1950 in Australia

none February 2020 February 2012 The following lists events that happened during 1950 in Australia. George VI William McKell Robert Menzies 8,178,696 NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS 1950 Incumbents thumb|upright|140px|Robert Menzies Monarch – George VI Governor-General – William McKell Prime Minister – Robert Menzies 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 – Robert Cosgrove Premier of Victoria – Thomas Hollway (until 27 June), then John McDonald 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 Dallas Brooks Governor of Western Australia – Sir James Mitchell Events 25 January – The Tank Landing Ship HMAS Tarakan explodes at Garden Island in Sydney, killing 8 people. 8 February – Petrol rationing ends, nearly ten years after it was introduced during World War II. 6 May – A state election is held in Tasmania. The result is a hung parliament, but Robert Cosgrove's Labor Party remains in power with independent support. 13 May – A state election is held in Victoria. 23 June – The Parliament of Australia passes the Communist Party Dissolution Bill, effectively banning the operation of the Communist Party of Australia. 26 June – Douglas DC-4 Amana crashes near Perth, Western Australia, killing all 29 people on board. 26 July – The government announces that Australia will send troops to fight in the Korean War. The first Australian forces land in Korea on 17 September. 28 October – The Smith's Weekly newspaper, founded in 1919, is published for the last time. New South Wales and Queensland receive extraordinary annual rainfall. Arts and literature 1950 in Australian literature 11 December – A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute is published. Unknown dates William Dargie wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Sir Leslie McConnan The novel Power Without Glory by Frank Hardy is published. The Ballet Corroboree, by John Antill, is first performed Sport General Australia wins 34 gold medals at the 4th British Empire Games, held in Auckland, New Zealand Cricket New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield Cycling Sid Patterson wins the world amateur pursuit cycling title in Belgium Football Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Easts defeated Wests 14-10 New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeated Western Suburbs 21-15 South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Norwood Victorian Football League premiership: Essendon defeated North Melbourne 92-54 Golf Australian Open: won by Norman Von Nida Australian PGA Championship: won by Norman Von Nida Horse racing Grey Boots wins the Caulfield Cup Alister wins the Cox Plate Comic Court wins the Melbourne Cup Motor racing The Australian Grand Prix was held at Nuriootpa and won by Doug Whiteford driving a Ford Tennis Australian Open men's singles: Frank Sedgman defeats Ken McGregor 6-3 6-4 4-6 6-1 Australian Open women's singles: Louise Brough defeats Doris Hart 6-4 3-6 6-4 Davis Cup: Australia defeats the United States 4–1 in the 1950 Davis Cup final US Open: John Bromwich and Frank Sedgman win the Men's Doubles Wimbledon: John Bromwich and Adrian Quist win the Men's Doubles Yachting Margaret Rintoul takes line honours and Nerida wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Births 1 January – Wayne Bennett, rugby league footballer and coach 26 January – Barry Round, Australian rules footballer (died 2022) 30 January – Jack Newton, golfer (died 2022) 11 February – John Cobb, politician 14 February – Phil Dent, tennis player 16 February – Malcolm Blight, Australian Rules football player 20 February – Garry Manuel, football (soccer) player 1 March – Estelle Blackburn, journalist 11 March – Sam Kekovich, Australian Rules football player 18 March – Larry Perkins, ATCC/V8 Supercars racing driver 20 March – Warren Snowdon, politician 10 April – Mick Dodson, indigenous leader 11 April – Jim Molan, politician and army officer (died 2023) 13 April – Tommy Raudonikis, rugby league player and coach (died 2021) 15 April – Peter Cochrane, historian 21 April – Bruce Duperouzel, footballer and cricketer 29 April – Phillip Noyce, film director 11 May – Gary Foley, indigenous activist 15 May – Jim Bacon, Premier of Tasmania (2001–2004, died 2004) 26 May – Paul Omodei, WA politician 29 May – Lesley Hunt, tennis player 31 May – Warren Entsch, politician 13 June – Belinda Bauer, actress 13 July – Kevin McQuay, businessman (died 2005) 15 July Colin Barnett, WA politician Alan Hurst, cricketer Peter Reith, politician (died 2022) 17 July – Nick Bolkus, politician (died 2025) 21 July – Allan Maher, football (soccer) goalkeeper 28 July – Jim Maxwell, cricket commentator 8 August – Philip Salom, poet and novelist 16 August – Jeff Thomson, cricketer 19 August – Graeme Beard, cricketer 6 September – Robyn Davidson, writer 8 September – Mark Gable, singer-songwriter 11 September – Bruce Doull, Australian Rules football player 27 September – John Marsden, writer (died 2024) 14 October – Kate Grenville, novelist 30 October – Tim Sheens, rugby league footballer and coach 2 November – Graeme Murphy, choreographer 7 November – John Lang, rugby league footballer and coach 25 November – Alexis Wright, writer 1 December – Ross Hannaford, guitarist (Daddy Cool) (died 2016) 10 December – Robert Cusack, swimmer 12 December Louis Nowra, writer and playwright Judy Wajcman, sociologist 18 December – Gillian Armstrong, film director 22 December – Nick Enright, playwright, director (died 2003) Unknown date Heather Goodall, historian (died 2026)2026-02-04 Vale Emeritus Professor Heather Goodall AM FRSN FASSA https://www.royalsoc.org.au/vale-emeritus-professor-heather-goodall-am-frsn-fassa/ 2026-02-04 The Royal Society of NSW en Deaths 100px|thumb|Ted Theodore 100px|thumb|Sir Albert Dunstan 2 January James Dooley, 21st Premier of New South Wales (born in Ireland) (b. 1877) Beaumont Smith, film director and producer (b. 1885) 20 January – Ray Duggan, speedway racer (b. 1913) 25 January – Chummy Fleming, trade unionist (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1863) 9 February – Ted Theodore, 20th Premier of Queensland (b. 1884) 23 February – Henry Willis, New South Wales politician (b. 1860) 19 March – Harry Wright, Australian rules footballer (Essendon) (b. 1870) 14 April – Sir Albert Dunstan, 33rd Premier of Victoria (b. 1882) 6 May – Lancelot De Mole, engineer and inventor (b. 1880) 15 May – Jack Hickey, Olympic rugby union and league player (b. 1887) 11 June – Ernest Henshaw, Western Australian politician (b. 1870) 20 June – Claude Jennings, cricketer (b. 1884) 14 July – Bill Howell, cricketer (b. 1869) 31 July – George Wise, Victorian politician and solicitor (b. 1853) 6 August – Edwin Corboy, Western Australian politician (b. 1896) 8 August – Sir Fergus McMaster, businessman and aviation pioneer (b. 1879) 3 September – Michael Durack, Western Australian politician and pastoralist (b. 1865) 22 September – Edward Fowell Martin, public servant and soldier (b. 1875) 24 September – Dame Mary Cook, 6th Spouse of the Prime Minister of Australia (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1863) 6 November – Frank Brennan, Victorian politician (b. 1873) 20 November – Erle Cox, journalist and science fiction author (b. 1873) 2 December – James Fenton, Victorian politician (b. 1864) 29 December – Albert Lane, New South Wales politician (b. 1873) See also List of Australian films of the 1950s References External links 1950s Australia https://web.archive.org/web/20090522160653/http://1950saustralia.com/ 22 May 2009 1950 in yes Australia Category:Years of the 20th century in Australia