1926 in Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following lists events that happened during 1926 in Australia.
| 1926 in Australia | |
|---|---|
| Monarch | George V |
| Governor-General | John Baird |
| Prime minister | Stanley Bruce |
| Population | 6,056,360 |
| Elections | Queensland |
Incumbents

- Monarch â George V
- Governor-General â Henry Forster, 1st Baron Forster of Lepe (until 8 October) then John Baird, 1st Viscount Stonehaven
- Prime Minister â Stanley Bruce
- Chief Justice â Adrian Knox
State premiers
- Premier of New South Wales â Jack Lang
- Premier of Queensland â William McCormack
- Premier of South Australia â John Gunn (until 28 August), then Lionel Hill
- Premier of Tasmania â Joseph Lyons
- Premier of Victoria â John Allan
- Premier of Western Australia â Philip Collier
State governors
- Governor of New South Wales â Sir Dudley de Chair
- Governor of Queensland â none appointed
- Governor of South Australia â Sir Tom Bridges
- Governor of Tasmania â Sir James O'Grady
- Governor of Victoria â George Rous, 3rd Earl of Stradbroke (until 7 April), then Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers (from 28 June)
- Governor of Western Australia â Sir William Campion
Events
- 19 April â The High Court of Australia finds in the case of Clyde Engineering Co Ltd v Cowburn that the Forty-Four Hours Week Act 1925 (NSW) was incompatible with Commonwealth legislation.
- 3 September â The Canberra Times is first published.[1]
- 4 September â A federal referendum is held, containing two questions: Industry and Commerce and Essential Services. Neither question is passed.[2]
- 13 September â Twenty-six people are killed in the Murulla railway accident.
- Helen Wayth wins the first Miss Australia Quest
- Ballerina Anna Pavlova tours Australia
Science and technology
- 22 June â The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is founded, the precursor to today's CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation).
Arts and literature
- William McInnes wins the Archibald Prize
Sport
- 18 September â South Sydney Rabbitohs defeat University 11â5, becoming premiers of the New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1926.
- 25 September â Melbourne defeat Collingwood 17.17 (119) to 9.8 (62) at the VFL grand final, becoming premiers of the 1926 VFL season.
- 2 November â Spearfelt wins the Melbourne Cup.
- New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield
Births
- 7 January â Joe Marston, soccer player (died 2015)
- 11 January â Baillieu Myer, businessman and philanthropist (died 2022)
- 3 February â Raymond Martin, chemist (died 2020)
- 4 February â Dave Sands, boxer (died 1952)
- 6 February â Bruce Ruxton, former soldier and president of the RSL (died 2011)
- 8 February â Tony Street, politician (died 2022)
- 10 February â Arvi Parbo, businessman (died 2019)
- 16 February â Rayene Stewart Simpson, soldier and Victoria Cross recipient (died 1978)
- 6 March â Ray O'Connor, Premier of Western Australia (1982â1983) (died 2013)
- 15 March â Thelma Keane, wife of cartoonist Bil Keane and inspiration for the "Mommy" character in The Family Circus (died 2008)
- 2 April â Jack Brabham, racing driver (died 2014)
- 13 April â Neil Betts, rugby union player (died 2017)
- 11 May â Frank Thring, actor (died 1994)
- 9 June â Don Ritchie, anti-suicide campaigner (died 2012)
- 18 June â Shirley McKechnie, dancer, choreographer and dance educator (died 2022)
- 25 June â Kep Enderby, Esperantist and politician (died 2015)
- 27 June â Bruce Tozer, cricketer (died 2021)
- 1 July â Stan Obst, Australian rules footballer (died 2005)
- 3 July â Laurence Street, jurist and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (died 2018)
- 4 July â Stuart Thomas Butler, nuclear physicist (died 1982)
- 9 July â Peter Mullins, decathlete (died 2012)
- 12 July â Al Grassby, politician, Minister for Immigration (died 2005)
- 20 July â Russ Gorman, politician (died 2017)
- 31 July â Jack Pollard, sports writer and cricket historian (died 2002)
- 5 August â Doug McClelland, politician
- 15 August â Ted Allsopp, race walker (died 2024)
- 27 August â Reg Watson, television producer and screenwriter (died 2019)
- 8 September â Keith Adams, adventurer (died 2012)
- 16 September â Sir William Cole, public servant (died 2019)
- 18 September â Deirdre Jordan, academic and educator (died 2026)
- 30 September â Frank O'Neill, swimmer (died 2024)
- 11 October â Neville Wran, Premier of New South Wales (1976â1986) (died 2014)
- 20 October â Peter Durack, politician, Attorney-General (died 2008)
- 7 November â Joan Sutherland, opera singer (died 2010)
- 15 November â Ivor Greenwood, politician, Attorney-General (died 1976)
- 31 December â Sir Billy Snedden, politician, Leader of the Liberal Party (died 1987)
Deaths
- 9 January â William Henry Warren, engineer (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1852)
- 12 January â Sir Austin Chapman, New South Wales politician (b. 1864)
- 30 April â Sir Tim Coghlan, New South Wales statistician, engineer and diplomat (died in the United Kingdom) (b. 1856)
- 11 May â Sir Hugh Dixson, businessman and philanthropist (died in British Ceylon) (b. 1841)
- 15 May â Joseph James Fletcher, biologist (born in New Zealand) (b. 1850)
- 16 May â Joe Slater, composer and music publisher (b. 1872)
- 21 May â Hugh Victor McKay, industrialist (b. 1865)
- 4 June â Fred Spofforth, cricketer (died in the United Kingdom) (b. 1853)
- 23 June â Lowther Clarke, Anglican archbishop (born and died in the United Kingdom) (b. 1850)
- 28 June â William Archibald, South Australian politician (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1850)
- 14 July â Sir Charles Mackellar, New South Wales politician and surgeon (b. 1844)
- 19 July â Ada Cambridge, author (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1844)
- 14 September â Charles Hedley, naturalist (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1862)
- 3 October â Samuel James Mitchell, 1st Chief Justice of the Northern Territory (b. 1852)
- 11 December
- Sir William McMillan, New South Wales politician and businessman (born in Ireland) (b. 1850)
- Gottlieb Schuler, journalist (born in Germany) (b. 1853)
- 13 December â William Spence, trade union leader and politician (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1846)
