1956 in Australia

Infobox Australian year
monarch = Elizabeth II
governor-general = William Slim
pm =Robert Menzies
population = 9,425,563
australian =
elections =WA, SA, NSW, TAS, QLD"See also:"
1955 in Australia,
other events of 1956,
1957 in Australia and the
Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

*Prime Minister - Robert Menzies
*Governor General - William Slim
*Premier of New South Wales - Joseph Cahill
*Premier of South Australia - Thomas Playford
*Premier of Queensland - Vince Gair
*Premier of Tasmania - Robert Cosgrove
*Premier of Western Australia - Albert Hawke
*Premier of Victoria - Henry Bolte

Events

* November 22 - 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

Television

* September 16 - Australia's first TV station TCN-9 begins regular transmission in Sydney
* November 5 - The first TV station of the Australian Broadcasting Commission is launched; ABN-2 Sydney.

port

* September 8 - 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

Births

* January 8 - Mel Gibson, actor
* March 7 - David Koch, television personality
* March 9 - Steve Vizard, actor
* April 28 - Jimmy Barnes, singer
* May 9 - Jana Wendt, journalist
* July 31 - Ernie Dingo, actor
* August 17 - John Kosmina, soccer player and manager
* September 17 - Ross Glendinning, Australian Rules footballer
* September 17 - Mandawuy Yunupingu, musician and community leader
* October 16 - Martin Sacks, actor
* November 7 - Michael Wooldridge, politician
* November 14 - John Anderson, politician
* November 23 - Shane Gould, swimmer

Deaths

* March 21 - Fanny Durack, (b. 1889), swimmer
* May 29 - Frank Beaurepaire, (b. 1891), swimmer and politician
* July 12 - John Hayes, (b. 1868), Premier of Tasmania