1896 in Australia

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1896 in Australia

1893 • 1894 • 1895 • 1896 (1896) • 1897 • 1898 • 1899

Other events of 1896 • Timeline of Australian history

Incumbents

Governors of the Australian colonies

• Governor of New South Wales – Henry Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden
• Governor of Queensland – Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington (from 9 April)
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Thomas Buxton, 3rd Baronet
• Governor of Tasmania – Jenico Preston, 14th Viscount Gormanston
• Governor of Victoria – Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey
• Governor of Western Australia – Sir Gerard Smith

Premiers of the Australian colonies

• Premier of New South Wales – George Reid
• Premier of Queensland – Hugh Nelson
• Premier of South Australia – Charles Kingston
• Premier of Tasmania – Edward Braddon
• Premier of Western Australia – John Forrest
• Premier of Victoria – George Turner

Events

• 13 February - The Brisbane River ferry Pearl capsizes, killing 28

Science and technology

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Arts and literature

• While the Billy Boils, a collection of short stories, is published by Henry Lawson

Sport

• 7 to 11 April – Edwin Flack wins gold medals in the 800 metre and 1500 metre events, and bronze in the tennis doubles at the Games of the 1st Olympiad. He was the only Australian competitor at these games.
• 3 October – The Victorian Football League is formed, with competition beginning in 1897.
• 3 November – Newhaven wins the Melbourne Cup.
• New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield

Births

• 22 January – Norman Gilroy, first Australian-born Cardinal (d. 1977)
• 8 February – Alfred Percival Bullen, circus proprietor (d. 1974)
• 18 February – John Cramer, politician (d. 1994)
• 5 July – Thomas Playford, Premier of South Australia (d. 1981)
• 11 July – Evelyn Scotney, coloratura soprano (d. 1967)
• 18 July – John Mullens, politician (d. 1978)
• 3 August – Charles Adermann, politician (d. 1979)
• 24 August – Edwin Corboy, politician (d. 1950)
• 28 August – Arthur Calwell, politician (d. 1973)
• 15 September – Norman Lethbridge Cowper, lawyer (d. 1987)
• 29 September – Thomas James Bede Kenny, soldier and Victoria Cross recipient (d. 1953)
• 21 October – Patrick Gordon Taylor, aviator (d. 1966)
• 16 November – Joan Lindsay, author (Picnic at Hanging Rock) (d. 1984)
• 27 November – Arthur Percy Sullivan, soldier and Victoria Cross recipient (d. 1937)

Deaths

• 27 April – Sir Henry Parkes (b. 1815), politician
• 15 September – John Anderson Hartley (b. 1844), educator
• 10 October – Ferdinand von Mueller (b. 1825), botanist