1894 in Australia

See also: 1893 in Australia, other events of 1894, 1895 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Premier of New South Wales - George Dibbs (until 2 August) then George Reid
• Premier of South Australia - Charles Kingston
• Premier of Queensland - Hugh Nelson
• Premier of Tasmania - Henry Dobson (until 14 April) then Edward Braddon
• Premier of Western Australia - John Forrest
• Premier of Victoria - James Patterson (until 27 September) then George Turner

Events

• January - A cyclone hits the north west of Western Australia, killing approximately 50 persons
• 28 June - A Colonial Conference, held in Ottawa, Canada, resolves to lay a telegraph cable between Canada and Australia.
• 22 October - Martha Needle is hanged in Melbourne Gaol for the poisoning of her husband, and three children, in an attempt to obtain money from insurance policies.
• 10 November - Jandamarra, an Indigenous Australian of the Bunuba people, leads one of the few armed insurrections against Europeans.
• 18 December - South Australia is the first colony to give women equal franchise with men.

• The Australian Workers Union is formed from the joining of the Amalgamated Shearers Union of Australia and the General Labourers Union

Science and technology

Arts and literature

• The novel Seven Little Australians is published by Ethel Turner

Sport

• Patron wins the Melbourne Cup
• South Australia wins the Sheffield Shield

Births

• 23 February – Harold Horder (d. 1978), rugby league footballer
• 13 April – Arthur Fadden (d. 1973), Prime Minister of Australia
• 30 April – H.V. Evatt (d. 1965), politician
• 14 August – Frank 'Chunky' Burge (d. 1958), rugby league footballer
• 25 August – Nick Winter (d. 1955), athlete
• 20 December – Robert Menzies (d. 1978), Prime Minister of Australia

Deaths

• 17 February - John Alexander MacPherson (b. 1833), Premier of Victoria