Australia was the host nation for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. However, due to Australian quarantine restrictions the equestrian events were held in Stockholm, Sweden. 294 competitors, 250 men and 44 women, took part in 140 events in 18 sports.
Betty Cuthbert — Athletics, Women's 100 metresBetty Cuthbert — Athletics, Women's 200 metresShirley Strickland — Athletics, Women's 80 m HurdlesNorma Croker, Betty Cuthbert, Fleur Wenham, and Shirley Strickland — Athletics, Women's 4 × 100 m RelayJoey Browne and Anthony Marchant — Cycling, Men's 2000 m TandemJon Henricks — Swimming, Men's 100 m FreestyleMurray Rose — Swimming, Men's 400 m FreestyleMurray Rose — Swimming, Men's 1500 m FreestyleDavid Theile — Swimming, Men's 100 m BackstrokeJohn Devitt, Jon Henricks, Kevin O'Halloran, and Murray Rose — Swimming, Men's 4 × 200 m Freestyle RelayDawn Fraser — Swimming, Women's 100 m FreestyleLorraine Crapp — Swimming, Women's 400 m FreestyleLorraine Crapp, Dawn Fraser, Faith Leech, and Sandra Morgan — Swimming, Women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle RelayGraham Gipson, Kevan Gosper, Leon Gregory, and David Lean — Athletics, Men's 4 × 400 m RelayChilla Porter — Athletics, Men's High JumpStuart MacKenzie — Rowing, Men's Single ScullsJohn Devitt — Swimming, Men's 100 m FreestyleJohn Monckton — Swimming, Men's 100 m BackstrokeLorraine Crapp — Swimming, Women's 100 m FreestyleDawn Fraser — Swimming, Women's 400 m FreestyleJohn Scott and Roland Tasker — Sailing, Men's Sharpie 12 m²Hector Hogan — Athletics, Men's 100 metresJohn Landy — Athletics, Men's 1500 metresAllan Lawrence — Athletics, Men's 10.000 metresNorma Thrower — Athletics, Women's 80 m HurdlesMarlene Mathews — Athletics, Women's 100 metresMarlene Mathews — Athletics, Women's 200 metresKevin Hogarth — Boxing, Men's WelterweightWalter Brown and Dennis Green — Canoeing, Men's K2 10,000 m Kayak PairsDick Ploog — Cycling, Men's 1000 m Sprint (Scratch)Murray Riley and Mervyn Wood — Rowing, Men's Double ScullsMichael Aikman, Angus Benfield, David Boykett, Bryan Doyle, Harold Hewitt, Jim Howden, Walter Howell, Garth Manton, and Adrian Monger — Rowing, Men's EightsGary Chapman — Swimming, Men's 100 m FreestyleFaith Leech — Swimming, Women's 100 m FreestyleDouglas Buxton, Devereaux Mytton and Jock Sturrock — Sailing, Men's 5½ Meter ClassMen's 110m Hurdles
James JoyceHeat — 14.7s (→ did not advance)Kenneth DoubledayHeat — 14.8s (→ did not advance)John ChittickHeat — 14.9s (→ did not advance)Men's Marathon
John Russell — 2:41:44 (→ 18th place)Keith Ollerenshaw — 2:48:12 (→ 25th place)Les Perry — did not finish (→ no ranking)Men's Team CompetitionPreliminary Round:Lost to Brazil (66-89)Lost to Chile (56-78)Defeated Thailand (87-48)Lost to Formosa (73-86)Defeated Singapore (98-74)Classification Matches:
9th/12th place: Lost to Canada (83-38)11th/12th place: Lost to Formosa (87-70) → 12th placeTeam Roster:Peter DemosGeoff HeskettPeter BumbersStan DargisInga FreidenfeldsColin BurdettGeorge DancisPeter SuttonAlgis IgnataviciusMerv MoyKen FinchBruce FlickHead Coach: Ken WatsonSprintDick Ploog — Bronze MedalTime trialWarren Scarfe — 1:12.1 (→ 4th place)Team pursuitCliff Burvill
Frank Brazier
Roy Moore
Warren Scarfe — 9th placeTandemAnthony Marchant
Joey Browne — Gold MedalIndividual road raceJohn O'Sullivan — 5:36:58 (→ 41st place)Jim Nevin — 5:47:02 (→ 44th place)Ed Nestor — did not finish (→ no ranking)Jack Trickey — did not finish (→ no ranking)Men's 3m Springboard
Arthur WintherPreliminary Round — 71.04 (→ did not advance, 17th place)Joseph McCannPreliminary Round — 69.18 (→ did not advance, 19th place)Ronald FauldsPreliminary Round — 68.84 (→ did not advance, 20th place)Men's 10m Platform
Francis MurphyPreliminary Round — 66.29 (→ did not advance, 17th place)William TullyPreliminary Round — 65.49 (→ did not advance, 18th place)Barry HolmesPreliminary Round — 58.01 (→ did not advance, 22nd place)Women's 3m Springboard
Barbara McAulayPreliminary Round — 60.19 (→ did not advance, 13th place)Roslyn BartonPreliminary Round — 58.50 (→ did not advance, 15th place)Pat HowardPreliminary Round — 53.89 (→ did not advance, 17th place)Women's 10m Platform
Barbara McAulayPreliminary Round — 45.67 (→ did not advance, 14th place)Roslyn BartonPreliminary Round — 41.96 (→ did not advance, 15th place)Adele PricePreliminary Round — 35.28 (→ did not advance, 18th place)21 fencers, 18 men and 3 women, represented Australia in 1956.
Men's foilBrian McCowageMichael SichelDavid McKenzieMen's team foilRay Buckingham, Brian McCowage, Rod Steele, David McKenzie, Michael Sichel, Tom CrossMen's épéeIvan LundRichard StoneLaurence Harding-SmithMen's team épéeJames Wolfensohn, Ivan Lund, Keith Hackshall, Hilbert Van DijkMen's sabreGraham McKenzieLeslie FadgyasSandor SzokeMen's team sabreLeslie Fadgyas, Alexander Martonffy, Emeric Santo, Leslie Kovacs, Sandor SzokeWomen's foilDenise O'BrienLois JosephJoy HardonMen's Team CompetitionTeam RosterAlan BarblettGeoffrey BennettBrian BoothKevin CartonKenneth ClarkeIan DickJohn DwyerMaurice FoleyLouis HaileyGlen JobsonDennis KempKeith LeesonDonald MecklemEric PearceGordon PearceMelville PearceKenneth ReidRaymond WhitesideThree male pentathletes represented Australia in 1956.
IndividualNeville SayersSven CoomerGeorge NicollTeamNeville SayersSven CoomerGeorge NicollTwelve shooters represented Australia in 1956.
25 m pistolJohnnie MaitlandPeter Papps50 m pistolLen TolhurstRodney Johnson300 m rifle, three positionsIan WrigleyNorman Goff50 m rifle, three positionsDon TolhurstNorman Rule50 m rifle, proneDon TolhurstNorman Rule100m running deerColin AndersonNoel HallTrapJohn BryantClement Mudford 
