1946 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1946 in Australia.

Incumbents

 * Monarch – George VI
 * Governor-General – Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
 * Prime Minister – Ben Chifley
 * Chief Justice – Sir John Latham

State Premiers

 * Premier of New South Wales – William McKell
 * Premier of Queensland – Frank Cooper (until 7 March), then Ned Hanlon
 * Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
 * Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove
 * Premier of Victoria – John Cain
 * Premier of Western Australia – Frank Wise

State Governors

 * Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott (from 1 August)
 * Governor of Queensland – Sir Leslie Orme Wilson (until 23 April), then Sir John Lavarack (from 1 October)
 * Governor of South Australia – Sir Charles Norrie
 * Governor of Tasmania – Sir Hugh Binney
 * Governor of Victoria – Sir Winston Dugan
 * Governor of Western Australia – none appointed

Events

 * 26 January – Foundation Day is renamed Australia Day.
 * 18 February – The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Norman Gilroy, becomes Cardinal Gilroy, the first Australian born member of the College of Cardinals
 * 10 March – An Australian National Airways DC-3 aircraft crashes near Hobart, killing 25 people.
 * 1 May – At least 800 Aboriginal pastoral workers walk off the job in Northwest Western Australia, starting one of the longest industrial strikes in Australia.
 * 6 June – The ABC makes the first national broadcast of a federal parliamentary debate.
 * 19 July – Orange, New South Wales is proclaimed a city.
 * 30 August – Lismore, New South Wales is proclaimed a city.
 * 9 September – Trans Australia Airlines makes its first flight.
 * 28 September – A federal election is held. The Australian Labor Party and Prime Minister Ben Chifley are returned to power. A three-question referendum is also held: the question on Social Services is carried; questions on Marketing and Industrial Employment are not.
 * 23 November – A general election is held in Tasmania. The Labor Party led by Robert Cosgrove is returned to power with a reduced majority.
 * 13 December – The United Nations grants Australia trusteeship of Territory of New Guinea and Territory of Papua.

Science and technology

 * 7 August – Overseas Telecommunications Commission established by an Act of Parliament in August 1946. It inherited facilities and resources from Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited (AWA) and Cable & Wireless, and was charged with responsibility for all international telecommunications services into, through and out of Australia.

Arts and literature

 * William Dargie wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of L. C. Robson

Film

 * The Overlanders is released, starring Chips Rafferty

Politics

 * establishment of the Western Australian Women’s Parliament

Sport

 * 14 September – Balmain win the 1946 NSWRFL season, defeating St. George 13–12 in the grand final. South Sydney, after not winning a game all season, finish in last place, claiming the wooden spoon for the second year in a row.
 * Morna takes line honours and Christina wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
 * Russia wins the Melbourne Cup
 * New Zealand defeats Australia 2–0 in a Rugby union test

Births

 * 29 January – Ian Meldrum, music personality
 * 8 February – Bob Collins, politician (died 2007)
 * 24 February – Bob Pearce, politician
 * 3 March – Tim Fischer, politician (died 2019)
 * 4 April – Colin Coates, ice speed skater
 * 10 April – Anne Boyd, composer
 * 17 April – Kerry O'Brien, middle-distance runner
 * 23 May – David Graham, golfer
 * 3 June – Tristan Rogers, Australian-American actor
 * 9 July – Bon Scott, singer (died 1980)
 * 1 August – Fiona Stanley, epidemiologist
 * 15 August – Victor Salvemini, Paralympic athlete (died 2020)
 * 1 September – Barry Gibb, musician-songwriter (Bee Gees)
 * 16 September – Mike Reynolds, Qld Parliament Speaker
 * 18 October – Penelope Wensley, Governor of Queensland (2008–2014)
 * 28 October – John Hewson, politician
 * 30 October – Doug Parkinson, singer (died 2021)
 * 2 November – Alan Jones, racing driver
 * 20 December – John Bertrand, yachtsman

Deaths

 * 2 January – Joe Darling, cricketer (b. 1870)
 * 12 February – Sir David Gordon, South Australian politician (b. 1865 - d. 1946)
 * 20 March – Ethel Richardson, author (died in the United Kingdom) (b. 1870)
 * 27 March – Sir Robert Best, Victorian politician and lawyer (b. 1856)
 * 13 September – William Watt, 24th Premier of Victoria (b. 1871)