1896 in Australia
The following lists events that happened during 1896 in Australia.
Incumbents
Governors of the Australian colonies
- Governor of New South Wales – Henry Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden
- Governor of Queensland – Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington
- Governor of South Australia – Sir Thomas Buxton, 3rd Baronet
- Governor of Tasmania – Jenico Preston, 14th Viscount Gormanston
- Governor of Victoria – Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey
- Governor of Western Australia – Sir Gerard Smith
Premiers of the Australian colonies
- Premier of New South Wales – George Reid
- Premier of Queensland – Hugh Nelson
- Premier of South Australia – Charles Kingston
- Premier of Tasmania – Edward Braddon
- Premier of Western Australia – John Forrest
- Premier of Victoria – George Turner
Events
- 13 February - The Capsize of the ferry Pearl on the Brisbane River, killing 28
- 27 October Passengers Alighting from Ferry Brighton at Manly the first film shot and screened in Australia
Arts and literature
While the Billy Boils, a collection of short stories, is published by Henry Lawson- Augustus Juncker publishes English duet edition of I was dreaming popularised in the French opera Ma mie Rosette
Sport
- 7 to 11 April – Edwin Flack wins gold medals in the 800-metre and 1500 metre events, and bronze in the tennis doubles at the Games of the 1st Olympiad. He was the only Australian competitor at these games.
- 3 October – The Victorian Football League is formed, with competition beginning in 1897.
- 3 November – Newhaven wins the Melbourne Cup - the first horse-racing films produced in Australia.
- New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield
Births
- 22 January – Norman Gilroy, first Australian-born Cardinal
- 8 February – Alfred Percival Bullen, circus proprietor
- 18 February – John Cramer, politician
- 5 July – Thomas Playford, Premier of South Australia
- 11 July – Evelyn Scotney, coloratura soprano
- 18 July – Jack Mullens, politician
- 3 August – Charles Adermann, politician
- 24 August – Edwin Corboy, politician
- 28 August – Arthur Calwell, politician
- 8 September – Marion Allnutt, welfare worker, commanding officer of the NGO, Women's Australian National Services
- 15 September – Norman Lethbridge Cowper, lawyer
- 29 September – Thomas James Bede Kenny, soldier and Victoria Cross recipient
- 3 October – Auvergne Doherty, businesswoman
- 16 November – Joan Lindsay, author
- 27 November – Arthur Percy Sullivan, soldier and Victoria Cross recipient
Deaths
- 27 April – Sir Henry Parkes, politician
- 15 September – John Anderson Hartley, educator
- 10 October – Ferdinand von Mueller, botanist