1973 in Australia

1973 in Australia
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
6 February - Chris Wilmore
15 February – Sarah Wynter, actress
20 February – Kimberley Davies, 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
30 April - Craig White, Movie Lover, no relation to Patrick White
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
8 October - Justin Seabrook, every man and all round top bloke!
14 October – Steven Bradbury, speed skater
18 October – Stephen Allan, golfer
23 October – David Beard, volleyball player
31 October – Andrew Constance, politician
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) – Rodger Corser, Actor
(Date Unknown) – Ann Shoebridge, milliner
date unknown (1 January) – Catherine Freeman, athlete
Deaths
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
References
Australia
Years of the 20th century in Australia