bonython, Sir Langdon Bonython, South Australian politician and journalist (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1848)
* 15 November – William Hill (Australian politician), William Hill, Victorian politician (b. 1866)
* 6 December – Ernest Scott, Sir Ernest Scott, historian (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1867)

See also

* List of Australian films of the 1930s

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1939 in Australia
1939 in Australia,
1939 by country, Australia
Years of the 20th century in Australia