1896 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1896 in Australia.

Incumbents

 * Monarch - Victoria

Governors of the Australian colonies

 * Governor of New South Wales – Henry Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden
 * Governor of Queensland – Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington (from 9 April)
 * Governor of South Australia – Sir Thomas Buxton, 3rd Baronet
 * Governor of Tasmania – Jenico Preston, 14th Viscount Gormanston
 * Governor of Victoria – Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey
 * Governor of Western Australia – Sir Gerard Smith

Premiers of the Australian colonies

 * Premier of New South Wales – George Reid
 * Premier of Queensland – Hugh Nelson
 * Premier of South Australia – Charles Kingston
 * Premier of Tasmania – Edward Braddon
 * Premier of Western Australia – John Forrest
 * Premier of Victoria – George Turner

Events

 * 13 February - The Capsize of the ferry Pearl on the Brisbane River, killing 28


 * 27 October Passengers Alighting from Ferry Brighton at Manly the first film shot and screened in Australia

Arts and literature

 * While the Billy Boils, a collection of short stories, is published by Henry Lawson
 * Augustus Juncker (1855–1942) publishes English duet edition of I was dreaming popularised in the French opera Ma mie Rosette

Sport

 * 7 to 11 April – Edwin Flack wins gold medals in the 800-metre and 1500 metre events, and bronze in the tennis doubles at the Games of the 1st Olympiad. He was the only Australian competitor at these games.
 * 3 October – The Victorian Football League is formed, with competition beginning in 1897.
 * 3 November – Newhaven wins the Melbourne Cup - the first horse-racing films produced in Australia.
 * New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield

Births

 * 22 January – Norman Gilroy, first Australian-born Cardinal (died 1977)
 * 8 February – Alfred Percival Bullen, circus proprietor (died 1974)
 * 18 February – John Cramer, politician (died 1994)
 * 5 July – Thomas Playford, Premier of South Australia (died 1981)
 * 11 July – Evelyn Scotney, coloratura soprano (died 1967)
 * 18 July – Jack Mullens, politician (died 1978)
 * 3 August – Charles Adermann, politician (died 1979)
 * 24 August – Edwin Corboy, politician (died 1950)
 * 28 August – Arthur Calwell, politician (died 1973)
 * 8 September – Marion Allnutt, welfare worker, commanding officer of the NGO, Women's Australian National Services (died 1980)
 * 15 September – Norman Lethbridge Cowper, lawyer (died 1987)
 * 29 September – Thomas James Bede Kenny, soldier and Victoria Cross recipient (died 1953)
 * 3 October – Auvergne Doherty, businesswoman (died 1961]
 * 21 October – Patrick Gordon Taylor, aviator (died 1966)
 * 16 November – Joan Lindsay, author (Picnic at Hanging Rock) (died 1984)
 * 27 November – Arthur Percy Sullivan, soldier and Victoria Cross recipient (died 1937)

Deaths

 * 27 April – Sir Henry Parkes (born 1815), politician
 * 15 September – John Anderson Hartley (born 1844), educator
 * 10 October – Ferdinand von Mueller (born 1825), botanist