- 1966 in Australia
Infobox Australian year
monarch = Elizabeth II
governor-general = Richard Casey
pm =Robert Menzies ,Harold Holt
population = 11,599,498
australian =
elections =Federal"See also:"1965 in Australia ,
other events of 1966,1967 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history .Incumbents
*Prime Minister -
Robert Menzies , (succeeded byHarold Holt onJanuary 26 )
*Governor General - Richard Casey
*Premier of New South Wales -Jack Renshaw , (succeeded byRobert Askin onMay 1 )
*Premier of South Australia -Frank Walsh
*Premier of Queensland - SirFrancis Nicklin
*Premier of Tasmania -Eric Reece
*Premier of Western Australia -David Brand
*Premier of Victoria -Henry Bolte Events
*
Robert Menzies , Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister, retires and is succeeded byHarold Holt
*14 February :Decimalisation ; theAustralian Dollar replaces theAustralian pound
*TheAustralian Workers' Union affiliates with theAustralian Council of Trade Unions
* the Liberal government ofHarold Holt scores a massive victory in the 1966 federal election, and is returned to power with the largest majority in the federal parliament's 65-year history
* theBeaumont children are abducted during a visit to Glenelg beach inAdelaide and are never seen again
* the severe drought which has stricken large areas of Australia since 1957, particularly in rural NSW and Queensland, is finally eased by widespread rains
*Jørn Utzon resigns as architect of theSydney Opera House , following a bitter struggle with the new Public Works MinisterDavis Hughes over fees, costs and design changes
*Jack Brabham is named Australian Of The Year
* The first National Service conscripts fly out from Richmond RAAF base in Sydney bound for Vietnam
* NSW ALP leaderArthur Calwell is injured in an assassination attempt by 19-year-oldPeter Kocan
*Japan replaces Great Britain as Australia's largest trading partner
* the Council for theDefence of Government Schools (DOGS) is formed in Melbourne
* theQueensland government grants sand mining leases onFraser Island without holding the required public hearings
* NSW repeals theSunday Observance Act , allowing theatres and cinemas to open, sporting events to charge admission and clubs to sell alcohol on Sundays
*General Motors Holden becomes the first local car manufacturer to instalseat belts as standard equipment in all its new vehicles.
*Western Mining Corporation discover rich nickel ore deposits at Kambalda in Western Australia's Goldfields region.
*Prince Charles arrives in Australia to attendGeelong Grammar School 's exclusiveTimbertop preparatory school.
* the Federal government announces the formation of a military Task Force (including conscripts), increasing Australia's commitment to theVietnam War to 4,500.
* US Vice-PresidentHubert Humphrey visits Australia to assure the Australian government that the war is being directed by Hanoi and Peking, and that it represents one of China's numerous offensives in Asia
* Victoria extends hotel trading hours from 6pm to 10pm, ending the infamous "Six O'Clock Swill". Driving with a blood alcohol level over 0.05% becomes a criminal offence.
* On advice from Immigration MinisterHubert Opperman , federal cabinet reverses a decision of September 1964, agreeing that non-Europeans could be selected on an individual basis to enter as immigrants with permanent resident status and naturalisation on an equal basis with European applicants
* TheArbitration Commission introduces a minimum weekly wage for adult male employees under federal awards
* Australian forces engage in their first major battle in Vietnam at theBattle of Long Tan , inflicting heavy losses on NLF troops
*August 23 - two hundredGurindji people walk offWave Hill Station in theNorthern Territory in protest at low wages and poor conditions
* US PresidentLyndon Johnson arrives for a 3-day visit of Australian east coast cities, sparking rowdy demonstrations by anti-war protesters
* TheLiberal Reform Group (which later evolves into theAustralian Party ) is founded
*Conscientious objector William White is forcibly taken from his home in Sydney and inducted into the army
* Australia negotiates an agreement for an American spy satellite base to be established atPine Gap in theNorthern Territory cience & Technology
* Sydney industrial designer
Harry Widmer wins the prestigious F.H. Edwards Laurel Award for his design for the Kriesler Mini 41-47 portable radio. The 41-47's innovativepolypropylene plastic casing is the first use of this material anywhere in the world in consumer electronics* Australia's first satellite communications earth station opens at Carnarvon in WA
Arts and literature
*
Jon Molvig 's portrait ofCharles Blackman wins theArchibald Prize
*Fred Williams ' "Upwey Landscape" is awarded theWynne Prize
*John Cargher 's "Singers Of Renown" begins on ABC Radio; Cargher is still presenting the show in 2007
* both Sydney's and Melbourne's Tivoli Theatres are closed
*Marion Street Theatre opens in Sydney
* Confectionery manufacturer Hoadley's inaugurates Australia's first national pop band competition, theHoadley's Battle of the Sounds
* "Trap" byPeter Mathers is awarded theMiles Franklin Literary Award
*Patrick White : "The Solid Mandala"
*Geoffrey Blainey : "The Tyranny of Distance"
* The first edition of the pop magazine "Go-Set " is published in Melbourne
*The Seekers return to Australia for a triumphant concert tour.
*The Rolling Stones return to Australia for their second tour
*Bob Dylan makes his first tour of Australia, supported byThe Band
*The Easybeats leave for LondonFilm
* "The Admiral's Cup" wins the AFI Best Film award
*Bruce Beresford is appointed secretary of theBritish Film Institute 's Film Production BoardTelevision
*
Gordon Chater wins the Gold Logieport
*
May 21 - Anthony Cook wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:20:44.6 inBallarat .
* St Kilda defeats Collingwood in the VFL Grand Final
* "Galilee wins" theMelbourne Cup
* NSW yacht "Cadence" wins theSydney to Hobart Yacht Race
* TheSt George Dragons win their 11th consecutiveNSWRL premiership defeating theBalmain Tigers Births
*
January 1 —Anna Burke , politician
*February 22 —Brian Greig , politician
*March 9 —Tony Lockett , AFL football player
*July 1 —Simon Arkell , pole vaulter
*August 3 —Simon Shirley , decathlete
*September 4 —Gary Neiwand , track cyclistDeaths
*
January 21 —Richard Layton Butler (b. 1885), Premier of South Australiaee also
*
1964
*1967
*1960s
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