1948 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1948 in Australia.

Incumbents

 * Monarch – George VI
 * Governor General – William McKell
 * Prime Minister – Ben Chifley
 * 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 – Edward Brooker (until 25 February), then Robert Cosgrove
 * Premier of Victoria – Thomas Hollway
 * 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 Winston Dugan
 * Governor of Western Australia – Sir James Mitchell (from 5 October)

Events

 * 23 January – De Havilland Australia conducts the first flight of its 3 engined Drover transport aircraft at Bankstown Airport.
 * 19 February – An Avro Lincoln bomber crashes at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, killing 16 Royal Australian Air Force personnel.
 * 25 February – Robert Cosgrove is reinstated as Premier of Tasmania after being cleared of corruption charges on 22 February.
 * 8 May – Margaret McIntyre becomes the first woman elected to the Parliament of Tasmania. She is killed in a plane crash later in the year.
 * 29 May – A federal referendum is held, asking one question on Rents and Prices. It is not carried.
 * 1 July – The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is introduced.
 * 21 August – A state election is held in Tasmania. The result is a hung parliament, but Robert Cosgrove and Labor retain power with the support of an independent, William Wedd.
 * 2 September – The Douglas DC-3 Lutana crashes near Nundle, New South Wales, killing all 13 on board.
 * 21 September – H.V. Evatt becomes President of the United Nations General Assembly.
 * 29 November – The first Holden car, the model 48-215, popularly known as the FX, rolls off the assembly line. The on-road cost was approximately £760.
 * 1 December – The body of an unidentified man is found on a beach in Adelaide, becoming known as the Somerton Man.
 * 16 December – HMAS Sydney is commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy as its first aircraft carrier.

Arts and literature

 * William Dobell wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Margaret Olley


 * One of the few Australian songs to top the Australian charts "Good-Night Mister Moon" by Allan Ryan and William Flynn

Sport

 * 18 September – Minor premiers Western Suburbs win the 1948 NSWRFL season, claiming their first premiership since 1934 after defeating Balmain 8–5. North Sydney finish in last place, claiming the wooden spoon.
 * Morna takes line honours and Westward wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
 * Rimfire wins the Melbourne Cup

Births

 * 5 January – Wally Foreman, football commentator (died 2006)
 * 23 January – Glenn Wheatley, musician and talent manager (died 2022)
 * 24 January – Brian Langton, NSW politician (died 2023)
 * 25 January – Ros Kelly, politician
 * 3 February – Les Twentyman, social campaigner (died 2024)
 * 10 February – Mike Pratt, politician
 * 16 February – Jeff Guess, poet
 * 2 March – Jeff Kennett, Premier of Victoria (1992–1999)
 * 13 March – Rick Amor, artist
 * 19 March – Vince Lovegrove, singer, journalist and band manager (died 2012)
 * 27 March – Rosemary Follett, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (1989, 1991–1995)
 * 31 March – Graham Cornes, Australian rules footballer
 * 2 April – Jennifer Rowe, children's author
 * 29 April – Leslie Howard, musician
 * 15 May – Muriel Porter, Anglican laywoman
 * 28 May – Michael Field, Premier of Tasmania (1989–1992)
 * 11 June – Pat Wilson, singer and journalist
 * 21 June – Lionel Rose, boxer (died 2011)
 * 30 June – Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Aboriginal leader (died 2023)
 * 15 July – Richard Franklin, film director (died 2007)
 * 24 July – Joan London, writer
 * 7 August – Greg Chappell, cricketer
 * 18 August – Richard Tracey, Australian military and civil judge and barrister (died 2019)
 * 19 August – Robert Hughes, actor
 * 20 August – John Noble, actor
 * 12 September – Max Walker, cricketer and VFL footballer (died 2016)
 * 18 September – Christopher Skase, fugitive businessman (died 2001)
 * 22 September – Denis Burke, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory (1999–2001)
 * 25 September – Vicki Viidikas, poet (died 1998)
 * 26 September – Olivia Newton-John, entertainer (died 2022)
 * 3 October – Rob Langer, cricketer
 * 4 October – Bob Morris, racing driver
 * 5 October – Jim Waley, journalist
 * 8 October – Warren Truss, leader of the National Party
 * 19 October – Meg Lees, Democrat senator for South Australia
 * 30 October – Garry McDonald, actor
 * 5 November – Malcolm Milne, Olympic skier
 * 6 November – Geoff Prosser, politician
 * 14 November – Ian Stanley, golfer (died 2018)
 * 15 November – James Kemsley, cartoonist (died 2007)
 * 22 November – Gary Dempsey, Australian rules footballer
 * 1 December – John Quigley, WA politician
 * 2 December – Patricia Hewitt, British Labour Party politician
 * 5 December – Cheryl Kernot, politician
 * 12 December – Kim Beazley, politician
 * 15 December – Cassandra Harris, actor (died 1991)
 * 29 December – Michael White, psychotherapist (died 2008)

Deaths



 * 12 February – Sir Isaac Isaacs, 9th Governor-General of Australia and 3rd Chief Justice of Australia (b. 1855)
 * 23 March – Lou Cunningham, New South Wales politician (b. 1889)
 * 24 March – Sydney Sampson, Victorian politician and newspaper proprietor (b. 1863)
 * 9 April – George Carpenter, 5th General of The Salvation Army (b. 1872)
 * 15 April – Eric Fairweather Harrison, Victorian politician and soldier (b. 1880)
 * 20 May – Marie Pitt, poet and journalist (b. 1869)
 * 8 June – Thomas Crawford, Queensland politician (b. 1865)
 * 18 June – Edward Brooker, 31st Premier of Tasmania (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1891)
 * 18 July – May Moss, welfare worker and suffragette (b. 1869)
 * 21 July – Francis Joseph Bayldon, master mariner and nautical instructor (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1872)
 * 24 July – Stanley Goble, 2nd Chief of the Air Staff (b. 1891)
 * 31 July – Nigel Barker, Olympic track and field athlete (b. 1883)
 * 28 August – Jack Lumsdaine, singer, songwriter and soldier (b. 1895)
 * 2 September – Margaret McIntyre, Tasmanian politician (b. 1886)
 * 9 September – Frank Foster, New South Wales politician (b. 1872)
 * 18 October
 * George Cann, New South Wales politician (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1871)
 * Philip Collier, 14th Premier of Western Australia (b. 1873)
 * 8 December – Matthew Charlton, 7th Federal Leader of the Opposition (b. 1866)