1953 in Australia

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The following lists events that happened during 1953 in Australia.

1953 in Australia
MonarchyElizabeth II
Governor-GeneralWilliam McKell, then William Slim
Prime ministerRobert Menzies
Population8,815,362
ElectionsSenate, WA, NSW, SA, QLD

←

Flag of Australia.svg
 1953
in
Australia

→

Decades:
  • 1930s
  • 1940s
  • 1950s
  • 1960s
  • 1970s
See also:
  • Other events of 1953
  • Federal election
  • Timeline of Australian history

Incumbents[]

Robert Menzies
  • Monarch – Elizabeth II
  • Governor-General – William McKell (until 8 May), then Sir William Slim
  • Prime Minister – Robert Menzies
  • Chief Justice – Sir Owen Dixon

State Premiers[]

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[]

Aerial view of the Story Bridge, 1953
  • 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.
  • 2 June – Elizabeth II's coronation as Queen of Australia takes place at Westminster Abbey
  • 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.[1]

Arts and literature[]

Main article: 1953 in Australian 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[]

Winner of the Sun Girl Quest at Suttons Beach, 1953
  • 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
  • Golf
  • 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
  • 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
  • 4 February – Pam Allan, politician
  • 5 February – Rod Jones, Australian novelist
  • 14 February – Greg Browning, field hockey player
  • 4 March – Ray Price, rugby league footballer
  • 7 March – Peter Webb, politician
  • 15 March – Randall Goff, water polo player
  • 17 March – Margaret Jackson, businesswoman
  • 16 April – Peter Garrett, singer and politician
  • 21 April
    • John Brumby, politician
    • Ron Hoenig, politician and barrister
  • 30 April – Craig Baumann, politician
  • 2 May – Chris Anderson, rugby league footballer and coach
  • 8 May
  • 20 May – Robert Doyle, politician
  • 16 June – Sandra Nori, politician
  • 24 June – Michael Tuck, Australian Rules football player
  • 1 July
  • 13 July – Andrew Tink, politician
  • 21 July – Jeff Fatt, musician (The Cockroaches and The Wiggles)
  • 23 July – Geoff Corrigan, politician
  • 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) (died 2012)
  • 13 November – Bob Brett, tennis coach (died 2021)
  • 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 May – Trevor Oldham, Deputy Premier of Victoria (born 1900)
  • 22 May – Louis Lavater, composer (born 1867)
  • 2 December – Reginald Baker (69), athlete, sports promoter and film actor (born 1884)

Unknown date

  • Stephen Moreno composer (born 1889)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Graham Aplin; S.G. Foster; Michael McKernan, eds. (1987). "Tasmania". Australians:Events and Places. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Fairfax, Syme & Weldon Associates. p. 366. ISBN 0-521-34073-X.
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