# 1973 in Australia

"none" is preferred when the title alone is adequate; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
The following lists events that happened during 1973 in Australia.

## Incumbents

* Monarch – Elizabeth II
* Governor-General – Sir Paul Hasluck
* Prime Minister – Gough Whitlam
** Deputy Prime Minister – Lance Barnard
** Opposition Leader – Billy Snedden
* Chief Justice – Sir Garfield Barwick

### State and territory leaders

* Premier of New South Wales – Sir Robert Askin
** Opposition Leader – Pat Hills (until 17 November), then Neville Wran
* Premier of Queensland – Joh Bjelke-Petersen
** Opposition Leader – Jack Houston
* Premier of South Australia – Don Dunstan
** Opposition Leader – Bruce Eastick
* Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
** Opposition Leader – Max Bingham
* Premier of Victoria – Rupert Hamer
** Opposition Leader – Clyde Holding
* Premier of Western Australia – John Tonkin
** Opposition Leader – Sir Charles Court

### Governors and administrators

* Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler
* Governor of Queensland – Sir Colin Hannah
* Governor of South Australia – Sir Mark Oliphant
* Governor of Tasmania – Lieutenant General Sir Edric Bastyan (until 30 November), then Sir Stanley Burbury
* Governor of Victoria – Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe
* Governor of Western Australia – Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew
* Administrator of Norfolk Island – Edward Pickerd
* Administrator of the Northern Territory – Frederick Chaney (until 10 December), then Jock Nelson
* Administrator/High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea – Les Johnson

## Events

* 10 February – Australia's first casino, the Wrest Point Hotel Casino, opens in Hobart
* 28 February – The federal voting age is lowered from 21 to 18. The state of New South Wales had already enacted such a change in 1970.
* 2 March – Wellington Street bus station in Perth is opened by Western Australia's premier John Tonkin
* 8 March – Whiskey Au Go Go fire
* 1 June – The first General Dynamics F-111 aircraft is delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force
* 9 June – Disappearance of Jason Shannon
* 19 July – Lois D'Arcy was the first independent civil marriage celebrant ever appointed – by Attorney-General Lionel Murphy.
* 25 August - Disappearance of Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon
* 20 October – Sydney Opera House officially opened by Elizabeth II
* 1 December – Papua New Guinea is granted self-government prior to independence
* 31 December – AC/DC perform their first major gig in Sydney.
* Removal of the "White Australia Policy".

## Arts and literature

* Patrick White is announced as Australian of the Year
* 21 September – The Jackson Pollock painting Blue Poles is controversially purchased by the Whitlam government for US$2 million (A$1.3 million).
* "No award" was made for the Miles Franklin Award

## Film

* Alvin Purple

## Television

* Certain Women (TV series) commences
* The novel Seven Little Australians adapted for television (10 part series)
* The New South Wales Rugby Football League negotiates its first television deal with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

## Sport

* 8 September – Derek Clayton wins his fourth men's national marathon title, clocking 2:12:07.6 in Perth.
* 15 September – Manly-Warringah defeated Cronulla-Sutherland 10–7 in the 1973 NSWRFL season Grand Final, claiming their second straight premiership. Penrith finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.
* Gala Supreme wins the Melbourne Cup
* Western Australia wins the Sheffield Shield
* Helsall takes line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Ceil III is the handicap winner
* Australia defeats South Africa 3–0 in the Federation Cup

## Births

* 8 January – Jason Stevens, rugby league player and sportscaster
* 17 January – Chris Bowen, politician
* 22 January – Abi Tucker, actor and singer
* 31 January – Portia de Rossi, actress
* 4 February – James Hird, Australian footballer and coach
* 5 February – Luke Ricketson, rugby league player
* 15 February – Sarah Wynter, actress
* 16 February – Catherine Freeman, athlete
* 20 February – Kimberley Davies, actor
* 28 February – Rodger Corser, Actor
* 26 March – Matt Burke, rugby union footballer
* 13 April – Tammy Cole, field hockey defender
* 19 April – George Gregan, rugby union player
* 26 April – Stephanie Graf, middle distance athlete
* 29 May – Malcolm Allen, swimmer
* 12 June – Darryl White, Australian rules footballer
* 21 June – Alyson Annan, field hockey player
* 24 June – Matt Drummond, film director, screenwriter and visual effects supervisor
* 27 July – Gorden Tallis, rugby league footballer
* 2 August – Susie O'Neill, swimmer
* 14 August – Kieren Perkins, swimmer
* 20 August – Scott Goodman, swimmer
* 22 August – Mark Hickman, field hockey goalkeeper
* 2 September – Matthew Dunn, swimmer
* 5 September – Jennifer Whittle, basketball player
* 18 September – Louise Sauvage, wheelchair athlete
* 22 September – Craig McRae, footballer
* 8 October – Toby Haenen, swimmer
* 14 October – Steven Bradbury, speed skater
* 18 October – Stephen Allan, golfer
* 23 October – David Beard, volleyball player
* 31 October – Andrew Constance, politician
* 1 November – Peta Murphy, politician (d. 2023)
* 6 November – Greg Warren, politician
* 20 November
** Sav Rocca, American football player and Australian rules footballer
** Matthew Smith, field hockey player
* 4 December – Steve Menzies, rugby league footballer
* 24 December – Kerry Nettle, politician
* 28 December – Alex Dimitriades, actor
* (Date Unknown) – Ann Shoebridge, milliner

## Deaths

* 18 January – Beatrice Bligh, gardener (b. 1916)
* 5 April – John Coleman (born 1928), Australian rules footballer
* 21 April – Arthur Fadden (born 1894), former Prime Minister
* 8 July – Arthur Calwell (born 1896), politician