The following lists events that happened during 1973 in Australia.
Incumbents
- Monarch – Elizabeth II
- Governor-General – Sir Paul Hasluck
- Prime Minister – Gough Whitlam
- Chief Justice – Sir Garfield Barwick
State and territory leaders
- Premier of New South Wales – Sir Robert Askin
- Opposition Leader – Pat Hills (until 17 November), then Neville Wran
- Premier of Queensland – Joh Bjelke-Petersen
- Premier of South Australia – Don Dunstan
- Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
- Premier of Victoria – Rupert Hamer
- Premier of Western Australia – John Tonkin
Governors and administrators
- Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler
- Governor of Queensland – Sir Colin Hannah
- Governor of South Australia – Sir Mark Oliphant
- Governor of Tasmania – Lieutenant General Sir Edric Bastyan (until 30 November), then Sir Stanley Burbury
- Governor of Victoria – Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe
- Governor of Western Australia – Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew
- Administrator of Norfolk Island – Edward Pickerd
- Administrator of the Northern Territory – Frederick Chaney (until 10 December), then Jock Nelson
- Administrator/High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea – Les Johnson
Events
- 10 February – Australia's first casino, the Wrest Point Hotel Casino, opens in Hobart[1]
- 28 February – The federal voting age is lowered from 21 to 18.[2] The state of New South Wales had already enacted such a change in 1970.
- 2 March – Wellington Street bus station in Perth is opened by Western Australia's premier John Tonkin[3]
- 8 March – Whiskey Au Go Go fire[4]
- 1 June – The first General Dynamics F-111 aircraft is delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force[5]
- 9 June – Disappearance of Jason Shannon[6][7]
- 19 July – Lois D'Arcy was the first independent civil marriage celebrant ever appointed – by Attorney-General Lionel Murphy.
- 25 August - Disappearance of Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon[8]
- 20 October – Sydney Opera House officially opened by Elizabeth II[9]
- 1 December – Papua New Guinea is granted self-government prior to independence
- 31 December – AC/DC perform their first major gig in Sydney.
- Removal of the "White Australia Policy".
Arts and literature
- Patrick White is announced as Australian of the Year[10]
- 21 September – The Jackson Pollock painting Blue Poles is controversially purchased by the Whitlam government for US$2 million (A$1.3 million).[11]
- "No award" was made for the Miles Franklin Award[12]
Film
Television
- Certain Women (TV series) commences[14]
- The novel Seven Little Australians adapted for television (10 part series)[15]
- The New South Wales Rugby Football League negotiates its first television deal with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[16]
Sport
- 8 September – Derek Clayton wins his fourth men's national marathon title, clocking 2:12:07.6 in Perth.
- 15 September – Manly-Warringah defeated Cronulla-Sutherland 10–7 in the 1973 NSWRFL season Grand Final, claiming their second straight premiership.[17] Penrith finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.
- Gala Supreme wins the Melbourne Cup[18]
- Western Australia wins the Sheffield Shield[19]
- Helsall takes line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Ceil III is the handicap winner[20]
- Australia defeats South Africa 3–0 in the Federation Cup
Births
- 8 January – Jason Stevens, rugby league player and sportscaster
- 17 January – Chris Bowen, politician
- 22 January – Abi Tucker, actor and singer
- 31 January – Portia de Rossi, actress
- 4 February – James Hird, Australian footballer and coach
- 5 February – Luke Ricketson, rugby league player[21]
- 15 February – Sarah Wynter, actress
- 16 February – Catherine Freeman, athlete
- 20 February – Kimberley Davies, actor
- 28 February – Rodger Corser, Actor
- 26 March – Matt Burke, rugby union footballer
- 13 April – Tammy Cole, field hockey defender
- 19 April – George Gregan, rugby union player
- 26 April – Stephanie Graf, middle distance athlete
- 29 May – Malcolm Allen, swimmer
- 12 June – Darryl White, Australian rules footballer
- 21 June – Alyson Annan, field hockey player
- 24 June – Matt Drummond, film director, screenwriter and visual effects supervisor
- 27 July – Gorden Tallis, rugby league footballer
- 2 August – Susie O'Neill, swimmer
- 14 August – Kieren Perkins, swimmer
- 20 August – Scott Goodman, swimmer
- 22 August – Mark Hickman, field hockey goalkeeper
- 2 September – Matthew Dunn, swimmer
- 5 September – Jennifer Whittle, basketball player
- 18 September – Louise Sauvage, wheelchair athlete
- 22 September – Craig McRae, footballer
- 8 October – Toby Haenen, swimmer
- 14 October – Steven Bradbury, speed skater
- 18 October – Stephen Allan, golfer
- 23 October – David Beard, volleyball player
- 31 October – Andrew Constance, politician
- 1 November – Peta Murphy, politician (d. 2023)
- 6 November – Greg Warren, politician
- 20 November
- Sav Rocca, American football player and Australian rules footballer
- Matthew Smith, field hockey player
- 4 December – Steve Menzies, rugby league footballer
- 24 December – Kerry Nettle, politician
- 28 December – Alex Dimitriades, actor
- (Date Unknown) – Ann Shoebridge, milliner
Deaths
- 18 January – Beatrice Bligh, gardener (b. 1916)[22]
- 5 April – John Coleman (born 1928), Australian rules footballer[23]
- 21 April – Arthur Fadden (born 1894), former Prime Minister[24]
- 8 July – Arthur Calwell (born 1896), politician[25]
References
- ^ "First casino opens doors for public". The Canberra Times. 12 February 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Bill to give vote at age 18". The Canberra Times. 1 March 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ Acott, Kent (4 January 2014). "End of line for city bus station". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "Petrol bomb fire kills 15 in Brisbane nightclub". The Canberra Times. 9 March 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "The controversial F111 touches down at last". The Canberra Times. 1 June 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Man dies after abducting his son - now baby missing". The Age. 11 June 1973. p. 1. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ Schipp, Debbie (21 August 2016). "Cold case: Four decades on, what happened to baby Jason?". news.com.au. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ "Fears held for safety of missing SA girls". The Canberra Times. 27 August 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ Rees, Jacqueline (22 October 1973). "Opera House opening was spectacular". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Award to Patrick White". The Canberra Times. 15 January 1974. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Australia buys $1.3m painting". The Canberra Times. 24 September 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "No award". The Canberra Times. 27 March 1974. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ MacDonald, Dougal (19 December 1973). "Pacy but shallow". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Family conflicts in "Certain Women"". Australian Women's Weekly. 3 October 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ Newton, Gloria (8 August 1973). "A man of two cultures". Australian Women's Weekly. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Live RL on TV". The Canberra Times. 12 April 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Premierships decided". The Canberra Times. 17 September 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ Hourigan, John (7 November 1973). "Fate has a hand in Gala Supreme's game win". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "WA's shield". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. 7 March 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Sydney-Hobart race to Ceil III". The Canberra Times. 31 December 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Like father like son". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 July 2003. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ^ Rutledge, Martha (1993). "Rosemary Beatrice (Bea) Bligh (1916–1973)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 13. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "John Coleman dead". The Canberra Times. 7 April 1973. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ Margaret Bridson Cribb (1996). John Ritchie (ed.). Fadden, Sir Arthur William (1894–1973). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 14. Melbourne University Press. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ "Arthur Calwell: Australian first, politician second". The Canberra Times. 9 July 1973. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
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