1953 in Australia

Updated on Dec 07, 2024

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Monarchy Elizabeth II Population 8,815,362		Prime minister Robert Menzies

Governor-General William McKell, then William Slim Elections Senate, WA, NSW, SA, QLD

Incumbents

Monarch – Elizabeth II

Governor-General – William McKell (until 8 May), then Sir William Slim

Prime Minister – Robert Menzies

State Premiers

Premier of New South Wales – Joseph Cahill

Premier of Queensland – Vince Gair

Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV

Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove

Premier of Victoria – John Cain I

Premier of Western Australia – Ross McLarty (until 23 February), then Albert Hawke

State Governors

Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott

Governor of Queensland – Sir John Lavarack

Governor of South Australia – Sir Robert George (from 23 February)

Governor of Tasmania – Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet

Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooks

Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner

Events

20 March – The Television Act is passed by parliament, setting regulations for the broadcast of television in Australia, although television transmission did not commence until 1956.

29 October – British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Douglas DC-6, registration VH-BPE, en route from Sydney, crashes on approach to San Francisco, killing 19 people.

4 December – Oil is discovered in the Exmouth Gulf off the coast of Western Australia.

Science and technology

The first town to fluoridate the water supply in Australia was Beaconsfield, Tasmania.

Arts and literature

John Brack paints Men's Wear and The New House in Oakleigh, Victoria

Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Sir Henry Simpson Newland

Michael Kmit loses the Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work The Evangelist John Mark

Sport

Athletics

26 September – Roland Guy wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:24:48 in Sydney.

Cricket

South Australia wins the Sheffield Shield

Football

23 May: Fitzroy go within ten minutes of a team score of 0.0 (0), which would have been a VFL first, against Footscray in appalling conditions. Allan Ruthven kicks a late goal to save them from this ignominy.

1 August: Collingwood end Geelong’s record 26-game unbeaten streak, which still stand, when they win 10.15 (75) to 7.13 (55).

South Australian National Football League premiership: won by West Torrens

Victorian Football League premiership: Collingwood defeated Geelong 77-65

Rugby

Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Souths defeated Easts 21-4

New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeated St. George 31-12

Golf

Australian Open: won by Norman Von Nida

Australian PGA Championship: won by Ossie Pickworth

Horse Racing

My Hero wins the Caulfield Cup

Hydrogen wins the Cox Plate

Wodalla wins the Melbourne Cup

Motor Racing

The Australian Grand Prix was held at Albert Park and won by Doug Whiteford driving a Talbot-Lago

Tennis

Australian Open men's singles: Ken Rosewall defeats Mervyn Rose 6-0 6-3 6-4

Australian Open women's singles: Maureen Connolly defeats Julie Sampson Haywood 6-3 6-2

Davis Cup: Australia defeats the United States 3-2 in the 1953 Davis Cup final

Wimbledon: Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall win the Men's Doubles

Yachting

Solveig IV takes line honours and Ripple wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Births

16 January – Vic Aanensen, Australian Rules football player

5 February – Rod Jones, Australian novelist

14 February – Greg Browning, field hockey player

4 March – Ray Price, rugby league football player

15 March – Randall Goff, water polo player

17 March – Margaret Jackson, businesswoman

16 April – Peter Garrett, singer and politician

21 April – John Brumby, politician

2 May – Chris Anderson – rugby league footballer and coach

20 May – Robert Doyle, politician

24 June – Michael Tuck, Australian Rules football player

1 July – David Gulpilil, actor

17 August – Noni Hazelhurst, actress

26 August – General David Hurley, AC, DSC, Chief of the Defence Force (2011–present)

11 September – Renée Geyer, singer

27 September – Greg Ham, musician (Men at Work)

25 November – Graham Eadie, rugby league footballer

12 December – Martin Ferguson, politician

Deaths

28 January – James Scullin, Prime Minister of Australia (born 1876)

12 February – Hal Colebatch, Premier of Western Australia (born 1872)

18 February – Denis Lutge, rugby footballer (born 1879)

2 December – Reginald Baker (69), athlete, sports promoter and film actor (born 1884)

References

1953 in Australia Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA