1938 in Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following lists events that happened during 1938 in Australia.
Population6,898,541
| 1938 in Australia | |
|---|---|
| Monarch | George VI |
| Governor-General | Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Baron Gowrie |
| Prime minister | Joseph Lyons |
| Population | 6,898,541 |
| Elections | SA, NSW, QLD |
Incumbents
- Monarch â George VI
- Governor-General â Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Baron Gowrie
- Prime Minister â Joseph Lyons
- Chief Justice â Sir John Latham
State Premiers
- Premier of New South Wales â Bertram Stevens
- Premier of Queensland â William Forgan Smith
- Premier of South Australia â Richard L. Butler (until 5 November), then Thomas Playford IV
- Premier of Tasmania â Albert Ogilvie
- Premier of Victoria â Albert Dunstan
- Premier of Western Australia â John Willcock
State Governors
- Governor of New South Wales â John Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst
- Governor of Queensland â Sir Leslie Orme Wilson
- Governor of South Australia â Sir Winston Dugan
- Governor of Tasmania â Sir Ernest Clark
- Governor of Victoria â William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield
- Governor of Western Australia â none appointed
Events
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- 26 January â Australia officially celebrates its sesquicentennial, the 150th anniversary of European settlement. Unofficially, it is a Day of Mourning for Indigenous Australians.
- 6 February â Three hundred beachgoers are dragged out to sea when three freak waves strike Bondi Beach in Sydney in an event known as "Black Sunday". A team of eighty surf lifesavers manage to rescue all but five people.[1][2]
- 13 February â Nineteen people die when Sydney ferry the Rodney, carrying 150 passengers, capsizes in Sydney Harbour while farewelling US Navy cruiser USS Louisville.
- 1 April â New monthly newspaper Abo Call begins publication in Sydney, focusing on issues of Aboriginal rights and edited by activist Jack Patten.
- 11 May â Two jockeys are killed and two are injured in a horse racing accident at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, South Australia.
- 25 October â Eighteen people die in Australia's worst air disaster when the Douglas DC-2 Kyeema crashes in the Dandenong Ranges in thick fog.
- 15 November â Waterside workers at Port Kembla, New South Wales refuse to load a consignment of scrap iron destined for Japan, arguing that it would be used for munitions. Attorney-General Robert Menzies attempts to force the loading of the cargo, earning himself the nickname "Pig Iron Bob".
- 21 December â A direct radio-telephone link is established between Canberra and Washington D.C.
- 28 December â The Sydney Mail ceases publication.
Arts and literature
- 31 March â Xavier Herbert wins the Commonwealth 150th anniversary literary award for his novel Capricornia.
- 30 December â The Passing of the Aborigines by Daisy Bates is published.
Sport
- 5 to 12 February â The 1938 British Empire Games are held in Sydney. Australia leads the medal tally at the games, winning 25 gold medals, 19 silver and 22 bronze.
- 19 March â The 1938 Interstate Grand Prix is staged at the Wirlinga circuit in New South Wales.[3]
- 20 August â At Royal Park, Melbourne, the Australia national netball team defeated New Zealand 40â11. This was the first netball Test between Australia and New Zealand.[4][5]
- 2 September â Canterbury-Bankstown defeat Eastern Suburbs 19 to 6 in the grand final, becoming premiers of the 1938 NSWRFL season. St. George finish in last place, claiming the wooden spoon.
- 1 November â Catalogue wins the Melbourne Cup.
Births
- 3 January â Alan Ramsey, journalist (died 2020)
- 12 January
- Lewis Fiander, actor (died 2016)
- Noel McNamara, crime victims supporter
- 13 January â Daevid Allen, musician (Soft Machine) (died 2015)
- 17 January â David Theile, backstroke swimmer
- 21 January â Steve Dunleavy, journalist (died 2019)
- 21 February â John Harvey, racing driver (died 2020)
- 25 February â Herb Elliott, athlete
- 28 February â Dennis Olsen, pianist, actor and director
- 1 March â Henry Reynolds, historian
- 5 March â Mike Walsh, television presenter
- 16 March â Jock Austin, Indigenous Australian community leader (died 1990)
- 19 March â John Winneke, judge (died 2019)
- 25 March â Anthony Carwardine, naval officer
- 20 April â Betty Cuthbert, athlete (died 2017)
- 29 April â Jim Lenehan, rugby union player (died 2022)
- 5 June â Roy Higgins, jockey (died 2014)
- 18 June â Kevin Murray, Australian rules footballer (Fitzroy)
- 19 June â Ian Smith, actor and screenwriter
- 20 June â Joan Kirner, Premier of Victoria (1990â1992) (died 2015)
- 23 June â John Gerovich, Australian rules footballer[6]
- 25 June â Mick Allen, rower (died 2021)
- 27 June
- Bob Baxt, lawyer (died 2018)
- Gordon Rorke, cricketer (died 2025)
- 28 June â Sergio Silvagni, Australian rules footballer (died 2021)
- 8 July â Paul Cronin, television and film actor (died 2019)
- 13 July â Ian Macphee, politician, Minister for Immigration
- 15 July â Carmen Callil, publisher (died 2022)
- 16 July â Colin Rice, Australian rules footballer
- 23 July â Bert Newton, entertainer (died 2021)
- 28 July â Robert Hughes, art critic (died 2012)
- 9 August â Rod Laver, tennis player
- 12 August â Lionel Morgan, rugby league player (died 2023)
- 22 August â Roger Gyles, lawyer and judge (died 2025)
- 30 August â Murray Gleeson, High Court judge
- 2 September â Ernie Sigley, entertainer (died 2021)
- 8 October â Fred Stolle, tennis player (died 2025)
- 17 October â Les Murray, poet (died 2019)
- 30 October â Morris Lurie, writer (died 2014)
- 8 November â Bob Skilton, Australian rules footballer (South Melbourne)
- 26 November â Rodney Jory, physicist (died 2021)
- 4 December â Yvonne Minton, operatic soprano
- 11 December â Reg Livermore, actor, singer and television presenter
- 21 December â Frank Moorhouse, writer (died 2022)
Deaths
- 6 January â John Gavin (born 1875), film director
- 15 January â Paul Raphael Montford (born 1868), sculptor
- 21 January â Will Dyson (born 1880), cartoonist
- 31 January â John Barnes (born 1868), politician
- 16 February â Thomas Molloy (born 1852), WA politician
- 21 April â Sir Talbot Hobbs (born 1864), architect
- 11 May â Lawrence Wells (born 1860), explorer
- 17 May â Nora Clench (born 1867), Canadian violinist
- 17 June â Ranji Hordern (born 1883), cricketer
- 19 June â Jack Hides (born 1906), explorer
- 22 June â C. J. Dennis (born 1876), poet
- 29 June â Sir Colin Mackenzie (born 1877), anatomist and museum administrator
- 30 August â Evelyn Marsden (born 1883), survivor of the Titanic
- 11 September â Sir Philip Whistler Street (born 1863), NSW Supreme Court judge
- 12 October â Hugh Massie (born 1854), cricketer
- 25 October â Charles Hawker (born 1884), politician
- 29 November â John Sandes (born 1863), journalist and author
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