1950 in Australia

• Monarch – George VI • Governor-General – William McKell • Prime Minister – Robert Menzies • Chief Justice – Sir John Latham State Premiers • Premier of New South Wales – James McGirr • Premier of Queensland – Ned Hanlon • Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV • Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove • Premier of Victoria – Thomas Hollway (until 27 June), then John McDonald • Premier of Western Australia – Ross McLarty 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 Dallas Brooks • Governor of Western Australia – Sir James Mitchell == Events ==

• 25 January – The Tank Landing Ship HMAS Tarakan explodes at Garden Island in Sydney, killing 8 people. • 8 February – Petrol rationing ends, nearly ten years after it was introduced during World War II. • 6 May – A state election is held in Tasmania. The result is a hung parliament, but Robert Cosgrove's Labor Party remains in power with independent support. • 13 May – A state election is held in Victoria. • 23 June – The Parliament of Australia passes the Communist Party Dissolution Bill, effectively banning the operation of the Communist Party of Australia. • 26 June – Douglas DC-4 Amana crashes near Perth, Western Australia, killing all 29 people on board. • 26 July – The government announces that Australia will send troops to fight in the Korean War. The first Australian forces land in Korea on 17 September. • 28 October – The ''Smith's Weekly'' newspaper, founded in 1919, is published for the last time. • New South Wales and Queensland receive extraordinary annual rainfall. ==Arts and literature==

• 11 December – A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute is published. Unknown dates • William Dargie wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Sir Leslie McConnan • The novel Power Without Glory by Frank Hardy is published. • The Ballet Corroboree, by John Antill, is first performed ==Sport==

• General • Australia wins 34 gold medals at the 4th British Empire Games, held in Auckland, New Zealand • Cricket • New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield • Cycling • Sid Patterson wins the world amateur pursuit cycling title in Belgium • Football • Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Easts defeated Wests 14-10 • New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeated Western Suburbs 21-15 • South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Norwood • Victorian Football League premiership: Essendon defeated North Melbourne 92-54 • Golf • Australian Open: won by Norman Von Nida • Australian PGA Championship: won by Norman Von Nida • Horse racing • Grey Boots wins the Caulfield Cup • Alister wins the Cox Plate • Comic Court wins the Melbourne Cup • Motor racing • The Australian Grand Prix was held at Nuriootpa and won by Doug Whiteford driving a Ford • Tennis • Australian Open men's singles: Frank Sedgman defeats Ken McGregor 6-3 6-4 4-6 6-1 • Australian Open women's singles: Louise Brough defeats Doris Hart 6-4 3-6 6-4 • Davis Cup: Australia defeats the United States 4–1 in the 1950 Davis Cup final • US Open: John Bromwich and Frank Sedgman win the Men's Doubles • Wimbledon: John Bromwich and Adrian Quist win the Men's Doubles • Yachting • Margaret Rintoul takes line honours and Nerida wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race ==Births==

• 1 January – Wayne Bennett, rugby league footballer and coach • 26 January – Barry Round, Australian rules footballer (died 2022) • 30 January – Jack Newton, golfer (died 2022) • 11 February – John Cobb, politician • 14 February – Phil Dent, tennis player • 16 February – Malcolm Blight, Australian Rules football player • 20 February – Garry Manuel, football (soccer) player • 1 March – Estelle Blackburn, journalist • 11 March – Sam Kekovich, Australian Rules football player • 18 March – Larry Perkins, ATCC/V8 Supercars racing driver • 20 March – Warren Snowdon, politician • 10 April – Mick Dodson, indigenous leader • 11 April – Jim Molan, politician and army officer (died 2023) • 13 April – Tommy Raudonikis, rugby league player and coach (died 2021) • 15 April – Peter Cochrane, historian • 21 April – Bruce Duperouzel, footballer and cricketer • 29 April – Phillip Noyce, film director • 11 May – Gary Foley, indigenous activist • 15 May – Jim Bacon, Premier of Tasmania (2001–2004, died 2004) • 26 May – Paul Omodei, WA politician • 29 May – Lesley Hunt, tennis player • 31 May – Warren Entsch, politician • 13 June – Belinda Bauer, actress • 13 July – Kevin McQuay, businessman (died 2005) • 15 July • Colin Barnett, WA politician • Alan Hurst, cricketer • Peter Reith, politician (died 2022) • 17 July – Nick Bolkus, politician (died 2025) • 21 July – Allan Maher, football (soccer) goalkeeper • 28 July – Jim Maxwell, cricket commentator • 8 August – Philip Salom, poet and novelist • 16 August – Jeff Thomson, cricketer • 19 August – Graeme Beard, cricketer • 6 September – Robyn Davidson, writer • 8 September – Mark Gable, singer-songwriter • 11 September – Bruce Doull, Australian Rules football player • 27 September – John Marsden, writer (died 2024) • 14 October – Kate Grenville, novelist • 30 October – Tim Sheens, rugby league footballer and coach • 2 November – Graeme Murphy, choreographer • 7 November – John Lang, rugby league footballer and coach • 25 November – Alexis Wright, writer • 1 December – Ross Hannaford, guitarist (Daddy Cool) (died 2016) • 10 December – Robert Cusack, swimmer • 12 December • Louis Nowra, writer and playwright • Judy Wajcman, sociologist • 18 December – Gillian Armstrong, film director • 22 December – Nick Enright, playwright, director (died 2003) Unknown date • Heather Goodall, historian (died 2026) ==Deaths==

• 2 January • James Dooley, 21st Premier of New South Wales (born in Ireland) (b. 1877) • Beaumont Smith, film director and producer (b. 1885) • 20 January – Ray Duggan, speedway racer (b. 1913) • 25 January – Chummy Fleming, trade unionist (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1863) • 9 February – Ted Theodore, 20th Premier of Queensland (b. 1884) • 23 February – Henry Willis, New South Wales politician (b. 1860) • 19 March – Harry Wright, Australian rules footballer (Essendon) (b. 1870) • 14 April – Sir Albert Dunstan, 33rd Premier of Victoria (b. 1882) • 6 May – Lancelot De Mole, engineer and inventor (b. 1880) • 15 May – Jack Hickey, Olympic rugby union and league player (b. 1887) • 11 June – Ernest Henshaw, Western Australian politician (b. 1870) • 20 June – Claude Jennings, cricketer (b. 1884) • 14 July – Bill Howell, cricketer (b. 1869) • 31 July – George Wise, Victorian politician and solicitor (b. 1853) • 6 August – Edwin Corboy, Western Australian politician (b. 1896) • 8 August – Sir Fergus McMaster, businessman and aviation pioneer (b. 1879) • 3 September – Michael Durack, Western Australian politician and pastoralist (b. 1865) • 22 September – Edward Fowell Martin, public servant and soldier (b. 1875) • 24 September – Dame Mary Cook, 6th Spouse of the Prime Minister of Australia (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1863) • 6 November – Frank Brennan, Victorian politician (b. 1873) • 20 November – Erle Cox, journalist and science fiction author (b. 1873) • 2 December – James Fenton, Victorian politician (b. 1864) • 29 December – Albert Lane, New South Wales politician (b. 1873) ==See also==