The following lists events that happened during 1979 in Australia.

Incumbents

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

–

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

* Governor-General – Sir Zelman Cowen *

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 i ...

–

Malcolm Fraser John Malcolm Fraser (; 21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, holding office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. Fraser was raised on hi ...

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president ...

–

Doug Anthony John Douglas Anthony, (31 December 192920 December 2020) was an Australian politician. He served as leader of the National Party of Australia from 1971 to 1984 and was the second and longest-serving Deputy Prime Minister, holding the position ...

Opposition Leader The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

–

Bill Hayden William George Hayden (born 23 January 1933) is an Australian politician who served as the 21st governor-general of Australia from 1989 to 1996. He was Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1977 to 1983, and served as ...

* Chief Justice –

Sir Garfield Barwick Sir Garfield Edward John Barwick, (22 June 190313 July 1997) was an Australian judge who was the seventh and longest serving Chief Justice of Australia, in office from 1964 to 1981. He had earlier been a Liberal Party politician, serving as a ...

State and territory leaders

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 legislatu ...

–

Neville Wran Neville Kenneth Wran, (11 October 1926 – 20 April 2014) was an Australian politician who was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 to 1986. He was the national president of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1980 to 1986 and chairman ...

– John Mason *

Premier of Queensland The premier of Queensland is the head of government in the Australian state of Queensland. By convention the premier is the leader of the party with a parliamentary majority in the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Queensland. The premier is ap ...

–

Joh Bjelke-Petersen Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen (13 January 191123 April 2005), known as Joh Bjelke-Petersen, was a conservative Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, during ...

– Ed Casey *

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

–

Don Dunstan Donald Allan Dunstan (21 September 1926 – 6 February 1999) was an Australian politician who served as the 35th premier of South Australia from 1967 to 1968, and again from 1970 to 1979. He was a member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for th ...

(until 15 February), then

Des Corcoran James Desmond Corcoran AO (8 November 1928 – 3 January 2004) was an Australian politician, representing the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party. He was the 37th Premier of South Australia, serving between 15 February 1979 ...

(until 18 September), then

David Tonkin David Oliver Tonkin AO (20 July 1929 – 2 October 2000) was an Australian politician who served as the 38th Premier of South Australia from 18 September 1979 to 10 November 1982. He was elected to the House of Assembly seat of Bragg at the 1 ...

–

(until 18 September), then

(until 2 October), then

John Bannon John Charles Bannon (7 May 1943 – 13 December 2015) was an Australian politician and academic. He was the 39th Premier of South Australia, leading the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party from a single term in opposition ba ...

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 ...

– Doug Lowe **

–

Max Bingham Sir Eardley Max Bingham (18 March 1927 – 30 November 2021), was an Australian politician. He was Deputy Premier and Opposition Leader of Tasmania, who represented the electorate of Denison for the Liberal Party in the Tasmanian House of As ...

(until 7 August), then

Geoff Pearsall Geoffrey Alan "Geoff" Pearsall (born 15 September 1946) is a former Australian politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he served as a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1969 until 1988 and as Leader of the Opposition (1979–198 ...

Premier of Victoria The premier of Victoria is the head of government in the Australian state of Victoria. The premier is appointed by the governor of Victoria, and is the leader of the political party able to secure a majority in the Victorian Legislative Assemb ...

–

Rupert Hamer Sir Rupert James Hamer, (29 July 1916 – 23 March 2004), generally known until he was knighted in 1982 as Dick Hamer, was an Australian Liberal Party politician who served as the 39th Premier of Victoria from 1972 to 1981. Early years Hamer ...

–

Frank Wilkes Frank Noel Wilkes (16 June 1922 – 20 August 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the Leader of the Labor Opposition in Victoria from 1977 to 1981. Early life Wilkes was born in Melbourne and educated at Northcote Primary and Se ...

Premier of Western Australia The premier of Western Australia is the head of government of the state of Western Australia. The role of premier at a state level is similar to the role of the prime minister of Australia at a federal level. The premier leads the executive bra ...

–

Sir Charles Court Sir Charles Walter Michael Court, (29 September 1911 – 22 December 2007) was a Western Australian politician, and the 21st Premier of Western Australia from 1974 to 1982. He was a member of the Liberal Party. Early life Court's family e ...

– Ron Davies *

Chief Minister of the Northern Territory The chief minister of the Northern Territory is the head of government of the Northern Territory. The office is the equivalent of a state premier. When the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly was created in 1974, the head of government was ...

–

Paul Everingham Paul Anthony Edward Everingham (born 4 February 1943) is a former Australian politician who was the head of government of the Northern Territory of Australia from 1977 to 1984, serving as the second and last Majority Leader (1977–1978) and ...

–

Jon Isaacs Jonathan Martin Isaacs (born 10 September 1949) is an Australian former politician. He was the Labor member for Millner in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1977 to 1981, and was the ALP's first leader in that body and the ...

* Chief Minister of Norfolk Island –

David Buffett David Ernest Buffett Order of Australia, AM (born 17 October 1942) is a political figure from the Australian territory of Norfolk Island. He served as List of heads of government of Norfolk Island, Chief Minister of Norfolk Island from March 201 ...

(from 10 August)

Governors and administrators

* Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler *

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 performs constitutional and ceremonial func ...

– Sir James Ramsay * Governor of South Australia – Sir Keith Seaman *

Governor of Tasmania The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the Monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the ...

– Sir Stanley Burbury *

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 th ...

– Sir Henry Winneke *

Governor of Western Australia The governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of the monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. As with the other governors of the Australian states, the governor of Western Australia performs constitutiona ...

– Sir Wallace Kyle *

Administrator of Norfolk Island The administrator of Norfolk Island acts as a representative both of The Crown and of the Government of Australia, as well as carrying out other duties according to the ''Norfolk Island Amendment Act 2015''.Peter Coleman William Peter Coleman (15 December 1928 – 31 March 2019) was an Australian writer and politician. A widely published journalist for over 60 years, he was editor of '' The Bulletin'' (1964–1967) and of '' Quadrant'' for 20 years, and publi ...

Administrator of the Northern Territory The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to represent the government of the Commonwealth in the Northern Territory, Australia. They perform functions similar to those of a state gov ...

– John England

Events

Neville Bonner Neville Thomas Bonner AO (28 March 19225 February 1999) was an Australian politician, and the first Aboriginal Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia. He was appointed by the Queensland Parliament to fill a casual vacancy ...

is announced as Australian of the Year

January

*4 January — Australia's highest daily rainfall, , is recorded at Bellenden Ker Top Station, Queensland. *9 January — Deputy Prime Minister

signs a pact to allow uranium mining to begin at the

Ranger Uranium Mine The Ranger Uranium Mine was a uranium mine in the Northern Territory of Australia. The site is surrounded by, but separate from Kakadu National Park, 230 km east of Darwin. The orebody was discovered in late 1969, and the mine commenced ...

in the Northern Territory. The pact gives the authority to develop the 100,000 tonne deposit to the

Australian Atomic Energy Commission The Australian Atomic Energy Commission (AAEC) was a statutory body of the Australian government. It was established in 1952, replacing the Atomic Energy Policy Committee. In 1981 parts of the Commission were split off to become part of CSIRO, t ...

Peko-Wallsend Peko-Wallsend was an Australian mining company. History Peko-Wallsend was founded in 1961 when Peko Mines merged with Wallsend Investments. In 1962 Peko-Wallsend purchased Toll Transport. In January 1968, Peko-Wallsend acquired a majority share ...

and the

Electrolytic Zinc Company An electrolyte is a medium containing ions that is electrically conducting through the movement of those ions, but not conducting electrons. This includes most soluble salts, acids, and bases dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water. Upon dis ...

for a period of 21 years.

February

*9 February – Associated Securities Limited, Australia's fourth-largest finance company, is placed into receivership. In a statement to the stock exchange, ASL directors state that the results for the six months to 31 December had shown a loss of $2.5 million, plus an extraordinary loss of $1 million from foreign exchange movements. *12 February – Harry M. Miller's Computicket theatre and sporting booking agency collapses.

March

*9 March – The Arbitration Commission awards Australian women the right to six weeks' compulsory unpaid maternity leave with the option of extending the leave to one year. The provisions, which will flow to all awards covering women in the private sector, will take effect on 2 April.

April

*4 April – Domico Speranza hijacks a Pan-Am plane at Sydney Airport for 4 1/2 hours until shot dead by police. *11 April – A truck drivers' blockade, which had disrupted the eastern states for 10 days, ends. The truck drivers had been protesting against state road taxes and low cartage rates.

May

*25 May – James William Miller, aged 39, is charged with the murders of four young women (the

Truro murders The Truro murders is the name given to a series of murders uncovered with the discovery in 1978 and 1979 of the remains of a young woman and teenage girl in bushland east of the town of Truro in South Australia. After police searches, the rema ...

100 kilometres north-east of

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

. A fifth body has been found and police are searching for two more bodies, bringing the number of victims to a total of seven. Miller is charged with murdering Veronica Knight, 18, Sylvia Michelle Pittmann, 16, Vicki May Mowell, 26, and Connie Iordanides, 16.

June

*8 June – Philip Silleny attempts to hijack a TAA aircraft near

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

but is disarmed by hostess Esme Qazim and other crew. *9 June – **A fire at Luna Park Sydney kills 7. Four young boys, a father and his two young sons die when the fire, believed to be caused by an electrical fault, engulf the ride. The park is forced to close. **Australia's first modern uranium mine opens at

Nabarlek Nabarleks (''Petrogale concinna''), are a tiny species of macropod found in northern Australia. They are a shy and nocturnal animal that resides in rocky hollows and forages in the surrounding area. Their diet is grasses, sedges, and ferns foun ...

in Arnhem Land. A$25,000 party is held to celebrate the launch of the mine, which is also the first to open on Aboriginal tribal land. *21 June – Up to a million workers stop work across the country to protest the arrest of unionists in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

for addressing a public meeting without police permission. Public transport, industry and commercial services are thrown into disarray. *23 June – New South Wales Premier

opens the Eastern Suburbs six-station railway line which runs from Sydney city to Bondi Junction. The railway line has been a source of continuing controversy since work on it began. In 1976,

referred to the project as probably "the most monumental financial scandal" in the state's history.

July

*1 July – **Commonwealth death duties are abolished. **Responsibility for education in the Northern Territory is transferred from the Federal to the Northern Territory Government. *11 July – The American space station

Skylab Skylab was the first United States space station, launched by NASA, occupied for about 24 weeks between May 1973 and February 1974. It was operated by three separate three-astronaut crews: Skylab 2, Skylab 3, and Skylab 4. Major operations ...

crashes in

Esperance, Western Australia Esperance is a town in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, on the Southern Ocean coastline approximately east-southeast of the state capital, Perth. The urban population of Esperance was 12,145 at June 2018. Its major ind ...

. *19 July – The

Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stre ...

final is celebrated in

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

. *20 July – Inaugural meeting of the

National Farmers' Federation The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) is an Australian non-profit membershipbased organization that represents farmers and the agricultural sector in Australia. Historically, NFF was a key player in a number of industrial relations disputes, inc ...

*24 July – 14 coal miners die in a lethal gas explosion at Appin Colliery,

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

August

*29 August – Sydney's new heliport at Darling Harbour is officially opened. *30 August – Six die when a Cessna 206 plane crashes at

Shepparton, Victoria Shepparton () ( Yortayorta: ''Kanny-goopna'') is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in northern Victoria, Australia, approximately north-northeast of Melbourne. As of the 2021 census, the estimated population of Shepparton, ...

September

*22 September – The standing conference of Canonical Orthodox churches in Australia is established. *26 September – New South Wales Attorney-General Frank Walker tables the 960-page Finnane Report in State Parliament. The New South Wales Government gags Opposition calls for a debate report only 30 minutes after it is tabled. *27 September – **Australia announces the abolition of traditional trade preferences with Britain. **

Ian Sinclair Ian McCahon Sinclair (born 10 June 1929) is a former Australian politician who served as leader of the National Party from 1984 to 1989. He was a government minister under six prime ministers, and later Speaker of the House of Representative ...

resigns as Federal Primary Industry Minister following allegations that he forged his father's signature on his family's annual returns. According to the Finnane Report tabled in State Parliament,

was dishonest in arranging loans from a group of companies of which he was "de facto managing director" to the family pastoral company. Mr. Sinclair had denied the allegations the day before.

October

*7 October – The Australia Refugee Advisory Council is established. *14 October –

Australian Council of Trade Unions The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), originally the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions and eight trades and l ...

(ACTU) President Bob Hawke wins preselection for the safe ALP federal seat of

Wills Wills may refer to: * Will (law) A will or testament is a legal document that expresses a person's (testator) wishes as to how their property ( estate) is to be distributed after their death and as to which person (executor) is to manage the pr ...

, making way for him to enter federal politics next year. Mr. Hawke defeated the Socialist Left candidate Gerry Hand winning 38 votes from the 70-member selection panel. *19 October – The Australian Federal Police is established under the command of Colin Woods. *20 October – Prime Minister

proclaims the first section of the

Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...

(the Capricornia section) a national park, making it the third Australian national park to be declared this year.

also announces the allocation of $300,000 to research projects to be set up in the region to increase the Federal Government's knowledge of this area.

November

*5 November – The first New South Wales Lotto draw takes place. No-one chose the six winning numbers in the draw, so only half of the first prize – $193,576 – will be divided among the five members of the in the Money syndicate. *6 November – The

Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a ci ...

(Woodward Royal Commission) reports to the New South Wales Parliament, recommending increased penalties and no concessions for soft drugs. *30 November – The

(ACTU), at a meeting of 24 major unions, rejects proposals to block the mining export of uranium.

December

*16 December – Sunday trading in Sydney public bars begins.

Arts and literature

* Wes Walters wins the

Archibald Prize The Archibald Prize is an Australian portraiture art prize for painting, generally seen as the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after the receipt of a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor ...

for his portrait of

Philip Adams Sir Philip George Doyne Adams KCMG (17 December 1915 – 14 October 2001) was a British career diplomat. He was born in Wellington, New Zealand and was educated at Lancing College, Sussex, before going on to read Philosophy, Politics and Eco ...

* David Ireland's novel ''

A Woman of the Future ''A Woman of the Future'' (1979) is a novel by Australian author David Ireland (author), David Ireland. It won the Miles Franklin Award in 1979 and was joint winner of the Age Book of the Year award in 1980. As a result of this novel, Ireland ...

'' wins the Miles Franklin Award

Film

* ''My Brilliant Career'', directed by Gillian Armstrong, is released * ''

Mad Max ''Mad Max'' is an Australian post-apocalyptic action film series and media franchise created by George Miller and Byron Kennedy. It began in 1979 with '' Mad Max'', and was followed by three sequels: ''Mad Max 2'' (1981, released in the Unite ...

Television

* 11 February – The Australian '' 60 Minutes'' begins on the Nine Network * 27 February – ''

Prisoner A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison. ...

'' makes its debut on the 0–10 Network.

Sport

*14 January –

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

beats

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 Francois Robert "Rob" de Castella (born 27 February 1957) is an Australian former world champion marathon runner. De Castella is widely known as "Deek" or "Deeks" to the Australian public, and "Tree" to his competitors due to his thick legs an ...

, at the seventh

IAAF World Cross Country Championships World Athletics Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Formerly held annually and organised by World Athletics (formerly the IAAF), it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the Int ...

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

, Ireland.

Steve Austin Steve Austin (born Steven James Anderson; December 18, 1964), better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American media personality, actor, and retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most ...

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 South Melbourne is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. South Melbourne recorded a population of 11,548 at ...

's 171-point margin also against St Kilda, from 1919. *28 July –

Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name: **FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855) ** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...

set a still-standing record winning margin when they beat

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

by 190 points at

VFL Park Waverley Park (also and originally called VFL Park) was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian-based Victorian Football Le ...

. Their score of 36.22 (238) was a record until 1992. *12 August –

wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:13:23 in

. *22 September: The

1979 NSWRFL season The 1979 NSWRFL season was the 72nd season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve New South Wales Rugby Football League clubs competed for the J.J. Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the ...

culminates in minor premiers St. George's 17–13 victory over

Canterbury-Bankstown Canterbury-Bankstown is a customary region of Sydney, Australia, in the south-western suburbs. The area is located around the Bankstown railway line, to the west of the St George region and to the south of the Inner West region. The suburbs ...

in the Grand Final. North Sydney finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon. *29 September

Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club, nicknamed the Blues, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's top professional competition. Founded in 1864 in Carlton, an inner suburb of Me ...

wins the

1979 VFL Grand Final The 1979 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1979. It was the 83rd annual Grand Fin ...

over Collingwood. *6 November –

Hyperno Hyperno (1973–2002) was a Thoroughbred racehorse foaled in New Zealand. He was a wayward but brilliant galloper that won the Melbourne Cup and other group and listed races. He was sired by Rangong (GB) out of Mikarla (NZ) by Persian Garden II ...

wins the

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melb ...

* Victoria wins the

Sheffield Shield The Sheffield Shield (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Marsh Sheffield Shield) is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Sheffield Shi ...

* ''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 The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. The term originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, '' The Sporting Times'', immediately after Australia's 1882 victory at The Oval, its first ...

* Australia wins the

Admiral's Cup The Admiral's Cup was an international yachting regatta. For many years it was known as the unofficial world championship of offshore racing. The Admiral's Cup regatta was started in 1957 and was normally a biennial event (occurring in odd-numbe ...

Jack Newton Jack Newton OAM (30 January 1950 – 14 April 2022) was an Australian professional golfer. He won the Buick-Goodwrench Open on the PGA Tour and won three times on the European Tour, including the British PGA Matchplay Championship in 1974. He ...

wins the Australian Open golf championship * The National Basketball League is founded

Births

* 1 January –

Brody Dalle Brody Dalle (born Bree Joanna Alice Robinson; 1 January 1979) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and musician. She began playing music in her adolescence and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18, where she founded the punk rock band The D ...

, singer-songwriter * 2 January –

Robert Newbery Robert Frederick Newbery (born 2 January 1979 in Adelaide, South Australia) is an Australian former diver. He won a bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics and two bronze medals in the 2004 Summer Olympics, one with synchronised springboard d ...

, diver * 3 January –

Brooke Morrison Brooke Morrison (born 3 January 1979 in New South Wales) is a retired female field hockey striker from Australia. She made her debut for the Australian women's national team during the 1998 season following an impressive season with the Austra ...

, field hockey striker * 6 January –

Adrian Rainey Adrian Rainey (born 6 January 1979) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Western Suburbs, Parramatta Eels and the Bulldogs in the National Rugby League (NRL), plus Castleford Tigers ( Heritage No. 790) in the Sup ...

, rugby league player * February 12 –

Jesse Spencer Jesse Gordon Spencer (born 12 February 1979) is an Australian actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Billy Kennedy on the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' (1994–2000, 2005, 2022), Robert Chase on the American medical drama ...

, actor and musician *15 February – James Harvey, basketball player * 4 March –

Geoff Huegill Geoffrey Andrew Huegill (born 4 March 1979) is an Australian swimmer and dual Olympian who won seventy-two international medals, including two medals in Olympics and six world champion titles, throughout his career. He held eight world records, i ...

, swimmer * 12 March –

Jamie Dwyer Jamie Dwyer (born 12 March 1979) is an Australian field hockey player. He currently plays for YMCC Coastal City Hockey Club in the Melville Toyota League in Perth, Western Australia. He also played for the Queensland Blades in the Australian ...

, field hockey forward * 16 March –

Suzie Faulkner Suzanne ("Suzie") Margaret Faulkner (born 16 March 1979 in Brisbane, Queensland) is a field hockey striker from Australia, who made her debut for the Australian women's national team in 2002 during a Six Nations International Tournament. Nickna ...

, field hockey striker * 3 April –

Sasa Ognenovski Sasa Ognenovski ( mk, Саша Огненовски, Saša Ognenovski; born 3 April 1979) is an Australian soccer player who played as a central defender, who represented the Australia national team on 22 occasions, and who last played for Sy ...

, Footballer * 4 April **

Heath Ledger Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor and music video director. After playing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to ...

, actor (died 2008) ** Rebecca Stoyel, gymnast * 9 April –

Graeme Brown Graeme Allen Brown OAM (born 9 April 1979) is an Australian former professional cyclist, who competed professionally between 2002 and 2016 for the , and teams. A former Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder, Brown's greatest suc ...

, cyclist * 11 April –

Danielle de Niese Danielle de Niese (born 11 April 1979) is an Australian-American lyric soprano. After success as a young child in singing competitions in Australia, she moved to the United States where she developed an operatic career. From 2005 she came to wi ...

, opera singer * 18 April –

Zain Wright Zain Wright (born 18 April 1979 in Tasmania) is a former field hockey midfielder from Australia, who was a member of the Men's National Team just after the 2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the ...

, field hockey midfielder * 22 April –

Daniel Johns Daniel Paul Johns (born 22 April 1979) is an Australian musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the former frontman, guitarist, and main songwriter of the rock band Silverchair. Johns is also one half of The Dissociatives with Paul Mac ...

, musician * 4 June –

Jade MacRae Jade Aurora Moana MacRae (born 4 June 1979) is an Australian soul singer and the daughter of professional musicians Joy Yates and Dave MacRae. MacRae is best known for her top 40 singles MacRae " So Hot Right Now" and " Superstar", both release ...

, singer * 5 June –

Matthew Scarlett Matthew Scarlett (born 5 June 1979) is a former Australian rules footballer, who formerly played for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A fullback, who is tall and weighing , Scarlett is the eldest son of forme ...

, footballer and coach * 7 June –

Anna Torv Anna Torv (born 7 June 1979) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as FBI agent Olivia Dunham on the Fox science-fiction series ''Fringe'' (2008–2013), for which she was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award ...

, actress * 11 June –

Amy Duggan Amy Elizabeth Duggan (; born 11 June 1979) is an Australian retired association football player and media personality. Football career Amy Taylor was born in Canberra, Australia and grew up in Tuggeranong. She started playing soccer at Tugger ...

, Australian footballer and journalist * 7 July –

Loudy Tourky Loudy Wiggins ( née Tourky) (born 7 July 1979) is a former Australian diver. She was born in Haifa, Israel to Palestinian parents, but moved to Australia when she was 3 years old. Wiggins was a gymnast at the Australian Institute of Sport, ...

, diver * 10 July –

Russell Hinder Russell Hinder (born 10 July 1979) is an Australian former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the NBL. In 1997, he attended the Australian Institute of Sport. Hinder attended the University of San Francisco before transfer ...

, basketball player * 15 July –

Travis Fimmel Travis Fimmel (born 15 July 1979) is an Australian actor and former model. He is known for his role as Ragnar Lothbrok in the History Channel television series ''Vikings'' (2013–2017),Prudom, LaurVikings On History: Travis Fimmel Previews The ...

, actor and model * 24 July –

Rose Byrne Mary Rose Byrne (born 24 July 1979) is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut in the film ''Dallas Doll'' (1994), and continued to act in Australian film and television throughout the 1990s. She obtained her first leading film role i ...

, actress * 3 August – Nathan Crosswell, basketball player * 9 August –

Michael Kingma Michael Kingma (born 9 August 1979) is an Australian former professional basketball player. Professional career Kingma was born in Manly, New South Wales, where he started his basketball playing as a junior. Kingma played seven seasons in Au ...

, basketball player * 14 August – Paul Burgess, pole vaulter * 16 August ** Ian Moran, cricketer ** Adam Darragh, basketball player * 23 August – Lance Whitnall, Australian Rules footballer * 12 September –

Aaron Hopkins Aaron Hopkins (born 12 September 1979 in Busselton, Western Australia) is a field hockey defender from Australia. He narrowly missed selection in Australia's Olympic Games squads in both 2004 and 2008. He did, however, win two gold medals ...

, field hockey defender * 17 September –

Chris Minns Christopher John Minns (born 17 September 1979) is an Australian politician who is the leader of the NSW Labor Party. He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Kogarah for the Labor Party at the 2015 New Sout ...

, politician * 20 September –

Damien Ryan Damien Ryan (born 20 September 1979) is an Australian professional basketball player. Born in Gisborne, Victoria, Ryan attended Salesian College in Sunbury, Victoria. After starring as a junior basketballer in Sunbury, he attended the Aus ...

, basketball player * 29 September – Nathan Foley, singer ( Hi 5) * 11 October – Ryan Harris, cricketer * 20 October – Tim Neesham, water polo player * 24 October – Matthew Hadgraft, cabaret artist * 6 November – Peter Ceawford, basketball player * 9 November –

Oliver Ackland Oliver Ackland (born 9 November 1979) is an Australian actor. Biography In 2009 he was awarded the inaugural Heath Ledger scholarship by Australians in Film. Ackland starred in Ben Lucas' ''Wasted on the Young'', which premiered at the 2010 ...

, actor * 12 November **

Chad Cornes Chad Studley Cornes (born 12 November 1979) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Port Adelaide Football Club and Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was a member of the Po ...

, footballer **

Matt Stevic Matt Stevic (born 12 November 1979) is an Australian rules football field umpire in the Australian Football League (AFL). He has umpired 449 career games in the AFL, which has him sitting currently at number 4 on the All-time Games umpired l ...

, footballer and umpire * 16 November – Salli Wills, gymnast * 6 December –

Tim Cahill Timothy Filiga Cahill (; born 6 December 1979) is an Australian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder but also played as a striker on many occasions. A box-to-box midfielder, Cahill became recognised for "his a ...

, soccer player * 15 December – Sam Cawthorn, motivational speaker, author & entrepreneur * 21 December – Stephen Lambert, field hockey goalkeeper

Deaths

* 7 January –

Ivan Stedman Ivan Cuthbert Stedman (13 April 1895 – 7 January 1979) was an Australian freestyle and breaststroke swimmer of the 1920s, who won a silver medal in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. He w ...

, Olympic swimmer (b.

1895 Events January–March * January 5 – Dreyfus affair: French officer Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his army rank, and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island. * January 12 – The National Trust for Places of Histor ...

) * 15 April –

Sir David Brand Sir David Brand KCMG (1 August 1912 – 15 April 1979) was an Australian politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1945 to 1975, and also the 19th and longest-serving Premi ...

, 19th

(b. 1912) * 16 April –

Frank Stewart Francis Eugene "Frank" Stewart (20 February 192316 April 1979), Australian politician and rugby league footballer, was a member of the Australian House of Representatives representing Lang between 1953 and 1977 and subsequently Grayndler betw ...

, New South Wales politician and rugby league footballer (b.

1923 Events January–February * January 9 – Lithuania begins the Klaipėda Revolt to annex the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory). * January 11 – Despite strong British protests, troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area, t ...

) * 21 May –

Walter Skelton Walter Peden Joyce Skelton MBE (28 March 1883 – 21 May 1979) was an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Skelton was born in Boggabri, New South Wales, ninth child of a railway fettler, edu ...

, New South Wales politician (b.

1883 Events January–March * January 4 – ''Life'' magazine is founded in Los Angeles, California, United States. * January 10 – A fire at the Newhall Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, kills 73 people. * Ja ...

) * 4 June – Elena Domenica Rubeo, Australian community worker and businessperson (b.

1896 Events January–March * January 2 – The Jameson Raid comes to an end, as Jameson surrenders to the Boers. * January 4 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. * January 5 – An Austrian newspaper reports that ...

) * 6 June –

Ion Idriess Ion Llewellyn Idriess (20 September 18896 June 1979) was a prolific and influential Australian author. He wrote more than 50 books over 43 years between 1927 and 1969 – an average of one book every 10 months, and twice published three books i ...

, author (b.

1889 Events January–March * January 1 ** The total solar eclipse of January 1, 1889 is seen over parts of California and Nevada. ** Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka experiences a vision, leading to the start of the Ghost Dance movement in t ...

) * 30 June –

Jim Southee James Bernard Southee (6 June 1902 – 30 June 1979) was an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing Blacktown from 1962 to 1971 and Mount Druitt from 1971 to 1973. Biography ...

, New South Wales politician (b.

1902 Events January * January 1 ** The Nurses Registration Act 1901 comes into effect in New Zealand, making it the first country in the world to require state registration of nurses. On January 10, Ellen Dougherty becomes the world' ...

) * 1 September – Mick Cronin, Australian rules footballer and television commentator (b.

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

) * 21 December – Eric Joseph Wright, medical administrator and public servant (b. 1912)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1979 in Australia Australia Years of the 20th century in Australia

Incumbents

State and territory leaders

Governors and administrators

Events

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Arts and literature

Film

Television

Sport

Births

Deaths

See also

References