1870 in Australia

1870 in Australia

1867 • 1868 • 1869 • 1870 (1870) • 1871 • 1872 • 1873

Other events of 1870 • Timeline of Australian history

Incumbents

Governors

Governors of the Australian colonies:

• Governor of New South Wales — Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore
• Governor of Queensland — Colonel Sir Samuel Blackall
• Governor of South Australia — Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet
• Governor of Tasmania — Charles Du Cane
• Governor of Victoria — John Manners-Sutton, 3rd Viscount Canterbury

Premiers

Premiers of the Australian colonies:

• Premier of New South Wales — John Robertson, until 13 January then Charles Cowper, until 16 December then James Martin^[1]
• Premier of Queensland — Charles Lilley, until 3 May then Arthur Hunter Palmer^[2]
• Premier of South Australia — Henry Strangways, until 30 May then John Hart^[3]
• Premier of Tasmania — James Milne Wilson^[4]
• Premier of Victoria — John Alexander MacPherson, until 9 April then James McCulloch^[5]

Events

• 3 January — A state flag of Western Australia is adopted.
• 1 February — A state flag of Victoria is adopted, although with no crown like the current flag.
• 22 March — A state flag of Queensland is adopted, with a portrait of Queen Victoria.
• 20 April — A second state flag of New South Wales is adopted, similar to the current flag of Victoria: a crown above the Southern Cross.
• 22 July — A state flag of South Australia is adopted.
• 11 August — Melbourne Town Hall is opened.

Exploration and settlement

• Gulgong, New South Wales, is founded.
• 27 August — John Forrest successfully arrives in Adelaide from Perth, leading an expedition along the south coast via the Great Australian Bight.

Science and technology

• September — Work begins on the Australian Overland Telegraph Line linking Port Augusta to Darwin.

Sport

• Late April or early May — Port Adelaide Football Club is founded in South Australia

Births

• 3 January — Ethel Richardson (d. 1946), author, better known by her nom de plume Henry Handel Richardson
• 17 May — Newton Moore (d. 1936), Premier of Western Australia
• 1 November — Christopher Brennan (d. 1932), poet

Deaths

• 25 May — Captain Thunderbolt (real name Fred Ward, b. 1836), bushranger
• 24 June — Adam Lindsay Gordon (b. 1833), poet

References

1. ^ Parliament of New South Wales, http://parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/ResourcesFactspremiers
2. ^ Parliament of Queensland, http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/historical/records1860.asp?SubArea=officeHolders
3. ^ Parliament of South Australia, http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/Members/Ministers/Pages/PremiersofSouthAustralia.aspx
4. ^ Parliament of Tasmania, http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/tpl/datasheets/Premiers_Table.htm
5. ^ Parliament of Victoria, http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/about/people-in-parliament/premier-of-victoria

See also

• 1870
• 1870s