1948 in Australia explained

The following lists events that happened during 1948 in Australia.

Governor-General:	William McKell
Pm:	Ben Chifley
Population:	7,708,761
Elections:	TAS

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

See main article: 1948 in Australian literature.

• William Dobell wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Margaret Olley^[1]
• One of the few Australian songs to top the Australian charts "Good-Night Mister Moon" by Allan Ryan and William Flynn ^{[2] [3]}

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)^[4]
• 25 January – Ros Kelly, politician
• 3 February – Les Twentyman, social campaigner (died 2024)^[5]
• 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^[6]
• 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)

See also

• List of Australian films of the 1940s

Notes and References

1. Web site: Winner: Archibald Prize 1948 - William Dobell . artgallery.nsw.gov.au . Art Gallery of NSW . 9 August 2017.
2. News: Allan's7th Song Hit Folio. Allan's Song Hit Folio series. VII. 1. New South Wales, Australia. 1 January 1948. 18 November 2021 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
3. News: THESE TWO ARE AUSTRALIA'S ACE SONG-WRITING TEAM . . XXXI . 42 . New South Wales, Australia . 17 December 1949 . 18 November 2021 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
4. Web site: The Hon. Brian Joseph Langton Death Notice . 2023-10-26 . Sydney Morning Herald.
5. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/30/one-of-melbournes-big-characters-youth-worker-les-twentyman-dies-aged-76 ‘One of Melbourne’s big characters’: youth worker Les Twentyman dies aged 76
6. Web site: Ms Patricia Hewitt (Hansard). api.parliament.uk.