1949 in Australia

← 1948 1947 1946 1949 in Australia → 1950 1951 1952
Decades:	1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s
See also:	Other events of 1949 Federal election Timeline of Australian history

Incumbents

• Monarch – King George VI
• Governor-General – William McKell
• Prime Minister – Ben Chifley (until 19 December), then Robert Menzies

State Governors

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott
• Governor of Queensland – Sir John Lavarack
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Charles Norrie
• Governor of Tasmania – Sir Hugh Binney
• Governor of Victoria – Sir Winston Dugan (until 20 February), then Sir Dallas Brooks (from 18 October)
• Governor of Western Australia – Sir James Mitchell

Events

• 26 January – The Nationality and Citizenship Act is passed. Rather than being identified as subjects of Britain, the Act established Australian citizenship for people who met eligibility requirements.
• 10 March – A Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar crashes near Coolangatta, Queensland, killing all 21 on board.
• 16 March – Australia's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is established, by order of the Directive for the Establishment and Maintenance of a Security Service.
• 16 March – Indigenous Australians who are eligible to vote in state elections in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania are also given the right to vote in federal elections.
• 27 June – A seven-week coal strike begins, involving 23,000 miners and broken by the sending in of troops.
• 2 July - A MacRobertson Miller Aviation DC-3 aircraft crashes on take-off from Perth Airport, killing all 18 on board.
• 17 October – Construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme begins.
• 10 December – A federal election is held. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Ben Chifley is defeated by Robert Menzies' Liberal Party.
• 18 December – Prime Minister-elect Robert Menzies announces his cabinet, including Dame Enid Lyons as Australia's first female cabinet minister.

Science and technology

• November – Australia's first digital computer, CSIRAC, runs its first test programs.

Arts and literature

Main article: 1949 in Australian literature

• 21 January – William Dobell wins the Archibald Prize and the Wynne Prize.

Sport

• Athletics
  • 17 September - Robert Prentice wins his first men's national marathon title, clocking 2:43:46 in Perth

• Cricket
  • New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield

• Football
  • Bledisloe Cup: won by the Wallabies
  • Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Souths defeated Easts 22-8
  • New South Wales Rugby League premiership: Western Suburbs defeated Balmain 8-5
  • South Australian National Football League premiership: won by North Adelaide
  • Victorian Football League premiership: Essendon defeated Carlton 125-52

• Golf
  • Australian Open: won by Eric Cremin
  • Australian PGA Championship: won by Kel Nagle

• Horse Racing
  • Persist wins the AJC Oaks
  • Lincoln wins the Caulfield Cup
  • Delta wins the Cox Plate
  • Foxzami wins the Melbourne Cup

• Motor Racing
  • The Australian Grand Prix was held at Leyburn, and was won by John Crouch driving a Delahaye

• Tennis
  • Australian Open men's singles: Frank Sedgman defeats John Bromwich 6-3 6-2 6-2
  • Australian Open women's singles: Doris Hart defeats Nancye Wynne Bolton 6-3 6-4
  • Davis Cup: Australia is defeated by the United States 1-4 in the 1949 Davis Cup final
  • US Open: John Bromwich and Bill Sidwell win the Men's Doubles

• Yachting
  • Waltzing Matilda takes line honours and Trade Winds wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race