1959 in Australia

Incumbents

• Monarch – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Sir William Slim
• Prime Minister – Robert Menzies

State Premiers

• Premier of New South Wales – Joseph Cahill (until 22 October), then Robert Heffron
• Premier of South Australia – Sir Thomas Playford
• Premier of Queensland – Frank Nicklin
• Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
• Premier of Western Australia – Albert Hawke (until 2 April), then David Brand
• Premier of Victoria – Henry Bolte

State Governors

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir Eric Woodward
• Governor of Queensland – Sir Henry Abel Smith
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Robert George
• Governor of Tasmania – Thomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan (from 21 October)
• Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooks
• Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner

Events

• 26 January (Australia Day) – Darwin was granted city status
• 12 February – The Melbourne outdoor performance venue the Sidney Myer Music Bowl is officially opened by Prime Minister Robert Menzies.
• February – major floods in Queensland [1]
• March – formal construction of the Sydney Opera House began
• 4 June – the Soviet embassy in Canberra was reopened. It had been closed since 29 April 1954 as a result of the Petrov Affair [2]
• 29 July – Qantas launched its first jet service from Sydney to San Francisco via Nadi and Honolulu.
• August and September – Princess Alexandra toured Australia [3]
• September – Australian National University building an "Atom Smasher" [4]
• 23 September the M/S Princess of Tasmania Australia's first passenger Roll-on/roll-off diesel ferry makes maiden voyage across Bass Strait.
• November – Donald Bradman batted for 15 minutes in a demonstration. He retired from cricket. [5]

Science and technology

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Arts and literature

• William Dobell wins the Archibald Prize with a portrait of Dr Edward MacMahon
• The Big Fellow by Vance Palmer wins the Miles Franklin Literary Award

Film

On the Beach starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner was shot around Melbourne. The film was based on the novel by Nevil Shute.

Television

Six O'Clock Rock screened on the Australian Broadcasting Commission's channel. It was compered by Johnny O'Keefe and was the ABC's response to Bandstand on Channel Nine.

Adelaide's first television station, NWS-9, begins broadcasting on 5 September

Sport

• Cricket
  • New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield
  • England toured Australia in the summer of 1958/59 for The Ashes; Australia won the series 4-0.

• Football
  • Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Northern Suburbs defeated Brothers 24-18
  • New South Wales Rugby League premiership: St. George defeated Manly-Warringah 20-0
  • South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide
  • Victorian Football League premiership: Melbourne defeated Essendon 115-78

• Golf
  • Australian Open: won by Kel Nagle

• Horse Racing
  • Regal Wench wins the Caulfield Cup
  • Noholme wins the Cox Plate
  • Fine and Dandy wins the Golden Slipper
  • Macdougal wins the Melbourne Cup

• Motor Racing
  • Jack Brabham wins the 1959 Formula One Drivers' Championship
  • The Australian Grand Prix was held at Longford, Tasmania and won by Stan Jones driving a Maserati

• Tennis
  • Australian Open men's singles: Alex Olmedo defeats Neale Fraser 6-1 6-2 3–6 6-3
  • Australian Open women's singles: Mary Carter defeats Renee Schuurman 6-2 6-3
  • Davis Cup: Australia defeats the United States 3-2 in the 1959 Davis Cup final

• Yachting
  • Solo takes line honours and Cherana wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Births

• 31 January – Anthony LaPaglia, actor
• 8 February – Andrew Hoy, equestrian rider
• 12 February – Sigrid Thornton, actress
• 24 February – Mike Whitney, cricketer
• 5 June – Mark Ella, rugby union player
• 21 July – Paul Vautin, rugby league footballer, coach and media personality
• 26 July – Gary Honey, long jumper
• 29 July – Gene Miles, rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s
• 12 August – Kerry Boustead, rugby league footballer
• 19 August – Rodney Adler, businessman
• 30 August – Mark "Jacko" Jackson, footballer and actor
• 12 September – Brad Dalton, basketball player
• 6 October – Robyn Maher, basketball player
• 11 October – Wayne Gardner, motorcycle and touring car racer
• 24 October – Rowland S. Howard, musician (died 2009)
• 4 September – Kevin Harrington, Australian actor
• 13 November – Anne Manning, racewalker
• 1 December – Wally Lewis, rugby league footballer and coach
• 12 December – Christine Stanton, high jumper
• 15 December – Greg Matthews, cricketer

Deaths

• 22 February – Harold Hardwick (born 1888), freestyle swimmer
• 20 June – Sir Ian Clunies Ross (born 1899), scientist
• 8 August – Albert Namatjira (born 1902), Aboriginal artist
• 19 September – Arthur Hennessy (born 1876), Australia's first rugby league captain
• 14 October – Errol Flynn (born 1909), actor (died in Canada)
• 14 October – Jack Davey (born 1907), radio comedian and quiz show host
• 22 October – Joseph Cahill (born 1891), Premier of New South Wales (1952–1959)
• 10 November – Gertrude Bodenweiser, choreographer
• 11 November – Charles Chauvel (born 1897), filmmaker
• 24 November – Dally Messenger (born 1883), rugby union and league footballer
• 18 December – Edouard Borovansky (born 1902), Czech born ballet dancer and choreographer; founder of the Borovansky Australian Ballet