1948 in Australia

See also: 1947 in Australia, other events of 1948, 1949 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Monarch – King George VI
• Governor General – William McKell
• Prime Minister – Ben Chifley

State Premiers

• Premier of New South Wales – James McGirr
• Premier of Queensland – Ned Hanlon
• Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
• Premier of Tasmania – Edward Brooker (until 25 February), then Robert Cosgrove
• Premier of Victoria – Thomas Hollway
• Premier of Western Australia – Ross McLarty

State Governors

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott
• Governor of Queensland – Sir John Lavarack
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Charles Norrie
• Governor of Tasmania – Sir Hugh Binney
• Governor of Victoria – Sir Winston Dugan
• Governor of Western Australia – Sir James Mitchell (from 5 October)

Events

Launch of the first Holden

• 23 January – De Havilland Australia conducts the first flight of its 3 engined Drover transport aircraft at Bankstown Airport.
• 19 February – An Avro Lincoln bomber crashes at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, killing 16 Royal Australian Air Force personnel.
• 25 February – Robert Cosgrove is reinstated as Premier of Tasmania after being cleared of corruption charges on 22 February.
• 8 May – Margaret McIntyre becomes the first woman elected to the Parliament of Tasmania. She is killed in a plane crash later in the year.
• 29 May – A federal referendum is held, asking one question on Rents and Prices. It is not carried.
• 1 July – The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is introduced.
• 21 August – A state election is held in Tasmania. The result is a hung parliament, but Robert Cosgrove and Labor retain power with the support of an independent, William Wedd.
• 2 September – The Douglas DC-3 Lutana crashes near Nundle, New South Wales, killing all 13 on board.
• 21 September – H.V. Evatt becomes President of the United Nations General Assembly.
• 29 November – The first Holden car, the model 48-215, popularly known as the FX, rolls off the assembly line. The on-road cost was approximately £760.
• 1 December – The body of an unidentified man is found on a beach in Adelaide in the Taman Shud Case.
• 16 December – HMAS Sydney is commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy as its first aircraft carrier.

Science and technology

Arts and literature

• William Dobell wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Margaret Olley

Film

Sport

• Morna takes line honours and Westward wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
• Rimfire wins the Melbourne Cup

Births

• 5 January – Wally Foreman, football commentator (died 2006)
• 23 January – Glenn Wheatley, musician and manager
• 25 January – Ros Kelly, politician
• 10 February – Mike Pratt, politician
• 2 March – Jeff Kennett, Premier of Victoria (1992–1999)
• 13 March – Rick Amor, artist
• 19 March – Vince Lovegrove, singer, journalist and band manager (died 2012)
• 27 March – Rosemary Follett, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (1989, 1991–1995)
• 31 March – Graham Cornes, Australian rules footballer
• 2 April – Jennifer Rowe, children's author
• 29 April – Leslie Howard, musician
• 15 May – Muriel Porter, Anglican laywoman
• 28 May – Michael Field, Premier of Tasmania (1989–1992)
• 11 June – Pat Wilson, singer and journalist
• 21 June – Lionel Rose, boxer
• 30 June – Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Aboriginal leader
• 15 July – Richard Franklin, film director (died 2007)
• 24 July – Joan London, writer
• 7 August – Greg Chappell, cricketer
• 19 August – Robert Hughes, actor
• 20 August – John Noble, actor
• 12 September – Max Walker, cricketer and VFL footballer
• 18 September – Christopher Skase, fugitive businessman (died 2001)
• 22 September – Denis Burke, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory (1999–2001)
• 25 September – Vicki Viidikas, poet
• 3 October – Rob Langer, cricketer
• 4 October – Bob Morris, racing driver
• 8 October – Warren Truss, leader of the National Party
• 19 October – Meg Lees, Democrat senator for South Australia
• 30 October – Garry McDonald, actor
• 5 November – Malcolm Milne, Olympic skier
• 6 November – Geoff Prosser, politician
• 14 November – Ian Stanley, golfer
• 15 November – James Kemsley, cartoonist (died 2007)
• 22 November – Gary Dempsey, Australian rules footballer
• 1 December – John Quigley, WA politician
• 5 December – Cheryl Kernot, politician
• 12 December – Kim Beazley, politician
• 15 December – Cassandra Harris, actor (died 1991)
• 29 December – Michael White, psychotherapist (died 2008)

Deaths

• 12 February – Sir Isaac Isaacs (born 1855), Governor-General of Australia (1931–1936)
• 23 March – Lou Cunningham (born 1889), politician
• 24 March – Sydney Sampson (born 1863), politician
• 9 April – George Carpenter (born 1872), General of the Salvation Army (1939–1946)
• 15 April – Eric Harrison (born 1880), soldier and politician
• 20 May – Marie Pitt (born 1869), poet
• 8 June – Thomas Crawford (born 1865), politician
• 18 June – Edward Brooker (born 1891), Premier of Tasmania (1947–1948)
• 18 July – May Moss (born 1869), women's rights activist
• 21 July – Francis Joseph Bayldon (born 1872), master mariner
• 24 July – Stanley Goble (born 1891), Chief of the Air Staff
• 31 July – Nigel Barker (born 1883), track and field athlete
• 2 September – Margaret McIntyre (born 1886), politician (first woman elected to the Parliament of Tasmania)
• 9 September – Francis Foster (born 1872), politician
• 18 October – George Cann (born 1871), politician
• 18 October – Philip Collier (born 1873), Premier of Western Australia (1924–1930)
• 8 December – Matthew Charlton (born 1866), politician