1954 in Australia

Infobox Australian year
monarch = Elizabeth II
governor-general = William Slim
pm =Robert Menzies
population = 8,986,530
australian =
elections =Federal"See also:"
1953 in Australia,
other events of 1954,
1955 in Australia and the
Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

*Monarch – Queen Elizabeth II
*Governor-General – Sir William Slim
*Prime Minister – Robert Menzies

tate Premiers

*Premier of New South Wales – Joseph Cahill
*Premier of Queensland – Vince Gair
*Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
*Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove
*Premier of Victoria – John Cain I
*Premier of Western Australia – Albert Hawke

tate Governors

*Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott
*Governor of Queensland – Sir John Lavarack
*Governor of South Australia – Sir Robert George
*Governor of Tasmania – Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet
*Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooks
*Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner

Events

* February 3 - Queen Elizabeth arrives in Sydney on her first visit as monarch
* February 13 - Mawson Station in the Australian Antarctic Territory is established
* During February, a cyclone hits the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales, killing 26 [http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/cyclone3.htm]
* April 3 - Vladimir Petrov, a Soviet diplomat, defects to Australia, sparking the Petrov Affair
* Shirley Bliss wins the Miss Australia Quest

cience & Technology

* The Australian Academy of Science is established

Arts and literature

* Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of "Rt Hon R G Menzies, PC, CH, QC, MP"
* Charles Bannon wins the Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work "Judas Iscariot"

Film

port

* Cricket
** New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield

* Football
** Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Wests defeated Brothers 35-18
** New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeated Newtown 23-15
** South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide
** Victorian Football League premiership: Footscray defeated Melbourne 102-51

* Golf
** Australian Open: won by Ossie Pickworth
** Australian PGA Championship: won by Kel Nagle

* Horse Racing
** "Rising Fast" wins the Caulfield Cup
** "Rising Fast" wins the Cox Plate
** "Rising Fast" wins the Melbourne Cup

* Motor Racing
** The Australian Grand Prix was held at Southport and won by Lex Davison driving a HWM Jaguar

* Tennis
** Australian Open men's singles: Mervyn Rose defeats Rex Hartwig 6-2 0-6 6-4 6-2
** Australian Open women's singles: Thelma Coyne Long defeats Jenny Staley Hoad 6-3 6-4
** Davis Cup: Australia is defeated by the United States 2-3 in the 1954 Davis Cup final
** Wimbledon: Rex Hartwig and Mervyn Rose win the Gentlemen's Pairs
** Wimbledon: Jaroslav Drobný defeats Ken Rosewall 13-11 4-6 6-2 9-7 in the Gentlemen's Singles

* Yachting
** "Kurrewa IV" takes line honours and "Solveig IV" wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Births

* January 25 - Kay Cottee, sailor
* January 26 - Kim Hughes, cricketer
* April 27 - Mark Holden, singer and media personality
* May 2 - Don Cameron, water polo player and coach
* May 19 - Phil Rudd, musician
* May 27 - Pauline Hanson, politician
* August 12 - Rob Borbidge, Premier of Queensland
* September 13 - Steve Kilbey, musician
* October 15 - Steve Bracks, Premier of Victoria
* November 12 - Paul McNamee, tennis player
* November 26 - Jacki MacDonald, media personality
* November 29 - Steve Rogers (d. 2006), Rugby league footballer

Deaths

* September 19 - Miles Franklin (b. 1879), writer
* November 14 - Inigo Jones (b. 1872), meteorologist
* November 22 - Roy Rene (b. 1892), comedian

ee also

*1954
*1950s