1978 in Australia

none March 2020 May 2011 The following lists events that happened during 1978 in Australia. Elizabeth II Sir Zelman Cowen Malcolm Fraser 14,192,234 Alan Bond and Galarrwuy Yunupingu NSW 1978 Incumbents thumb|upright|140px|Sir Zelman Cowen thumb|upright|140px|Malcolm Fraser Monarch – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Sir Zelman Cowen Prime Minister – Malcolm Fraser Deputy Prime Minister – Doug Anthony Opposition Leader – Bill Hayden Chief Justice – Sir Garfield Barwick State and territory leaders Premier of New South Wales – Neville Wran Opposition Leader – Peter Coleman (until 7 October), then John Mason Premier of Queensland – Joh Bjelke-Petersen Opposition Leader – Tom Burns (until 28 November), then Ed Casey Premier of South Australia – Don Dunstan Opposition Leader – David Tonkin Premier of Tasmania – Doug Lowe Opposition Leader – Max Bingham Premier of Victoria – Rupert Hamer Opposition Leader – Frank Wilkes Premier of Western Australia – Sir Charles Court Opposition Leader – Colin Jamieson (until 21 February), then Ron Davies Majority Leader/Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – Paul Everingham Opposition Leader – Jon Isaacs Governors and administrators Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler Governor of Queensland – Sir James Ramsay Governor of South Australia – Sir Keith Seaman Governor of Tasmania – Sir Stanley Burbury Governor of Victoria – Sir Henry Winneke Governor of Western Australia – Sir Wallace Kyle Administrator of Norfolk Island – Desmond O'Leary Administrator of the Northern Territory – John England (from 1 June) Events January 1 January – Another Vietnamese refugee boat arrives at night, from a camp off the Malaysian coast.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-38-refugees-in/137601009 38 refugees in latest boat to reach Darwin The Sydney Morning Herald 1 2 January 1978 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229083611/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-38-refugees-in/137601009/ live The Festival of Sydney begins. A jail warder, Victor Sullivan is struck on the head by a prisoner at Parramatta Jail. 2 January – Senator Neville Bonner attacks the Queensland Government over delays in its housing reconstruction programme for Mornington Island, which was ravaged by Cyclone Ted more than a year ago.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-senator-disgu/137601034 Senator 'disgusted' at Aboriginal homes delay The Sydney Morning Herald 2 3 January 1978 3 January – Bela Csidei, a prominent Sydney businessman, is alleged in the Darwin Magistrates' Court to have been involved in growing marijuana in the Northern Territory.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-csidei-named-i/137601071 Csidei named in drug case The Sydney Morning Herald 1 4 January 1978 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229084157/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-csidei-named-i/137601071/ live Acting Health Minister Mr McLeay reiterates the Federal Government's election promise to keep the Medibank levy and ceiling at the same level for the next six months. Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen announces that he will ask churches throughout Queensland to hold a day of prayer for rain, suggesting a date of 15 January.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-rain-prayers-s/137601105 Rain prayers suggested The Sydney Morning Herald 1 4 January 1978 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229084403/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-rain-prayers-s/137601105/ live 4 January – The Australian dollar is devalued from 89.4 to 89.2 due to a drop in the US dollar to bring the effect devaluation since November 1976 to 15.3%.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-value-of-cut/137601140 Value of $ cut again The Sydney Morning Herald 1 5 January 1978 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229084846/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-value-of-cut/137601140/ live Acting Prime Minister Doug Anthony announces that the Federal Government knew that Arab nations operated a blacklist for more than 20 years and that some Australian companies were on it, but that the Government had never been told officially that certain companies were being boycotted.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-govt-knew-of-a/137601173 Govt knew of Arab blacklist But it appears to have had little effect, says Anthony The Sydney Morning Herald 3 5 January 1978 5 January – Corrective Services Commissioner, W. McGeechan, talks 120 maximum security prisoners back into their cells after a 5-hour protest sit-in at Parramatta jail.Allison Colin https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-mcgeechan-talk/137601201 McGeechan talks angry prisoners back to cells The Sydney Morning Herald 1 6 January 1978 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229090236/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-mcgeechan-talk/137601201/ live Aboriginal Senator Neville Bonner makes a complaint to the Queensland State Licensing Commission about the Mount Isa hotel which refused him service on Boxing Day.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-isa-hotel-comp/137601229 Isa Hotel complaint The Sydney Morning Herald 2 6 January 1978 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229090238/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-isa-hotel-comp/137601229/ live Immigration and Ethnic Affairs Minister Michael MacKellar reverses a department decision thereby allowing a Uruguayan woman to join her widowed brother, Ruben Molina, in Sydney.Lukas Isabel https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-sister-allowed/137601260 Immigration Dept refusal reversed by minister The Sydney Morning Herald 2 6 January 1978 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229090237/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-sister-allowed/137601260/ live 18 January – New South Wales Premier Neville Wran meets with prison union officials about their demand that Bathurst Jail be reopened to relieve over crowding and staff shortages in other prisons. February 13 February – Terrorism arrives in Australia for the very first time with the Sydney Hilton bombing killing 3 people and injuring 9 others.Bowers Peter Brown Malcolm 14 February 1978 Fraser calls troops https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-fraser-calls-t/137601321 The Sydney Morning Herald 1 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229090213/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-fraser-calls-t/137601321/ live March 14 March – Stephen Matthews, aged 20, swept from the Natural Bridge off Albany, by a King Wave. Rescued by whale ship, the Cheynes II. First recorded survival of someone swept into the sea at The Gap and Natural Bridge.http://www.westaustralianvista.com/The_Natural_Bridge_in_Albany.html The Natural Bridge GlobeVista 2008 2014-02-08 14 January 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140114050738/http://www.westaustralianvista.com/The_Natural_Bridge_in_Albany.html live 30 March – Commonwealth Police (Federal Police) begin arresting 180 Greek-Australians said to be involved in a conspiracy to defraud the Department of Social Security.Grabosky Peter. N. Chapter 6: The great social security conspiracy case Wayward Governance: Illegality and its Control in the Public Sector https://archive.org/details/waywardgovernanc0000grab/page/93 Australian Institute of Criminology 7 August 2015 0 642 14605 5 93–112 1989 April 4 April – Cyclone Alby kills 5 people in Western Australia.6 April 1978 Five dead in storm: fires rage on https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-five-dead-in-s/137601372 The Sydney Morning Herald 1 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229091739/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-five-dead-in-s/137601372/ live May 15 May – Australia's longest-serving prime minister Robert Menzies dies.Bowers Peter 16 May 1978 Menzies dies at 83 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-menzies-dies-a/137601411 The Sydney Morning Herald 1 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229090851/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-menzies-dies-a/137601411/ live Australia's first Timezone arcade opens in Perth.December 2023 June 24 June – The inaugural Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, a gay rights march is held in Oxford Street, Sydney to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York.2022 First gay Mardi Gras https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/first-gay-mardi-gras National Museum Australia 29 December 2023 29 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231229092200/https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/first-gay-mardi-gras live 25 June – Trudie Adams disappears from the Surf Life Saving Club in Newport, New South Wales.29 June 1978 Hunt for girl, 18, goes on https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-hunt-for-girl/137601547 The Sydney Morning Herald 2 29 December 2023 July 1 July – The Northern Territory attains self-government; Majority Leader Paul Everingham becomes the inaugural Chief Minister.Mellor Bill 2 July 1978 Darwin wakes with a capital hangover https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-darwin-wakes-w/137799677 The Sun-Herald 3 1 January 2024 1 January 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240101034643/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-darwin-wakes-w/137799677/ live August 25 August – Michelle Pope and Stephen Lapthorne disappear. Still missing 2015 8 3 y.Findlay Tracey Police renew appeal for information on local couple missing 30 years http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/the-hills/police-renew-appeal-for-information-on-local-couple-missing-30-years/story-fngr8i1f-1227467023199 7 August 2015 Hornsby Advocate Daily Telegraph-NewsLocal 3 August 2015 October 7 October – The ALP New South Wales state government of Neville Wran is re-elected with a massively increased majority, leading to his win being dubbed as a "Wranslide".Owens Warren 8 October 1978 Wran back - and how! https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-wran-back-an/137650977 The Sun-Herald 1 30 December 2023 8 October – Australia's Ken Warby sets the world water speed record to 510 km/h (317.60 mph) at Blowering Dam, New South Wales.Robertson David 9 October 1978 The fastest man afloat: Warby breaks own record https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-the-fastest-ma/137651135 The Sydney Morning Herald 1 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230005638/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-the-fastest-ma/137651135/ live 21 October - Cessna pilot Frederick Valentich disappears while flying over Bass Strait.Murdoch Lindsay 23 October 1978 Pilot tells of UFO then vanishes https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-pilot-tells-of-ufo-then-vanishes/137651290 The Age 1 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230005641/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-pilot-tells-of-ufo-then-vanishes/137651290/ live November 21 November – Last day of commercial whaling in Australia.January 2024 No sperm whales caught that day by the chaser ships (Cheynes II, III and IV) operated by the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company at Albany, Western Australia.January 2024 The last whale caught by an Australian whaling company was the day before, 20 November.January 2024 Arts and literature 1978 in Australian literature Brett Whiteley wins the Archibald Prize with Art, Life and the other thing.Harper Catherine 16 December 1978 Brett Whiteley takes an art hat trick https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-brett-whiteley/137671051 The Sydney Morning Herald 1 30 December 2023 Jessica Anderson's novel Tirra Lirra By the River wins the Miles Franklin Award.3 May 1979 Literary award to 'late starter' https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-literary-award/137671336 The Sydney Morning Herald 3 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230085831/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-literary-award/137671336/ live Helen Garner becomes the first woman to win the National Book Council Award for her novel Monkey Grip, selected as Book of the Year.Sayers Stuart 13 October 1978 Expatriate grips the novel prize https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-expatriate-grips-the-novel-prize/137671376 The Age 2 30 December 2023 Film Blue FinDuBose Martha 16 November 1978 Could it become a gift tradition? https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-could-it-becom/137655510 The Sydney Morning Herald 8 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230064950/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-could-it-becom/137655510/ live Little Boy Lost Sport 7 March – Western Australia wins the 1977–78 Sheffield Shield season.8 March 1978 Sheffield Shield: final standing https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-sheffield-shie/137671683 The Sydney Morning Herald 42 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230093719/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-sheffield-shie/137671683/ live 6 May – Melbourne and St Kilda set a still-standing record VFL/AFL aggregate score of 52.33 (345).January 2024 1 July – Footscray kick a record VFL score of 33.15 (213) beating the previous record by three points.January 2024 Kelvin Templeton and Ian Dunstan combine for 22 of the 33 goals.January 2024 6 August – James Langford wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:19:29 in Caboolture.7 August 1978 Veteran Langford turns clock back in marathon https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-veteran-langfo/137671847 The Sydney Morning Herald 31 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230093716/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-veteran-langfo/137671847/ live 19 September – After a controversial NSWRFL finals series with two draws, Manly thrash Cronulla 16–0 to win their fourth premiership with Graham Eadie dominating.Clarkson Alan 20 September 1978 Finally it's Manly... grandly https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-finally-its-m/137671799 The Sydney Morning Herald 28 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230093719/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-finally-its-m/137671799/ live Newtown finish in last position, claiming their third straight and final wooden spoon before their departure from the premiership five years later. 30 September – Hawthorn 18.13 (121) defeats North Melbourne 15.13 (103) for its fourth VFL premiership.1 October 1978 100,000 at VFL final https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-100000-at-vfl/137671755 The Sun-Herald 2 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230093720/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-100000-at-vfl/137671755/ live 7 November – Arwon wins the Melbourne Cup.Bourke Tony 8 November 1978 Arwon turns up trumps for Nowra https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-arwon-turns-up-trumps-for-nowra/137671562 The Age 1 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230093715/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-arwon-turns-up-trumps-for-nowra/137671562/ live 30 December – Apollo claims line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.Herbert Adrian 31 December 1978 Apollo first to Hobart - second line honour victory for skipper https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-apollo-first-t/137671502 The Sun-Herald 2 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230093718/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-apollo-first-t/137671502/ live Births 4 January – Paul Licuria, Australian rules footballer 14 January – James Mathison, TV host 25 January – Jason Johnson, Australian rules footballer 1 February – Tim Harding, singer (Hi 5) 2 February – Annabel Ellwood, tennis player 7 February – Frank Drmic, basketball player 8 February – Mick de Brenni, politician 16 February – Lance Thompson, rugby league player (d. 2018) 1 March – Gavin Woods, water polo player 14 March – Karyne Di Marco, hammer thrower 18 March – Brooke Hanson, swimmer 4 April – Sam Moran, singer (The Wiggles) 16 April – Matthew Lloyd, footballer and coach 2 June – Luke Williamson, rugby league player 30 June – Ben Cousins, AFL Footballer 8 August – Kate Ritchie, actress, radio & television personality 16 August – Ben Galea, rugby player 11 September – Ben Lee, singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor 18 September – Melanie Gibbons, politician 20 September – Scott Minto, rugby league player 22 September – Harry Kewell, soccer player 20 October – Michael Johns, Australian singer (d. 2014) 25 October – Matt Shirvington, track and field athlete November – Allyson McConnell, convicted killer who drowned her two children in Alberta, CanadaBoys found dead were at centre of custody fight 22 November – Steven King, plays with Geelong Football Club 2 December – Peter Moylan, baseball player Fiona McFarlane - authorFiona McFarlane http://www.swansea.ac.uk/dylan-thomas-prize/archive/2017-shortlist/fiona-mcfarlane/ https://web.archive.org/web/20180226212115/http://www.swansea.ac.uk/dylan-thomas-prize/archive/2017-shortlist/fiona-mcfarlane/ dead 26 February 2018 www.swansea.ac.uk 27 February 2018 Deaths 9 January – Eddie Gilbert, (born 1905), Queensland cricketer10 January 1978 Famous Qld bowler dies https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-famous-qld-bow/137655109 The Sydney Morning Herald 26 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230015757/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-famous-qld-bow/137655109/ live 5 February – Frank McIver, (born 1904), soccer player and administratorDecember 2023 14 May – Sir Robert Menzies, (born 1894), Prime Minister of Australia 27 July – Bob Heffron, (born 1890), Premier of New South Wales28 July 1978 R J Heffron dies at 87 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-r-j-heffron-di/137654763 The Sydney Morning Herald 1 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230015757/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-r-j-heffron-di/137654763/ live 18 September – Dame Alice Berry, (born 1900), social activisthttps://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/berry-dame-alice-miriam-9496 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305152309/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/berry-dame-alice-miriam-9496 live 2016-03-05 Biography - Dame Alice Miriam Berry - Australian Dictionary of Biography 2016-03-05 2017-10-22 6 October – Johnny O'Keefe, (born 1935), rock and roll singer7 October 1978 Johnny O'Keefe, rock star, dies https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-johnny-okeefe/137654507 The Sydney Morning Herald 1 30 December 2023 30 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231230015746/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-johnny-okeefe/137654507/ live See also 1978 in Australian television List of Australian films of 1978 References 1978 in yes Australia Category:Years of the 20th century in Australia