1890 in Australia

See also: 1889 in Australia, other events of 1890, 1891 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Premier of New South Wales - Henry Parkes
• Premier of South Australia - John Cockburn until 19 August, then Thomas Playford II
• Premier of Queensland - Boyd Dunlop Morehead until 12 August, then Samuel Griffith
• Premier of Tasmania - Philip Fysh
• Premier of Western Australia - established from 29 December, John Forrest
• Premier of Victoria - Duncan Gillies until 5 November, then James Munro

Events

• 1 January - The University of Tasmania opens
• 28 February - The steamship RMS Quetta sinks off Cape York Peninsula, killing 133
• 29 December - Sir John Forrest becomes the Premier of Western Australia and the first Premier in Australia.

Arts and literature

• 26 April - Banjo Patterson's The Man from Snowy River is published.

Sport

• 31 May – The first Australian Championships in Athletics are held under the name Inter Colonial Meet. The men's competition is staged at the Moore Park in Sydney.
• Carbine wins the Melbourne Cup

Births

• 2 March Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey, Governor of South Australia 1939–1944 (d. 1969)
• 10 March - Albert Ogilvie, Premier of Tasmania (d. 1939)
• 18 July - Frank Forde, 15th Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1983)
• 29 August - Richard Gardiner Casey, Governor General of Australia (d. 1976)
• 10 September - Robert Heffron, Premier of New South Wales (d. 1978)
• 31 December - Daryl Lindsay, artist (d. 1976)

Deaths

• 9 November - James Boag I, brewer (b. 1822)