The following lists events that happened during 1973 in Australia.

Incumbents

  • Monarch – Elizabeth II
  • Governor-General – Sir Paul Hasluck
  • Prime Minister – Gough Whitlam
    • Deputy Prime Minister – Lance Barnard
    • Opposition Leader – Billy Snedden
  • 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
    • Opposition Leader – Jack Houston
  • Premier of South Australia – Don Dunstan
    • Opposition Leader – Bruce Eastick
  • Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
    • Opposition Leader – Max Bingham
  • Premier of Victoria – Rupert Hamer
    • Opposition Leader – Clyde Holding
  • Premier of Western Australia – John Tonkin
    • Opposition Leader – Sir Charles Court

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
  • 28 February – The federal voting age is lowered from 21 to 18. 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
  • 8 March – Whiskey Au Go Go fire
  • 1 June – The first General Dynamics F-111 aircraft is delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force
  • 9 June – Disappearance of Jason Shannon
  • 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
  • 20 October – Sydney Opera House officially opened by Elizabeth II
  • 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
  • 21 September – The Jackson Pollock painting Blue Poles is controversially purchased by the Whitlam government for US$2 million (A$1.3 million).
  • "No award" was made for the Miles Franklin Award

Film

  • Alvin Purple

Television

  • Certain Women (TV series) commences
  • The novel Seven Little Australians adapted for television (10 part series)
  • The New South Wales Rugby Football League negotiates its first television deal with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

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. Penrith finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.
  • Gala Supreme wins the Melbourne Cup
  • Western Australia wins the Sheffield Shield
  • Helsall takes line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Ceil III is the handicap winner
  • 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
  • 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)
  • 5 April – John Coleman (born 1928), Australian rules footballer
  • 21 April – Arthur Fadden (born 1894), former Prime Minister
  • 8 July – Arthur Calwell (born 1896), politician

References


Australia Day in 1973 Passed Almost Unnoticed But Whitlam Began Search

50th Birthday Newspaper AUSTRALIA 1973 Birthday Gift AU Back Etsy

1973 years Vektorbilder 1973 years Depositphotos

1973 AUSTRALIA 50th Birthday Newspaper Australian 50th Etsy Australia

In Australia