Monarch – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Sir William Slim
Prime Minister – Robert Menzies
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 – Henry Bolte
Premier of Western Australia – Albert Hawke
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
22 November – The 1956 Summer Olympics opened in Melbourne. The opening ceremony was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with 107,700 people watching.
The Murray River flooded (the biggest flood in recorded history), affecting many towns near the river.
Arts and literature
William Dargie wins the Archibald Prize for his portrait of Albert Namatjira
Quadrant literary magazine is founded, edited by James McAuley
16 September – Australia's first TV station TCN-9 begins regular transmission in Sydney
4 November - HSV-7 begins as Melbourne's first TV Station.
5 November – The first TV station of the Australian Broadcasting Commission is launched; ABN-2 Sydney.
8 September – John Russell wins his first men's national marathon title, clocking 2:26:37.8 in Melbourne.
Melbourne Cup winner in 1956 was Evening Peal, ridden by George Podmore Trained by E.D.Lawson
New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield
Kurrewa IV takes line honours and Solo wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
New South Wales Rugby League premiership: St George defeated Balmain
Victorian Football League premiership: Melbourne defeated Collingwood
Australian Men's Tennis Championship was won by Lew Hoad from NSW aged 22
Australian Women's Tennis Championship was won by Miss Mary Carter
20 January – Richard Morecroft, English-Australian journalist
6 February – Ken Lorraway, triple jumper (died 2007)
7 March – David Koch, television personality
9 March – Steve Vizard, actor
21 April - Richmond Nichols, farmer
9 May – Jana Wendt, journalist
15 July – Steve Mortimer, rugby league footballer
31 July – Ernie Dingo, actor
17 August – John Kosmina, soccer player and manager
17 September – Ross Glendinning, Australian Rules footballer
17 September – Yunupingu, musician (Yothu Yindi) and community leader (d. 2013)
16 October – Martin Sacks, actor
17 October Gregory Townsend, classic
7 November – Michael Wooldridge, politician
14 November – John Anderson, politician
23 November – Shane Gould, swimmer
21 March – Fanny Durack, (born 1889), swimmer
29 May – Frank Beaurepaire, (born 1891), swimmer and politician
12 July – John Hayes, (born 1868), Premier of Tasmania
1956 in Australia Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
