Governors of the Australian colonies:
Governor of New South Wales – Sir William Denison
Governor of South Australia – Shannon Amour Osborne
Governor of Tasmania – Sir Henry Young
Governor of Victoria – Sir Henry Barkly
Governor of Western Australia as a Crown Colony – Sir Arthur Kennedy
Premiers of the Australian colonies:
Premier of New South Wales – Charles Cowper
Premier of South Australia – Richard Hanson
Premier of Tasmania – Francis Smith
Premier of Victoria – Dr William Haines (until 10 March), then John O'Shanassy
12 July – The first edition of The Advertiser newspaper is published in Adelaide, South Australia.
7 August – The first recorded game of Australian rules football is played between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College at Yarra Park.
10 September – Fitzroy, Victoria becomes a municipality in its own right, after separating from the City of Melbourne.
8 December – The construction of St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne begins.
28 January – Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth David, scientist (died 1934)
18 June – Sir Cornthwaite Hector William James Rason, Premier of Western Australia (died 1927).
5 September – Victor Daley, poet (died 1905)
27 October – Elliott Lewis, Premier of Tasmania (died 1935)
16 February – Charles Augustus FitzRoy, 10th Governor of New South Wales (born 1796)
2 April – Ralph Darling, 7th Governor of New South Wales (born 1772)
31 August – Elizabeth Underwood, founder of Ashfield, New South Wales (b. c. 1794)
