1911 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1911 in Australia.

Incumbents

Monarch – George V
Governor-General – William Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, then Thomas Denman, 3rd Baron Denman
Prime Minister – Andrew Fisher
Chief Justice – Samuel Griffith

State premiers

Premier of New South Wales – James McGowen
Premier of Queensland – William Kidston, then Digby Denham
Premier of South Australia – John Verran
Premier of Tasmania – Elliott Lewis
Premier of Victoria – John Murray
Premier of Western Australia – Frank Wilson, then John Scaddan

State governors

Events

The Australian Capital Territory is established through the Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910.
1 January – The Northern Territory is politically separated from South Australia and transferred to Commonwealth control. The city of Palmerston is renamed Darwin in honour of Charles Darwin.
1 January – Compulsory military training comes into effect in Australia.
23 March – The steamer SS Yongala sinks in a cyclone off the coast of Townsville, Queensland killing 122 people.
3 April - 1911 Australian census was the first national population census. The day used for the census, was taken for the night between 2 and 3 April 1911. The total population of the Commonwealth of Australia was counted as 4,455,005.
26 April – A federal referendum is held containing two questions: one on Trade and Commerce and the other on Nationalisation of Monopolies. Neither is carried.
30 May – The Supreme Court of the Northern Territory is established.
1 June – The University of Queensland opens.
10 July – King George V grants the title of Royal Australian Navy to Australia's naval forces.
27 June – The Royal Military College, Duntroon opens.
3 October – A state election is held in Western Australia. The Labor Party led by John Scaddan defeats the incumbent government of Frank Wilson.
2 December – The Australasian Antarctic Expedition, led by Douglas Mawson, leaves Hobart to begin an expedition to Antarctica.
The Commonwealth Bank is established by the Commonwealth Bank Act 1911.
18 December - The Marburg railway line opens in South west Queensland

Arts and literature

The Austral Society ceased functioning.

Sport

16 September – The 1911 NSWRFL season culminates in a final re-play win to Eastern Suburbs, who defeated minor premiers Glebe 11 to 8.
30 September – Essendon become premiers of the 1911 VFL season, defeating Collingwood 5.11 to 4.11.
7 November – The Parisian wins the Melbourne Cup.

Births

January - March

7 January – Mervyn Waite, cricketer and Australian rules footballer
11 January – Nora Heysen, artist
13 January – Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, 31st Premier of Queensland
21 January – Dick Garrard, Olympic wrestler
2 February – Jack Pizzey, 29th Premier of Queensland
16 February – Hal Porter, author and playwright
1 March – Ian Mudie, poet and author
12 March – Ainslie Roberts, painter, photographer, and artist
18 March – Mick Cronin, Australian rules footballer and television commentator
30 March – Pat Galvin, South Australian politician

April - June

1 April – Ray Maher, New South Wales politician
3 April – Sir Michael Woodruff, surgeon and scientist
6 April – Herb Graham, 4th Deputy Premier of Western Australia
14 April – Sir Reginald Swartz, Queensland politician and soldier
22 April – Max Dupain, photographer
25 April – Leonard Long, artist
11 May – Malcolm Scott, Western Australian politician
12 May – Herbie Screaigh, Australian rules footballer
15 May – Nigel Drury, Queensland politician
24 May – Sir Archibald Glenn, industrialist and businessman
26 May – Sir Nigel Bowen, New South Wales politician and Federal Court Chief Justice
29 May – George Szekeres, mathematician
4 June – Sir Alan Walker, theologian
8 June – Ralph Green, Australian rules footballer
10 June – Chilla Christ, cricketer
21 June – Chester Wilmot, war correspondent

July - September

4 July – Bruce Hamilton, public servant
5 July – Haydn Bunton Sr., Australian rules footballer
7 July – Sir Keith Jones, surgeon
11 July – Olive Cotton, photographer
17 July – Bertie Milliner, Queensland politician
23 July – Ian Dougald McLachlan, military officer
27 July – Percy Beames, Australian rules footballer and cricketer
27 August – Bluey Wilkinson, speedway rider
30 August – Ted Harris, Queensland politician
9 September – Sir John Gorton, 19th Prime Minister of Australia
16 September – Wilfred Burchett, journalist
21 September – Afferbeck Lauder, author
22 September – George Bennett, Australian rules footballer
29 September – Sir Charles Court, 21st Premier of Western Australia

October - December

4 October – Ray Whittorn, Victorian politician
12 October – John England, New South Wales politician and Administrator of the Northern Territory
14 October – Sir Marcus Loane, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia
21 October – Dick Harris, Australian rules footballer
26 October – John Hinde, broadcaster and film reviewer
1 November – Samuel Warren Carey, geologist
8 November – Sir Robert Jackson, public servant and United Nations administrator
11 November – Bill Longley, speedway racer
3 December – Bill Cahill, Australian rules footballer
31 December – Dal Stivens, writer

Deaths

4 February – George Edwards, New South Wales politician
18 February – Billy Murdoch, cricketer
4 March – William Randell, South Australian politician and pioneer
8 March – John Neild, New South Wales politician
18 March – Sir Richard Baker, South Australian politician
6 May – Thomas Edward Spencer, writer
9 July – Douglas Fry, artist
13 July – Allan McLean, 19th Premier of Victoria
16 August – Francis Moran, Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney
21 August – George Sydney Aldridge, businessman
13 September – James Rutherford, transit pioneer
23 September – John Arthur Barry, journalist and author
29 September – Lord Northcote, 3rd Governor-General of Australia
3 October – Rosetta Jane Birks, suffragist
5 October – William Astley, short story writer
6 October – Sir John Hoad, 4th Chief of the General Staff
8 October – Lee Batchelor, South Australian politician
15 October – Norman Selfe, civil engineer