1958 in Australia

none October 2021 February 2020 February 2012 The following lists events that happened during 1958 in Australia. Elizabeth II William Slim Robert Menzies 9,842,333 Federal, VIC 1958 Incumbents thumb|upright|140px|Robert Menzies Monarch – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Sir William Slim Prime Minister – Robert Menzies Chief Justice – Sir Owen Dixon State premiers Premier of New South Wales – Joseph Cahill Premier of Queensland – Frank Nicklin Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove (until 26 August), then Eric Reece Premier of Victoria – Henry Bolte Premier of Western Australia – Albert Hawke State governors Governor of New South Wales – Sir Eric Woodward Governor of Queensland – Sir Henry Abel Smith (from 18 March) Governor of South Australia – Sir Robert George Governor of Tasmania – Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet (until 4 June) Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooks Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner Events January 14 January – Qantas Airways introduces a round-the-world air service from Australia to London.Hastings Deering Harold 15 January 1958 Faith in the future https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-faith-in-the-f/169980300/ The Sydney Morning Herald 4 10 April 2025 15 January 1958 Qantas plans outlay of £7million at Mascot by 1960 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-qantas-plans-o/169980038/ 10 April 2025 The Sydney Morning Herald 5 He was speaking at the official departure from Mascot of Qantas' first commercial 'round-the-world' service. 20 January – The Royal Australian Naval College is moved back to Jervis Bay Territory from Flinders Naval Depot in Victoria. 28 January to 11 February – Harold Macmillan visits Australia, the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to do so while in office.29 January 1958 Macmillan returns for 2-week visit to Australia https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-macmillan-retu/169979986/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 February 14 February to 7 March – Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother visits Australia for the second time.15 February 1958 Crowd mobs the Queen Mother: Royal tour off to happy start https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-crowd-mobs-que/169979236/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 20258 March 1958 Queen Mother leaves Australia: Farewell in Perth https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-queen-mother-l/169979280/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 March 17 March – Victorian minister for education John Bloomfield discloses in state parliament that the name of Victoria's proposed second university will be Monash University in honour of General Sir John Monash.19 March 2025 New university to bear name of Monash https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-new-university-to-bear-name-of-m/169969850/ The Age 1 10 April 2025 24 March – Two 18-year-old men and a 19-year-old man attempt to disrupt the official opening of Sydney's new Circular Quay overhead roadway. Two of the men are armed with gardening shears and the other carrying a roll of toilet paper as they jump a railing and rush towards a party of dignitaries as New South Wales premier Joseph Cahill prepares to cut the ribbon.25 March 1958 Students rush Quay road opening ribbon https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-students-rush/169979510/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 Before the men could reach the ribbon, police officers tackled the men who were later taken to the Phillip Street police station where all three are charged with offensive behaviour, while two of the men are charged with carrying a cutting instrument. During a speech, Cahill states that the new roadway was indicative of Sydney's growth and said he believed the new road would greatly relieve inner city traffic congestion although there was much more to be done to solve Sydney's traffic issues. The road ultimately becomes known as the Cahill Expressway after lord mayor Harry Jensen successfully proposes in August 1958 that the road should be named in Cahill's honour.23 August 1958 Cahill roadway name proposed https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-cahill-roadway/169979813/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 26 March – Leader of the Country Party, Sir Arthur Fadden formally announces his resignation as the party's leader before Minister for Trade John McEwen is unanimously elected as his successor.27 March 1958 Both sides praise Sir Arthur; New Country Party elected https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-both-sides-pra/169979377/ 10 April 2025 April 1 April – William John O'Meally becomes The last person flogged in Australia in Melbourne's Pentridge Prison.2 April 1958 Floggings carried out at Pentridge https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-floggings-carried-out-at-pentrid/169968566/ The Age 10 10 April 20252 April 1958 Convicts flogged: Labor protest in Victorian parliament https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-convicts-flogg/169968810/ The Sydney Morning Herald 6 10 April 2025Kelsey-Sugg Anna 12 October 2021 Pentridge prison raises the difficult question of how to treat a violent history https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-12/pentridge-prison-how-to-honour-the-stories-of-a-dark-past/100517262 ABC News 10 April 2025 In 1958, William John O'Meally became the last to endure a cat-o-nine tails flogging. He suffered 12 lashes as punishment for trying to escape. 3 April – A cyclone destroys most of the town of Bowen in Queensland.4 April 1958 112 mph tempest hit Bowen: First full report https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-112mph-tempes/169967867/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 20255 April 1958 Bread rationed at Bowen, other food running out; 70 houses "disappear"; first pictures of damage caused by Bowen cyclone https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-bread-rationed/169967991/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 10 April – Gary David Matthews, an 18-year-old gunner with the 111th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery appears in North Sydney Court of Petty Sessions charged with raping and assaulting with intent to murdering 39-year-old Victoria Joan Hawkins, wife of a British Army Major at Middle Head Army Barracks the previous day.11 April 1958 Camp attack: youth charged https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-camp-attack-y/169956633/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 202510 April 1958 Major's wife battered at barracks https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-majors-wife-b/120759908/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 The charge of attempted murder is subsequently dismissed the following month when the solder is committed to stand trial.30 May 1958 Soldier for trial on rape count https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-soldier-for-tr/169958159/ The Sydney Morning Herald 6 10 April 2025 Despite pleading not guilty to the charge, Matthews is found guilty in the Central Criminal Court of raping Hawkins and is sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.27 June 1958 Soldier guilty of rape charge: Gaoled for 12 years https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-soldier-guilty/169958448/ The Sydney Morning Herald 6 10 April 2025 78-year-old former prime minister Sir Earle Page, a member of federal parliament since 1919 and now sitting on the backbench as the Member for Cowper, denies reports he intends to retire.11 April 1958 Page says he is not retiring https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-page-says-he-i/169956763/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 11 April – 14-year-old student Margaret Eleanor Thomas is kidnapped by a man who broke into from Burwood Methodist Ladies College in Sydney.10 April 1958 Girl murdered after being kidnapped from Burwood College https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-girl-murdered/169956797/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 The girl's body is found a short time later in Queen Elizabeth Park in Concord. 29-year-old labourer John Charles Smith is charged with her murder.12 April 1958 Charged with murder of girl https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-charged-with-m/169959213/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 He is also charged with having broken into a house in Burwood on 11 February 1958 and raping and inflicted grievous bodily harm on a 13-year-old girl.13 April 1958 Two new charges https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-two-new-charge/169958929/ The Sun-Herald 1 10 April 2025 Smith pleads not guilty to Thomas' murder, but after a four-day trial in June 1958, he is found guilty in the Central Criminal Court and is sentenced to penal servitude for life.21 June 1958 Guilty of murder - men sentenced to life for killing girl https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-guilty-of-murd/169959432/ The Sydney Morning Herald 4 10 April 2025 15 April – Monash University is founded in Melbourne, Victoria. May 11 May – Construction of Australia's largest man-made lake, Lake Eucumbene on the Eucumbene River in the Snowy Mountains, is completed. 20 May – Victorian premier Henry Bolte announces the appointment of twenty members to the interim council of Victoria's new Monash University with the appointees including Sir George Paton, Sir Leslie H. Martin and Archibald Glenn.21 May 1958 Twenty named for interim council of new university https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-twenty-named-for-interim-council/169970692/ The Age 1 10 April 2025 Alice Hoy is the only woman to be appointed to the council.21 May 1958 These men will help guide destiny of Monash University https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-these-men-who-will-help-guide-de/169970808/ The Age 1 10 April 2025 31 May – Henry Bolte's Liberal government is re-elected in Victoria.2 June 1958 Bolte Government returned: majority increased https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-bolte-government-returned-major/169972897/ The Age 1 10 April 2025 June 15 June – Two 14-year-old Blacktown Boys High School students are found alive after becoming lost in the Jamison Valley in the Blue Mountains and then spending a night in freezing conditions.16 June 1958 Lost boys' freezing night in Valley https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-lost-boys-fre/169960651/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 They are treated at Katoomba Hospital for frostbite, exposure and shock. July 19 July – The last tram service runs in Perth.29 June 2019 Light rail could return to Perth under new plans by McGowan Government https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/light-rail-could-return-to-perth-under-new-plans-by-mcgowan-government-ng-b881245455z The West Australian 10 April 2025 The last tram in Perth ran on July 19, 1958 August 25 August – Robert Cosgrove resigns as Premier of Tasmania citing health reasons, and is succeeded by Eric Reece.26 August 1958 Premier of Tasmania vacates post because of ill health https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-premier-of-tasmania-vacates-post/169977644/ The Age 3 10 April 2025 September 30 September – The ANZAC Day Act 1958 receives Royal Assent, making ANZAC Day (25 April) a national public holiday in Australia.27 April 2018 Flashback to 1958 in the Great Lakes https://www.greatlakesadvocate.com.au/story/5365341/flashback-to-1958-in-the-great-lakes/ Great Lakes Advocate 10 April 2025 On September 30, 1958 the ANZAC Day Act 1958 received royal assent, making Anzac Day a national public holiday in Australia October 26 October – 30-year-old Thomas Reginald Sonter, a New Zealand carpenter employed on the Snowy Mountains Scheme discovers the wreckage of the Australian National Airways Avro 10 aircraft, VH-UMF Southern Cloud near Cabramurra on the western side of the Snowy Mountains, 60 miles from Cooma, New South Wales.28 October 1958 Dawn search may solve mystery of Southern Cloud https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-dawn-search-ma/169978019/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 202529 October 1958 Southern Cloud: Dramatic finding of wreckage https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-southern-cloud/169978046/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 The aircraft had been missing since it crashed in 1931. November 22 November – A federal election is held. The Liberal-Country coalition led by Robert Menzies defeats H. V. Evatt's Australian Labor Party with 74 seats to 45 in the House of Representatives, a majority unprecedented since Federation, gained from preferences from the Democratic Labor Party.23 November 1958 Menzies Government back in power: May increase majority in the House of Representatives https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-menzies-govern/169979084/ The Sun-Herald 1-3 10 April 202524 November 1958 Labour reaction to defeat: Evatt offer to resign likely to be rejected; Drive to smash DLP https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-labour-reactio/169979135/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 December 21 December – A 16-year-old boy is rescued after falling into the sea from a 150 ft cliff at Torquay and washed into a small cave at the base of the cliff.22 December 1958 Boy saved after fall from cliff https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-boy-saved-afte/169961230/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 During the rescue, the boy falls from the stretcher and is washed out to see when two of the lifesavers fall into a hole, with one of the men swimming out to again retrieve the boy. The boy was taken to Geelong Hospital and was discharged the following day suffering only abrasions and bruises. Unknown dates Aquila Shoes, a shoe manufacturing company, founded. Johnny O'Keefe has his first hit with Wild One. Science and technology 26 January – The HIFAR nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights goes critical for the first time. Unknown dates Australian engineer Dr. David Warren of Melbourne's Aeronautical Research Laboratories constructs the world's first flight recorder ("black box"). Arts, music and literature 1958 in Australian literature 25 February – Eric Smith wins the Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work The Moment Christ Died.26 February 1958 Blake prize winners: Prize money allocated by artists https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-blake-prize-wi/170195650/ The Sydney Morning Herald 12 13 April 2025 2 March – Sydney radio station 2UE publishes Australia's first ever Top 40 music chart.Arneil Chris 2018 The Top 40 transformed Australian radio https://www.nfsa.gov.au/latest/top-40-radio National Sound and Film Archive 13 April 2025 Top 40 radio began on Sunday 2 March 1958 when 2UE began playing and promoting the format as a daily feature, accompanied by the issuing of a weekly chart 2 April – Patrick White is announced as the inaugural Miles Franklin Award winner, awarded the prize for his novel Voss.3 April 1958 Patrick White wins £500 novel award https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-patrick-white/170196205/ The Sydney Morning Herald 6 13 April 2025 The award is presented to White by prime minister Robert Menzies who described the novel as a "quite remarkable work". December – Randolph Stow releases To the Islands, which earns him the 1958 Miles Franklin Award, as announced in April 1959.9 December 1958 Christmas Books of the Year... To the Islands https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard-to-the-islands/170197287/ Evening Standard 12 13 April 202523 April 1959 Author wins £500 award https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-author-wins-5/170196936/ The Sydney Morning Herald 5 13 April 2025 Russel Ward releases The Australian Legend.20 December 1958 Origins and evolution of Australian tradition https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-origins-and-evolution-of-the-aus/170196753/ The Age 18 13 April 2025 12 December – Sydney cartoonist William Edwin Pidgeon wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of journalist Ray Walker.13 December 1958 Archibald Prize to Sydney https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-archibald-priz/170194583/ The Sydney Morning Herald 6 12 April 2025 Film 8 March - The film Bridge on the River Kwai was released in Sydney. Television 21 May – Postmaster-General Charles Davidson officially opens ABV-2's new television studios in the Melbourne suburb of Ripponlea with the Australian Broadcasting Commission pledging that their new facilities in Melbourne will provide new opportunities for Australian artists, writers and composers.22 May 1958 Australian talent for ABV's new studios https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-australian-talent-for-abvs-new/169971631/ The Age 10 April 2025 20 October - Autumn Affair starring Muriel Steinbeck, the first television soap opera produced in Australia debuts on ATN-7 as part of the station's first breakfast television line-up.20 October 1958 This morning at 7, Channel 7 presents the first breakfast television session https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-this-morning-a/170198380/ The Sydney Morning Herald 21 13 April 2025 8:45am: "Autumn Affair", Australia's first TV dramatic serial. 1 November – The first episode of Bandstand goes to air on TCN-9, hosted by Brian Henderson. 22 November – The 1958 Australian federal election is the first to be televised with both ATN-7 and ABN-2 staging their first live election broadcasts.17 November 1958 Big results cover on election night https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-big-results-co/170199413/ The Sydney Morning Herald 17 13 April 202523 November 1958 Australia's first TV election: ATN makes history https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-australias-fi/170199133/ The Sun-Herald 31 13 April 2025Johnson Natasha 18 May 2019 ABC federal election coverage over the years - from the tally board to the touchscreen https://www.abc.net.au/news/redirects/backstory/television/2019-05-18/how-abc-election-night-coverage-has-evolved/11096938 ABC News 13 April 2025 ABN-2's election night panel included ABC announcer Michael Charlton, the Liberal Party's Billy McMahon and the Labor Party's Eddie Ward. Commentators on the ATN-7 broadcast included Charles Cousens, newspaper journalists George Baker and Max Newton. former Liberal MP Jo Gullett and union secretary Lloyd Ross. Sport Athletics 23 March – John Russell wins his second men's national marathon title, clocking 2:40:30 in Sydney 6 August – Herb Elliott sets a world record for the one-mile dash (3:54.5) at Morton Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Cricket New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield Football Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Brothers defeated Valleys 22-7 New South Wales Rugby League premiership: St. George defeated Western Suburbs 20-9 WAFL East Perth defeated East Fremantle 65 - 63 South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide Victorian Football League premiership: Collingwood defeated Melbourne 82-64 Golf Australian Open: won by Gary Player Horse racing Sir Blink wins the Caulfield Cup Yeman wins the Cox Plate Skyline wins the Golden Slipper Baystone wins the Melbourne Cup Motor racing The Australian Grand Prix was held at Bathurst and won by Lex Davison driving a Ferrari Tennis Australian Open men's singles: Ashley Cooper defeats Malcolm Anderson 7–5 6–3 6–4 Australian Open women's singles: Angela Mortimer defeats Lorraine Coghlan 6–3 6–4 Davis Cup: Australia is defeated by the United States 3–2 in the 1958 Davis Cup final Yachting Solo takes line honours and Siandra wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Births 3 January – Kerry Armstrong, actress 5 January – Penny Whetton, climatologist (died 2019) 6 February – Simon Baker, race walker 10 February – Phil Weightman, politician 12 February – Grant McLennan, singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2006)https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/may/10/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries Grant McLennan 10 May 2006 Garth Cartwright The Guardian 22 August 2022 16 July 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240716065147/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/may/10/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries live 14 February – Grant Thomas, Australian rules footballer 19 February – Bradley John Murdoch, convicted murder (died 2025)Peter Falconio's parents speak out after death of Bradley John Murdoch https://www.smh.com.au/national/outback-killer-bradley-john-murdoch-dies-in-custody-20250716-p5mf8j.html The Sydney Morning Herald 16 July 2025 16 July 2025 15 February – Steve Bredhauer, politician 22 February – Bill Feldman, politician 28 February – Neil Bennett, politician 1 March – Wayne B. Phillips, cricketer 16 March – Phillip Wilcher, pianist and composer 20 March – Phil Anderson, cyclist 29 March – Geoff Provest, politician 11 April – Mark Furner, politician 12 April Glenn Patching, swimmer Jim Madden, politician 19 April – Bill Byrne, politician 5 May – Robert DiPierdomenico, footballer and media personality 7 May – Alan John, composer 11 May – Peter Antonie, rower 11 May – Phil Smyth, basketball player 3 July – Gary Buckenara, Australian Rules footballer 6 July – Gary Humphries, politician 13 July – Richard Glover, journalist, author and radio personality 15 July – Phil Gould, rugby league identity 12 August – Grace Grace, politician 22 August – Jo-Ann Miller, politician 30 September – Rod Welford, politician October - Garry Pankhurst, former child actor 13 October – Jim Krakouer, Australian Rules footballer 22 October – Jan Jarratt, politician 3 November – Ted Radke, politician 15 November – Lewis Fitz-Gerald, actor and director 24 November – Alex Douglas, politician 26 November – Terry Rogers, politician 27 November – Linda Lavarch, politician 12 December – Monica Attard, journalist 31 December – Geoff Marsh, cricketer Deaths 24 January – William Roy Hodgson, public servant (b. 1892)25 January 1958 Colonel W R Hodgson dead, aged 65 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-colonel-w-r-ho/169980545/ The Sydney Morning Herald 7 10 April 2025 8 March – Brian Swift, Australian cricketer, died in car accident in the United Kingdom (b. 1937)10 March 1958 Australian killed in UK https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-australian-killed-in-uk/169980583/ The Age 4 10 April 2025 8 April – Ethel Turner, writer (b. 1872)9 April 1958 Ethel Turner dies aged 86 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-ethel-turner-d/169980630/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 15 May – Sir John Northmore, Western Australian Supreme Court Chief Justice (b. 1865)16 May 1958 WA judge https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-wa-judge/169980682/ The Age 10 10 April 2025 4 August – Ethel Anderson, poet, author, and painter (b. 1883)5 August 1958 Death of Mrs Ethel Anderson https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-death-of-mrs-e/169980740/ The Sydney Morning Herald 6 10 April 2025 13 September – Russell Mockridge (b. 1928), cyclist15 September 1958 Russell Mockridge killed in road race https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-russell-mockridge-killed-in-road/169980769/ The Age 3 10 April 2025 14 October – Douglas Mawson, polar explorer (b. 1882)15 October 1958 Death of Antarctic explorer in Adelaide https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-antarctic-pioneer-dies-in-adelai/169980810/ The Age 1 10 April 2025 30 November – Hubert Wilkins, polar explorer (b. 1888) (died in the United States)2 December 1958 Death of Sir Hubert Wilkins https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-death-of-sir-h/169980861/ The Sydney Morning Herald 1 10 April 2025 See also List of Australian films of the 1950s References 1958 in yes Australia Category:Years of the 20th century in Australia