1951 in Australia

Infobox Australian year
monarch = George VI
governor-general = William McKell
pm =Robert Menzies
population = 8,421,775
australian =
elections =Federal"See also:"
1950 in Australia,
other events of 1951,
1952 in Australia and the
Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

*Monarch – King George VI
*Governor-General – (Sir) William McKell
*Prime Minister – Robert Menzies

tate Premiers

*Premier of New South Wales – James McGirr
*Premier of Queensland – Ned Hanlon
*Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
*Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove
*Premier of Victoria – John McDonald
*Premier of Western Australia – Ross McLarty

tate Governors

*Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott
*Governor of Queensland – Sir John Lavarack
*Governor of South Australia – Sir Charles Norrie
*Governor of Tasmania – Sir Hugh Binney (until May 8), then Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet (from August 22)
*Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooks
*Governor of Western Australia – Sir James Mitchell (until July 1), then Sir Charles Gairdner (from November 6)

Events

*January 1 – The 50th anniversary of Australian federation is celebrated.
*February 19 – Jean Lee becomes the last woman to be hanged in Australia, when she, Robert Clayton and Norman Andrews are executed in Melbourne for the murder of a 73-year-old man.
*March 1 – The Bank of Australasia merges with the Union Bank of Australia to form the ANZ Bank.
*March 9 – The High Court of Australia rules in the case "Australian Communist Party v Commonwealth" that the "Communist Party Dissolution Bill 1950", passed by the parliament to ban the Communist Party of Australia, was unconstitutional.
*March 19 – The Governor-General, William McKell, issues a double dissolution of parliament for the second time in its history, citing the Senate's referral of the "Commonwealth Bank Bill" as a "failure to pass" the bill.
*April 12 – Conscription begins as the first call-up notice is issued under the National Service Act (1951), requiring Australian 18-year-old males to undergo compulsory military training.
*April 28 – A federal election is held. The Liberal government of Robert Menzies retains power.
*August 16 – The "Australian Financial Review" is first published.
*September 1 – The Anzus Treaty, between Australia, New Zealand and the United States, is signed.
*September 9 – Australia signs the Treaty of San Francisco, formalising peace with Japan.
*September 22 – A federal referendum is held, proposing to alter the Australian Constitution to allow the banning of the Communist Party. The referendum was not carried.
*October 4 – Francis McEncroe sells the first Chiko Rolls at the Wagga Wagga agricultural show.
*November 13 – William McKell is gazetted a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, becoming the only Governor-General of Australia to be knighted during their term.

cience & Technology

Arts and literature

* Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Laurie Thomas
* Justin O'Brien wins the inaugural Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work "The Virgin Enthroned"

Film

port

* Athletics
** March 5 - Gordon Stanley wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:59:44.6 in Hobart.

* Cricket
** Victoria wins the Sheffield Shield
** Australia defeats England 4-1 in The Ashes

* Football
** Bledisloe Cup: won by the All Blacks
** Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Souths defeated Easts 20-10
** New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeated Manly-Warringah 42-14
** South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide
** Victorian Football League premiership: Geelong defeated Essendon 81-70

* Golf
** Australian Open: won by Peter Thomson
** Australian PGA Championship: won by Norman Von Nida

* Horse Racing
** "Basha Felika" wins the Caulfield Cup
** "Bronton" wins the Cox Plate
** "Delta" wins the Melbourne Cup

* Motor Racing
** The Australian Grand Prix was held at Narrogin and won by Warwick Pratley driving a George Reed Special

* Tennis
** Australian Open men's singles: Dick Savitt defeats Ken McGregor 6-3 2-6 6-3 6-1
** Australian Open women's singles: Nancye Wynne Bolton defeats Thelma Coyne Long 6-1 7-5
** Davis Cup: Australia defeats the United States 3-2 in the 1951 Davis Cup final
** US Open: Frank Sedgman wins the Men's Singles
** Wimbledon: Ken McGregor and Frank Sedgman win the Men's Doubles

* Yachting
** "Margaret Rintoul" takes line honours and "Struen Marie" wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Births

* January 19 - Charles Blunt, politician
* January 20 - Clyde Sefton, road cyclist
* February 26 - Wayne Goss, Premier of Queensland
* April 29 - Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister of the ACT
* July 4 - John Alexander, tennis player
* July 6 - Geoffrey Rush, actor
* July 31 - Evonne Goolagong Cawley, tennis player
* August 5 - John Jarratt, actor
* August 6 - Daryl Somers, television personality
* August 30 - Daniel Clark, track cyclist and road bicycle racer
* September 9 - Alexander Downer, politician
* September 27 - Geoff Gallop, Premier of Western Australia
* December 1 - Doug Mulray, radio personality
* December 18 - Andy Thomas, astronaut
* December 22 - Jan Stephenson, professional golfer

Deaths

* January 29 - Frank Tarrant (b. 1880), cricketer
* April 18 - Daisy Bates (b. 1863), journalist and social worker
* May 27 - Thomas Blamey (b. 1884), soldier
* June 13 - Ben Chifley (b. 1885), Prime Minister of Australia

ee also

*1951
*1950s