1897 in Australia

See also: 1896 in Australia, other events of 1897, 1898 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Premier of New South Wales - George Reid
• Premier of South Australia - Charles Kingston
• Premier of Queensland - Hugh Nelson
• Premier of Tasmania - Edward Braddon
• Premier of Western Australia - John Forrest
• Premier of Victoria - George Turner

Events

• 7 January - Darwin has its highest ever daily rainfall with 296.1 millimetres from its most severe cyclone until Tracy^[1].
• 22 June - The second Victoria Bridge is opened in Brisbane by the Governor of Queensland, Lord Lamington. The previous bridge was destroyed by floodwaters
• 27 October - St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne is consecrated

Science and technology

Arts and literature

• Walter Withers wins the inaugural Wynne Prize for landscape painting or figure sculpture for his landscape The Storm

Sport

• 4 September - Essendon wins the first Victorian Football League premiership.
• 8 October - The Australasian Athletic Union is established in Sydney.

• Gaulus wins the Melbourne Cup
• New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield

Births

• 10 February - Judith Anderson (d. 1992), actress
• 6 July - Frank Walsh (d. 1968), Premier of South Australia
• 9 July - Enid Lyons (d. 1981), politician
• 28 July - James Fairbairn (d. 1940), politician
• 6 August - William Slim (d. 1970), Governor General of Australia
• 5 October - Percy Spender (d. 1985), politician and diplomat
• 7 October - Charles Chauvel (d. 1959), film maker

Deaths

• 11 June - Henry Ayers (b. 1821), Premier of South Australia
• 11 July - Patrick Jennings (b. 1831), Premier of New South Wales
• 15 November - Alfred Kennerley (b. 1810), Premier of Tasmania
• 20 November - Ernest Giles (b. 1835), explorer