# 1956 in Australia

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The following lists events that happened during 1956 in Australia.

## Incumbents

* Monarch – Elizabeth II
* Governor-General – Sir William Slim
* Prime Minister – Robert Menzies
* Chief Justice – Sir Owen Dixon

### State Premiers

* Premier of New South Wales – Joseph Cahill
* Premier of Queensland – Vince Gair
* Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
* Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove
* Premier of Victoria – Henry Bolte
* Premier of Western Australia – Albert Hawke

### State Governors

* Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott
* Governor of Queensland – Sir John Lavarack
* 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

* August - The Murray River flooded (the biggest flood in recorded history), affecting many towns near the river.
* 22 November – The 1956 Summer Olympics opened in Melbourne. The opening ceremony was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with 107,700 people watching.

## Arts and literature

* William Dargie wins the Archibald Prize for his portrait of Albert Namatjira
* Quadrant literary magazine is founded, edited by James McAuley

## Television

* 16 September – Australia's first TV station TCN-9 begins regular transmission in Sydney
* 4 November - HSV-7 begins as Melbourne's first TV Station.
* 5 November – The first TV station of the Australian Broadcasting Commission is launched; ABN-2 Sydney.

## Sport

* 8 September – John Russell wins his first men's national marathon title, clocking 2:26:37.8 in Melbourne.
* Melbourne Cup winner in 1956 was Evening Peal, ridden by George Podmore Trained by E.D.Lawson
* New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield
* Kurrewa IV takes line honours and Solo wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
* New South Wales Rugby League premiership: St George defeated Balmain
* Victorian Football League premiership: Melbourne defeated Collingwood
* Australian Men's Tennis Championship was won by Lew Hoad from NSW aged 22
* Australian Women's Tennis Championship was won by Miss Mary Carter

## Births

* 9 January – Bill Leak, editorial cartoonist (d. 2017)
* 20 January – Richard Morecroft, English-Australian journalist
* 29 January – Ian Davies, basketball player (d. 2013)
* 6 February – Ken Lorraway, triple jumper (d. 2007)
* 27 February – Andrea Mitchell, Western Australian politician and sports administrator (d. 2020)
* 7 March – David Koch, television personality
* 9 March – Steve Vizard, actor
* 9 May – Jana Wendt, journalist
* 22 May – Peter Ali, basketball player
* 15 July – Steve Mortimer, rugby league footballer
* 21 July – Andy Campbell, basketball player
* 31 July – Ernie Dingo, actor
* 12 August – Suzanne Twelftree, Paralympic wheelchair tennis player and powerlifter (d. 2019)
* 17 August – John Kosmina, soccer player and manager
* 17 September – Ross Glendinning, Australian Rules footballer
* 17 September – Yunupingu, musician (Yothu Yindi) and community leader (d. 2013)
* 2 October ~ Peter Evans
* 16 October – Martin Sacks, actor
* 7 November
** Michael Wooldridge, politician
** Gordon McLeod, basketball player and assistant coach.
* 14 November – John Anderson, politician
* 23 November – Shane Gould, swimmer

## Deaths

* 20 March – Fanny Durack, (b. 1889), swimmer
* 29 May – Frank Beaurepaire, (b. 1891), swimmer and politician
* 12 July – John Hayes, (b. 1868), Premier of Tasmania
* 9 August – Archie Cameron, politician (b. 1895)