1959 in Australia

[edit] Incumbents

26 January (Australia Day) - Darwin was granted city status
February - major floods in Queensland [1]
March - formal construction of the Sydney Opera House began
4 June - the Soviet embassy in Canberra was reopened. It had been closed since 29 April 1954 as a result of the Petrov Affair [2]
August and September - Princess Alexandra toured Australia [3]
September - Australian National University building an "Atom Smasher" [4]
23 September the M/S Princess of Tasmania Australia’s first passenger RO/RO diesel ferry makes maiden voyage across Bass Strait.
November - Donald Bradman batted for 15 minutes in a demonstration. He retired from cricket. [5]

On the Beach starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner was shot around Melbourne. The film was based on the novel by Nevil Shute.

6 o'clock rock screened on the Australian Broadcasting Commission's channel. It was compered by Johnny O'Keefe and was the ABC's response to Bandstand on Channel Nine.

Macdougal wins the Melbourne Cup
New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield
Solo wins the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
England toured Australia in the summer of 1958/59 for The_Ashes; Australia won the series 4-0.
The Australian Grand Prix was held at Longford, Tasmania and won by Stan Jones driving a Maserati

February 22 - Harold Hardwick (b. 1888), freestyle swimmer
June 20 - Sir Ian Clunies Ross (b. 1899), scientist
August 8 - Albert Namatjira (b. 1902), Aboriginal artist noted for his central Australian landscapes painted in water-colours
October 14 - Errol Flynn (b. 1909), Hollywood movie star born in Tasmania
October 14 - Jack Davey radio comedian and quiz show host
October 22 - Joseph Cahill (b. 1891), Premier of New South Wales
November 10 - Gertrude Bodenweiser Australian choreographer [6]
November 11 - Charles Chauvel (b. 1897), film maker
December 18 - Eduoard Borovansky, Czech born ballet dancer and choreographer; founder of the Borovansky Australian Ballet