1954 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1954 in Australia.

Incumbents

State Premiers

State Governors

Events

3 February – Elizabeth II arrives in Sydney on her first visit as monarch
13 February – Mawson Station in the Australian Antarctic Territory is established
During February, a cyclone hits the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales, killing 26
1 March - Adelaide and large parts of southern South Australia are shaken by a 5.6 magnitude earthquake, resulting in the injuries of 16 people, and a damage bill of £17 million.
3 April – Vladimir Petrov, a Soviet diplomat, defects to Australia, sparking the Petrov Affair
Shirley Bliss wins the Miss Australia Quest
On 31 October, the first Vickers Viscount aircraft delivered to Australia crashed at Mangalore Airport while on a training flight only days after its arrival in Australia, killing 3 of the 7 people on board.

Science and 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 IscariotOverland literary magazine is founded, edited by Stephen Murray-Smith

Sport

Cricket

* New South Wales wins the Sheffield ShieldFootball
* 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 102-51Golf
* Australian Open: won by Ossie Pickworth
* Australian PGA Championship: won by Kel NagleHorse racing
* Rising Fast wins the Caulfield Cup
* Rising Fast wins the Cox Plate
* Rising Fast wins the Melbourne CupMotor racing
* The Australian Grand Prix was held at Southport and won by Lex Davison driving a HWM JaguarTennis
* 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 SinglesYachting
* Kurrewa IV takes line honours and Solveig IV wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Births

10 January – Greg Towns, footballer
25 January – Kay Cottee, sailor
26 January – Kim Hughes, cricketer
26 March - Clive Palmer, businessman and politician
27 April – Mark Holden, singer and media personality
1 May – Garry Who, actor and comedian
2 May – Don Cameron, water polo player and coach
19 May – Phil Rudd, musician
27 May – Pauline Hanson, politician
17 June – Kerry Greenwood, novelist and lawyer
30 June – Wayne Swan, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
2 July – Scott W. Sloan, professor of civil engineering
11 July – Paul Blackwell, actor
11 August – Wally Carr, boxer
12 August – Rob Borbidge, Premier of Queensland
2 September – Gai Waterhouse, horse trainer
13 September – Steve Kilbey, musician
20 September – James Moloney, author
27 September – Ray Hadley, 2GB radio announcer
13 October – Banduk Marika, Indigenous artist and printmaker
15 October – Steve Bracks, 44th Premier of Victoria
24 October – Malcolm Turnbull, 29th Prime Minister of Australia
12 November – Paul McNamee, tennis player
22 November – Carol Tomcala, sports shooter
26 November – Jacki MacDonald, media personality
29 November – Steve Rogers, Rugby league footballer

Deaths

10 January – Chester Wilmot, war correspondent
19 September – Miles Franklin, writer and feminist
14 November – Inigo Owen Jones, meteorologist and farmer
22 November – Roy Rene, comedian