1954 in Australia

Incumbents

Monarch – Elizabeth II

Governor-General – 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 – 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

Governor of Tasmania – Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet

Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooks

Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner

Events

3 February – Elizabeth II arrives in Sydney on her first visit as monarch

13 February – Mawson Station in the Australian Antarctic Territory is established

During February, a cyclone hits the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales, killing 26

3 April – Vladimir Petrov, a Soviet diplomat, defects to Australia, sparking the Petrov Affair

Shirley Bliss wins the Miss Australia Quest

On 31 October, the first Vickers Viscount aircraft delivered to Australia crashed at Mangalore Airport while on a training flight only days after its arrival in Australia, killing 3 of the 7 people on board.

Science and technology

The Australian Academy of Science is established.

Arts and literature

Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Rt Hon R G Menzies, PC, CH, QC, MP

Charles Bannon wins the Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work Judas Iscariot

Overland literary magazine is founded, edited by Stephen Murray-Smith

Sport

Cricket

New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield

Football

Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Wests defeated Brothers 35-18

New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeated Newtown 23-15

South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide

Victorian Football League premiership: Footscray defeated Melbourne 102-51

Golf

Australian Open: won by Ossie Pickworth

Australian PGA Championship: won by Kel Nagle

Horse Racing

Rising Fast wins the Caulfield Cup

Rising Fast wins the Cox Plate

Rising Fast wins the Melbourne Cup

Motor Racing

The Australian Grand Prix was held at Southport and won by Lex Davison driving a HWM Jaguar

Tennis

Australian Open men's singles: Mervyn Rose defeats Rex Hartwig 6-2 0–6 6-4 6-2

Australian Open women's singles: Thelma Coyne Long defeats Jenny Staley Hoad 6-3 6-4

Davis Cup: Australia is defeated by the United States 2–3 in the 1954 Davis Cup final

Wimbledon: Rex Hartwig and Mervyn Rose win the Gentlemen's Pairs

Wimbledon: Jaroslav Drobný defeats Ken Rosewall 13-11 4–6 6-2 9-7 in the Gentlemen's Singles

Yachting

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

Births

25 January – Kay Cottee, sailor

26 January – Kim Hughes, cricketer

27 April – Mark Holden, singer and media personality

2 May – Don Cameron, water polo player and coach

19 May – Phil Rudd, musician

27 May – Pauline Hanson, politician

30 June – Wayne Swan, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia

12 August – Rob Borbidge, Premier of Queensland

2 September - Gai Waterhouse, horse trainer

13 September – Steve Kilbey, musician

20 September - James Moloney, author

15 October – Steve Bracks, Premier of Victoria

12 November – Paul McNamee, tennis player

26 November – Jacki MacDonald, media personality

28 November - John McMartin Pastor, ACC State President NSW, National Executive.

29 November – Steve Rogers (died 2006), Rugby league footballer

Deaths

19 September – Miles Franklin (born 1879), writer

14 November – Inigo Jones (born 1872), meteorologist

22 November – Roy Rene (born 1892), comedian