1957 in Australia

See also: 1956 in Australia, other events of 1957, 1958 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Monarch – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Sir William Slim
• Prime Minister – Robert Menzies

State Premiers

• Premier of New South Wales – Joseph Cahill
• Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
• Premier of Queensland – Vince Gair (until 12 August), then Frank Nicklin
• Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove
• Premier of Western Australia – Albert Hawke
• Premier of Victoria – Henry Bolte

State Governors

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott (until 3 July), then Sir Eric Woodward (from 1 August)
• Governor of Queensland – Sir John Lavarack (until 4 December)
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Robert George
• Governor of Tasmania – Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet
• Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooks
• Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner

Events

• 19 January – The last edition of The Argus newspaper is published.
• 15 September – Hobart has its wettest day on record with 156.2 millimetres as a result of a slow-moving low pressure system redeveloping over the Tasman Sea^[1]
• 3 October – Australian National Airways (ANA) is merged with Ansett to form Ansett-ANA.
• Slim Dusty wins his first gold record for A Pub With No Beer.

Science and technology

The CSIRO develop radar and microwave navigation systems for aircraft.

Arts and literature

• Architect Jørn Utzon wins the design competition for the Sydney Opera House
• Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his Self Portrait
• Elwynn Lynn wins the Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work Betrayal
• Voss by Patrick White wins the inaugural Miles Franklin Literary Award

Film

• Robbery Under Arms, film adaptation of the novel of the same name (see Robbery Under Arms at the Internet Movie Database).
• Three in One, a film of three short stories about life in Australia in the 1950s (see Three in One at the Internet Movie Database).

Television

• 19 January – GTV-9 television station is officially opened in Melbourne.
• 7 May – In Melbourne Tonight, TV-Series 1957–1970 (GTV-9's first major production).
• Pick-A-Box, TV-Series 1957–1971 (first broadcast as a radio program in 1948)
• The Tarax Show, TV-Series 1957–1970 (sponsored by Tarax, a soft drink bottling company from Melbourne.

Sport

• Cricket
  • New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield

• Football
  • South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide
  • Victorian Football League premiership: Melbourne defeated Essendon 116-55

• Rugby league
  • Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Valleys defeated Brothers 18-17
  • New South Wales Rugby League premiership: St. George defeated Manly-Warringah 31-9
  • Australia hosted and won the 1957 Rugby League World Cup tournament

• Rugby union
  • Bledisloe Cup: won by the All Blacks

• Golf
  • Australian Open: won by Frank Phillips
  • Australian PGA Championship: won by Gary Player

• Horse Racing
  • Tulloch wins the Caulfield Cup
  • Red Craze wins the Cox Plate
  • Todman wins the inaugural Golden Slipper
  • Straight Draw wins the Melbourne Cup

• Motor Racing
  • The Australian Grand Prix was held at Caversham and won by Lex Davison and Bill Patterson driving a Ferrari

• Tennis
  • Australian Open men's singles: Ashley Cooper defeats Neale Fraser 6-3 9-11 6-4 6-2
  • Australian Open women's singles: Shirley Fry defeats Althea Gibson 6-3 6-4
  • Davis Cup: Australia defeats the United States 3-2 in the 1957 Davis Cup final
  • Wimbledon: Lew Hoad wins the Men's Singles

• Yachting
  • Kurrewa IV takes line honours and Anitra V wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Births

• 27 February – Robert de Castella, marathon runner
• 20 March – David Foster, axeman
• 30 March – Debra Byrne, entertainer
• 30 March – Alan Fletcher, Australian actor
• 9 April – Jamie Redfern, singer
• 13 April – Mark Tonelli, swimmer
• 18 April – Ian Campbell, long and triple jumper
• 22 May – Gary Sweet, actor
• 13 July – Penny Cook, actress
• 26 July – Wayne Grady, golfer
• 14 August – Peter Costello, politician
• 16 August – Peter Van Miltenburg, track and field sprinter
• 21 September – Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia (2007–2010)
• 22 September – Nick Cave, musician
• 30 December – Simon Madden, Australian Rules footballer

Deaths

• 11 January – Sir Robert Garran (born 1867), Solicitor-General of Australia
• 31 January – John Marshall (born 1930), freestyle swimmer
• 4 August – John Cain I (born 1882), Premier of Victoria
• 27 October – James McGirr (born 1890), Premier of New South Wales