The following lists events that happened during 1951 in Australia.

Incumbents

Monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...

–

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

– (Sir) William McKell *

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

–

Robert Menzies The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...

* Chief Justice – Sir John Latham

State Premiers

Premier of New South Wales The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales acting as the legislature. ...

– James McGirr * Premier of Queensland – Ned Hanlon * Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV *

Premier of Tasmania The premier of Tasmania is the head of the executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the leader of the party or political grouping which has majority support in the House of Assembly is invited by the governor of Ta ...

–

Robert Cosgrove Sir Robert Cosgrove (28 December 1884 – 25 August 1969) was an Australian politician who was the 30th and longest-serving Premier of Tasmania. He held office for over 18 years, serving from 1939 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1958. His involve ...

* Premier of Victoria – John McDonald * Premier of Western Australia –

Ross McLarty Sir Duncan Ross McLarty, (17 March 1891 – 22 December 1962) was an Australian politician and the 17th Premier of Western Australia. Early life McLarty was born in Pinjarra, Western Australia, the youngest of seven children of Edward McLarty, ...

State Governors

Governor of New South Wales The governor of New South Wales is the viceregal representative of the Australian monarch, King Charles III, in the state of New South Wales. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia at the national level, the governors of the ...

– Sir John Northcott *

Governor of Queensland The governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the monarch of Australia. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia at the national level, the governor Governors of the Australian states, performs c ...

– Sir John Lavarack *

Governor of South Australia The governor of South Australia is the representative in South Australia of the Monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. The governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the governor-gene ...

– Sir Charles Norrie * Governor of Tasmania – Sir Hugh Binney (until 8 May), then

Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet Sir Ronald Hibbert Cross, 1st Baronet, (9 May 1896 – 3 June 1968) was a British politician and diplomat. He served as Governor of Tasmania 1951-58. Early life and education Cross was educated at Ludgrove Preparatory School and then Eton Coll ...

(from 22 August) *

Governor of Victoria The governor of Victoria is the representative of the monarch, King Charles III, in the Australian state of Victoria. The governor is one of seven viceregal representatives in the country, analogous to the governors of the other states, and the ...

–

Sir Dallas Brooks General Sir Reginald Alexander Dallas Brooks, (22 August 1896 – 22 March 1966) was a British military commander who went on to become the 19th and longest-serving governor of Victoria, Australia. Early life Brooks was born on 22 August 1896 a ...

* Governor of Western Australia –

Sir James Mitchell Sir James Mitchell, (27 April 1866 – 26 July 1951) was an Australian politician. He served as premier of Western Australia from 1919 to 1924 and from 1930 to 1933, as leader of the Nationalist Party. He then held viceregal office from 1933 ...

(until 1 July), then

Sir Charles Gairdner Lieutenant General Sir Charles Henry Gairdner, (20 March 1898 – 22 February 1983) was a senior British Army officer who later occupied two viceregal positions in Australia. Born in Batavia (now Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies, he was brough ...

(from 6 November)

Events

*1 January – The 50th anniversary of

Australian federation The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia (which also governed what is now the Northern Territory), and Western A ...

is celebrated. *19 February – Jean Lee becomes the last woman to be

hanged Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging in ...

in Australia, when she, Robert Clayton and Norman Andrews are executed in Melbourne for the murder of a 73-year-old man. *1 March – The Bank of Australasia merges with the

Union Bank of Australia The Union Bank of Australia was an Australian bank in operation from 1837 to 1951. It was established in London in October 1837 with a subscribed capital of £500,000. The foundation of the bank had followed a visit to England by Van Diemen's Land ...

to form the

ANZ Bank ANZ may refer to: People * Anz (musician), a British DJ and electronic musician Banks * ANZ (bank), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, the fourth-largest bank in Australia ** ANZ Bank New Zealand, the largest bank in New Zealand ...

. *9 March – The

High Court of Australia The High Court of Australia is Australia's apex court. It exercises Original jurisdiction, original and appellate jurisdiction on matters specified within Constitution of Australia, Australia's Constitution. The High Court was established fol ...

rules in the case ''

Australian Communist Party v Commonwealth ''Australian Communist Party v The Commonwealth'', also known as the ''Communist Party Case'',. was a legal case in the High Court of Australia in 1951 in which the court declared the Communist Party Dissolution Act 1950 unconstitutional and in ...

'' that the ''Communist Party Dissolution Bill 1950'', passed by the parliament to ban the

Communist Party of Australia The Communist Party of Australia (CPA), known as the Australian Communist Party (ACP) from 1944 to 1951, was an Australian political party founded in 1920. The party existed until roughly 1991, with its membership and influence having been i ...

, was unconstitutional. *19 March – The Governor-General, William McKell, issues a

double dissolution A double dissolution is a procedure permitted under the Australian Constitution to resolve deadlocks in the bicameral Parliament of Australia between the House of Representatives (lower house) and the Senate (upper house). A double dissolution ...

of parliament for the second time in its history, citing the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

's referral of the ''Commonwealth Bank Bill'' as a "failure to pass" the bill. *12 April –

Conscription Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...

begins as the first call-up notice is issued under the National Service Act (1951), requiring Australian 18-year-old males to undergo compulsory military training. *28 April – A

federal election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated ...

is held. The

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

government of

retains power. *8 June – The first lessons of the School of the Air are broadcast from the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Adelaide. *13 June – Labor leader and former Prime Minister Ben Chifley suddenly dies of a heart attack. *20 June –

Herbert Vere Evatt Herbert Vere Evatt, (30 April 1894 – 2 November 1965) was an Australian politician and judge. He served as a judge of the High Court of Australia from 1930 to 1940, Attorney-General of Australia, Attorney-General and Minister for Foreign Aff ...

succeeds Ben Chifley as leader of the Labor Party. *16 August – The ''

Australian Financial Review ''The Australian Financial Review'' (abbreviated to the ''AFR'') is an Australian business-focused, compact daily newspaper covering the current business and economic affairs of Australia and the world. The newspaper is based in Sydney, New Sou ...

'' is first published. *1 September – The Anzus Treaty, between Australia, New Zealand and the United States, is signed. *9 September – Australia signs the

Treaty of San Francisco The , also called the , re-established peaceful relations between Japan and the Allied Powers on behalf of the United Nations by ending the legal state of war and providing for redress for hostile actions up to and including World War II. It w ...

, formalising peace with Japan. *22 September – A federal referendum is held, proposing to alter the

Australian Constitution The Constitution of Australia (or Australian Constitution) is a constitutional document that is supreme law in Australia. It establishes Australia as a federation under a constitutional monarchy and outlines the structure and powers of the ...

to allow the banning of the Communist Party. The referendum was not carried. *4 October – Francis McEncroe sells the first

Chiko Roll The Chiko Roll is an Australian savoury snack invented by Frank McEncroe, inspired by the Chinese spring roll and first sold in 1951 as the "Chicken Roll" despite not actually containing chicken. The snack was designed to be easily eaten on the ...

s at the Wagga Wagga agricultural show. *15 October – A De Havilland Dove aircraft crashes near

Kalgoorlie Kalgoorlie is a city in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, located east-northeast of Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. It is sometimes referred to as Kalgoorlie–Boulder, as the surrounding urban area includ ...

killing all 7 on board. *13 November – William McKell is gazetted a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, becoming the only Governor-General of Australia to be knighted during their term.

Arts and literature

* Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Laurie Thomas * Justin O'Brien wins the inaugural Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work ''The Virgin Enthroned''

Sport

* Athletics ** 5 March – Gordon Stanley wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:59:44.6 in

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

. * Cricket ** Victoria wins the Sheffield Shield **

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

defeats England 4–1 in The Ashes * Football ** The

1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand The 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first ever tour of Australasia by any French sports team in history. Puig Aubert captained the France national rugby league team who played 28 matches in total in both Austra ...

is conducted ** Bledisloe Cup: won by the All Blacks **

Brisbane Rugby League premiership The Brisbane Rugby League is a rugby league football competition in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was first held in 1922 and for every year until 1997. The competition was reinstated in 2001, known as the FOGS premiership under the Quee ...

: Souths defeated Easts 20-10 **

New South Wales Rugby League premiership The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia and contributor to today's National Rugby League. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League (initially named the New Sout ...

: South Sydney defeated

Manly-Warringah The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Sydney's Northern Beaches. The team colours are maroon and white, while their namesake and logo is the sea eagle. They compete in Australia's premier rugb ...

42-14 ** South Australian National Football League premiership: won by

Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is the main port for the ...

** Victorian Football League premiership:

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, ...

defeated

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United King ...

81-70 * Golf **

Australian Open The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. The tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events held each year, preceding the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Th ...

: won by Peter Thomson ** Australian PGA Championship: won by Norman Von Nida * Horse racing ** ''Basha Felika'' wins the Caulfield Cup ** ''Bronton'' wins the Cox Plate ** ''Delta'' wins the Melbourne Cup * Motor racing ** The

Australian Grand Prix The Australian Grand Prix is an annual motor racing event which is under contract to host Formula One until 2035. One of the oldest surviving motorsport competitions held in Australia, the Grand Prix has moved frequently with 23 different venu ...

was held at Narrogin and won by Warwick Pratley driving a George Reed Special * Tennis ** Australian Open men's singles: Dick Savitt defeats

Ken McGregor Kenneth Bruce McGregor (2 June 1929 – 1 December 2007) was an Australian tennis player from Adelaide who won the Men's Singles title at the Australian Championships in 1952. He and his longtime doubles partner, Frank Sedgman, are generally ...

6-3 2–6 6-3 6-1 ** Australian Open women's singles: Nancye Wynne Bolton defeats

Thelma Coyne Long Thelma Dorothy Coyne Long (née Coyne; 14 October 1918 – 13 April 2015) was an Australian tennis player and one of the female players who dominated Australian tennis from the mid-1930s to the 1950s. During her career she won 19 Grand Sla ...

6-1 7-5 **

Davis Cup The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is contested annually between teams from competing countries in a knock-out format. It is described by the organis ...

defeats the United States 3–2 in the

1951 Davis Cup The 1951 Davis Cup was the 40th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 21 teams entered the Europe Zone, and 5 teams entered the America Zone. The Europe Zone began using a seeding system, where the previo ...

final ** US Open: Frank Sedgman wins the Men's Singles **

Wimbledon Wimbledon most often refers to: * Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London * Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to: Places London * ...

and Frank Sedgman win the Men's Doubles * Yachting ** ''Margaret Rintoul'' takes line honours and ''Struen Marie'' wins on handicap in the

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual event hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales, on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately . The race is run i ...

Births

* 19 January –

Charles Blunt Charles William Blunt (born 19 January 1951) is a former Australian politician who served as leader of the National Party of Australia from 1989 to 1990. Early life Blunt was born in Sydney and graduated from the University of Sydney with a de ...

, politician * 20 January –

Clyde Sefton Kevin "Clyde" Sefton (born 20 January 1951) is a former road racing cyclist from Australia, who was a professional rider from 1972 to 1983. He represented his native country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, where he won the ...

, road cyclist * 22 January –

Steve J. Spears Steven John Peter Spears (22 January 1951 – 16 October 2007) was an Australian playwright, actor, writer and singer. His most famous work was '' The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin'' (1976). He was cited as "one of Australia's most celebrated p ...

, actor, singer, and playwright (died 2007) * 26 February – Wayne Goss, Premier of Queensland (died 2014) * 29 April – Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister of the ACT * 29 May –

Don Baird Don Baird (born 29 May 1951) is a retired male pole vaulter from Australia. He set his personal best (5.53 metres) on 16 April 1977 at a meet in Long Beach. He was coached by pole vault Pole vaulting, also known as pole jumping, is a track a ...

, pole vaulter * 4 July – John Alexander, tennis player and politician * 6 July – Geoffrey Rush, actor * 31 July – Evonne Goolagong Cawley, tennis player * 5 August – John Jarratt, actor * 6 August – Daryl Somers, television personality * 30 August – ** Danny Clark, track cyclist and road bicycle racer **

Brad Hazzard Bradley Ronald "Brad" Hazzard (born 30 August 1951), an Australian politician, has been the New South Wales Minister for Health since January 2017 in the Berejiklian and Perrottet ministries. Hazzard is a member of the New South Wales Legisla ...

, politician * 9 September – Alexander Downer, politician * 27 September –

Geoff Gallop Geoffrey Ian Gallop (born 27 September 1951) is an Australian academic and former politician who served as the 27th Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. He is currently a professor and director of the Graduate School of Government at ...

, Premier of Western Australia * 9 October –

Rod Galt Rodney Maxwell Galt (9 October 1951 – 9 April 2019) was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and South Australian National Football League (SANFL). A ruckman and forward, Galt made his debut for St Kilda in ...

, Australian rules footballer (died 2019) * 14 November – Shelley Hancock, politician * 1 December –

Doug Mulray Douglas John Mulray (born 1 December 1951) is an Australian comedian, radio and television presenter. He grew up in the Sydney Northern Beaches suburb of Dee Why. Radio career Mulray began his career at 2AD in Armidale, after doing a broadcasti ...

, radio personality (died 2023) * 18 December – Andy Thomas, astronaut * 22 December – Jan Stephenson, professional golfer

Deaths

29 January Events Pre-1600 * 904 – Sergius III is elected pope, after coming out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed antipope Christopher. * 946 – Caliph Al-Mustakfi is blinded and deposed by Emir Mu'izz al-Dawla, ruler o ...

–

Frank Tarrant Francis Alfred Tarrant (11 December 1880 – 29 January 1951) was an Australian cricketer whose first-class career spanned from 1899 to 1936, and included 329 matches. From Melbourne, Tarrant began his career with Victoria in Australia's Sheff ...

, cricketer (b.

1880 Events January–March * January 22 – Toowong State School is founded in Queensland, Australia. * January – The international White slave trade affair scandal in Brussels is exposed and attracts international infamy. * February � ...

) *

18 April Events Pre-1600 * 796 – King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The ''patrician'' Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days. *1428 – Peace of Ferrara betwe ...

– Daisy Bates, journalist and anthropologist (born in Ireland) (b.

1859 Events January–March * January 21 – José Mariano Salas (1797–1867) becomes Conservative interim President of Mexico. * January 24 ( O. S.) – Wallachia and Moldavia are united under Alexandru Ioan Cuza (Romania since 1866, final u ...

) *

27 May Events Pre-1600 *1096 – Count Emicho enters Mainz, where his followers massacre Jewish citizens. At least 600 Jews are killed. *1120 – Richard III of Capua is anointed as Prince two weeks before his untimely death. *1153 – ...

– Sir Thomas Blamey, field marshal (b.

1884 Events January–March * January 4 – The Fabian Society is founded in London. * January 5 – Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Princess Ida'' premières at the Savoy Theatre, London. * January 18 – Dr. William Price atte ...

) *

11 June Events Pre-1600 * 173 – Marcomannic Wars: The Roman army in Moravia is encircled by the Quadi, who have broken the peace treaty (171). In a violent thunderstorm emperor Marcus Aurelius defeats and subdues them in the so-called "miracle ...

– William Higgs, Queensland politician (b.

1862 Events January–March * January 1 – The United Kingdom annexes Lagos Island, in modern-day Nigeria. * January 6 – French intervention in Mexico: French, Spanish and British forces arrive in Veracruz, Mexico. * January ...

) *

13 June Events Pre-1600 * 313 – The decisions of the Edict of Milan, signed by Constantine the Great and co-emperor Valerius Licinius, granting religious freedom throughout the Roman Empire, are published in Nicomedia. * 1325 – Ibn Battut ...

– Ben Chifley, 16th

Prime Minister of Australia The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the Australian Government, federal government of Australia and is also accountable to Parliament of A ...

(b.

1885 Events January–March * January 3– 4 – Sino-French War – Battle of Núi Bop: French troops under General Oscar de Négrier defeat a numerically superior Qing Chinese force, in northern Vietnam. * January 4 – ...

) *

17 June Events Pre-1600 * 653 – Pope Martin I is arrested and taken to Constantinople, due to his opposition to monothelitism. * 1242 – Following the Disputation of Paris, twenty-four carriage loads of Jewish religious manuscripts were bur ...

Vin Coutie Arthur Vincent "Vin" Coutie (28 October 1881 – 17 June 1951) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Aus ...

, footballer (b.

1881 Events January–March * January 1– 24 – Siege of Geok Tepe: Russian troops under General Mikhail Skobelev defeat the Turkomans. * January 13 – War of the Pacific – Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos: The C ...

) *

3 July Events Pre-1600 * 324 – Battle of Adrianople (324), Battle of Adrianople: Constantine the Great, Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. * 987 – Hugh Capet is crowned King of France, the first of the Capetian dynas ...

–

Sydney Jephcott Sydney Jephcott (1864-1951) was an Australian poet. Background Jephcott was the fifth child of Edwin Jephcott and his wife Susannah, née Sansome, ribbon weavers from Coventry, Warwickshire, England. Poetry career He published his first po ...

, poet (b.

1864 Events January–March * January 13 – American songwriter Stephen Foster ("Oh! Susanna", "Old Folks at Home") dies aged 37 in New York City, leaving a scrap of paper reading "Dear friends and gentle hearts". His parlor song " ...

) *

4 October Events Pre-1600 *AD 23 – Rebels sack the Chinese capital Chang'an during a peasant rebellion. * 1209 – Otto IV is crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Innocent III. *1302 – The Byzantine–Venetian War comes to ...

–

Bartlett Adamson George Ernest “Bartlett” Adamson (22 December 1884 – 4 November 1951) was an Australian journalist, poet, author and political activist. Life and work Adamson was born at Cascade, Ringarooma, Tasmania, Australia, on 22 December 1884 to a ...

, journalist, poet, author and political activist (b.

) *

10 December Events Pre-1600 * 1317 – The "Nyköping Banquet": King Birger of Sweden treacherously seizes his two brothers Valdemar, Duke of Finland and Eric, Duke of Södermanland, who were subsequently starved to death in the dungeon of Nyköpi ...

–

Ernest Edwin Mitchell Ernest Edwin Mitchell (16 January 1865 – 10 December 1951) was an Australian composer, conductor, music lecturer and organist. Career Mitchell was born on 16 January 1865, in , South Australia, when his father, Thomas James Mitchell, was 43 a ...

, composer (b.

1865 Events January–March * January 4 – The New York Stock Exchange opens its first permanent headquarters at Broad Street (Manhattan), 10-12 Broad near Wall Street, in New York City. * January 13 – American Civil War : Sec ...

)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1951 in Australia

Years of the 20th century in Australia