1973 in Australia

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The following lists events that happened during 1973 in Australia.

1973 in Australia
MonarchyElizabeth II
Governor-GeneralSir Paul Hasluck
Prime ministerGough Whitlam
Population13,303,664
Australian of the YearPatrick White
ElectionsSA, VIC, NSW, Referendum

←

Flag of Australia.svg
 1973
in
Australia

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Decades:
  • 1950s
  • 1960s
  • 1970s
  • 1980s
  • 1990s
See also:
  • Other events of 1973
  • Timeline of Australian history

Incumbents[]

Sir Paul Hasluck
Gough Whitlam
  • Monarch – Elizabeth II
  • Governor-General – Sir Paul Hasluck
  • Prime Minister – Gough Whitlam
  • Chief Justice – Sir Garfield Barwick

State and Territory Leaders[]

Governors and Administrators[]

  • Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler
  • Governor of Queensland – Sir Colin Hannah
  • Governor of South Australia – Sir Mark Oliphant
  • Governor of Tasmania – Lieutenant General Sir Edric Bastyan (until 30 November), then Sir Stanley Burbury
  • Governor of Victoria – Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe
  • Governor of Western Australia – Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew
  • Administrator of Norfolk Island – Edward Pickerd
  • Administrator of the Northern Territory – Frederick Chaney (until 10 December), then Jock Nelson
  • Administrator/High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea – Les Johnson

Events[]

  • 10 February – Australia's first casino, the Wrest Point Hotel Casino, opens in Hobart
  • 28 February – The federal voting age is lowered from 21 to 18. The state of New South Wales had already enacted such a change in 1970.
  • 8 March – Whiskey Au Go Go fire
  • 1 June – The first General Dynamics F-111 aircraft is delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force
  • 25 August - Disappearance of Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon
  • 20 October – Sydney Opera House officially opened by Elizabeth II
  • 1 December – Papua New Guinea is granted self-government prior to independence
  • 31 December – AC/DC perform their first major gig in Sydney Australia.
  • Removal of "White Australia Policy".

Arts and literature[]

Main article: 1973 in Australian literature
  • Patrick White is announced as Australian of the Year
  • 21 September – The Jackson Pollock painting Blue Poles is controversially purchased by the Whitlam government for US$2 million (A$1.3 million).
  • "No award" was made for the Miles Franklin Award

Film[]

  • Alvin Purple

Television[]

  • Certain Women (TV series) commences
  • The novel Seven Little Australians adapted for television (10 part series)
  • The New South Wales Rugby Football League negotiates its first television deal with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Sport[]

  • 8 September – Derek Clayton wins his fourth men's national marathon title, clocking 2:12:07.6 in Perth.
  • 15 September – Manly-Warringah defeated Cronulla-Sutherland 10–7 in the 1973 NSWRFL season Grand Final, claiming their second straight premiership. Penrith finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.
  • Gala Supreme wins the Melbourne Cup
  • Western Australia wins the Sheffield Shield
  • Helsall takes line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Ceil III is the handicap winner
  • Australia defeats South Africa 3–0 in the Federation Cup

Births[]

  • 8 January – Jason Stevens, rugby league player and sportscaster
  • 31 January – Portia de Rossi, actress
  • 4 February – James Hird, Australian footballer and coach
  • 15 February – Sarah Wynter, actress
  • 20 February – Kimberley Davies, actor
  • 26 March – Matt Burke, rugby union footballer
  • 13 April – Tammy Cole, field hockey defender
  • 19 April – George Gregan, rugby union player
  • 26 April – Stephanie Graf, middle distance athlete
  • 29 May – Malcolm Allen, swimmer
  • 21 June – Alyson Annan, field hockey player
  • 27 July – Gorden Tallis, rugby league footballer
  • 2 August – Susie O'Neill, swimmer
  • 14 August – Kieren Perkins, swimmer
  • 20 August – Scott Goodman, swimmer
  • 22 August – Mark Hickman, field hockey goalkeeper
  • 2 September – Matthew Dunn, swimmer
  • 5 September – Jennifer Whittle, basketball player
  • 18 September – Louise Sauvage, wheelchair athlete
  • 8 October – Toby Haenen, swimmer
  • 14 October – Steven Bradbury, speed skater
  • 18 October – Stephen Allan, golfer
  • 23 October – David Beard, volleyball player
  • 31 October – Andrew Constance, politician
  • 6 November – Greg Warren, politician
  • 20 November – Matthew Smith, field hockey player
  • 4 December – Steve Menzies, rugby league footballer
  • 24 December – Kerry Nettle, politician
  • 28 December – Alex Dimitriades, actor
  • (Date Unknown) – Rodger Corser, Actor
  • (Date Unknown) – Ann Shoebridge, milliner
  • date unknown (1 January) – Catherine Freeman, athlete

Deaths[]

  • 5 April – John Coleman (born 1928), Australian rules footballer
  • 21 April – Arthur Fadden (born 1894), former Prime Minister[1]
  • 8 July – Arthur Calwell (born 1896), politician

References[]

  1. ^ Margaret Bridson Cribb (1996). John Ritchie (ed.). Fadden, Sir Arthur William (1894–1973). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 14. Melbourne University Press. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
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