1973 in Australia explained

The following lists events that happened during 1973 in Australia.

Governor-General:	Sir Paul Hasluck
Pm:	Gough Whitlam
Population:	13,303,664
Australian:	Patrick White
Elections:	SA, VIC, NSW, Referendum

Incumbents

• Monarch – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Sir Paul Hasluck
• Prime Minister – Gough Whitlam
  • Deputy Prime Minister – Lance Barnard
  • Opposition Leader – Billy Snedden
• Chief Justice – Sir Garfield Barwick

State and territory leaders

• Premier of New South Wales – Sir Robert Askin
  • Opposition Leader – Pat Hills (until 17 November), then Neville Wran
• Premier of Queensland – Joh Bjelke-Petersen
  • Opposition Leader – Jack Houston
• Premier of South Australia – Don Dunstan
  • Opposition Leader – Bruce Eastick
• Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
  • Opposition Leader – Max Bingham
• Premier of Victoria – Rupert Hamer
  • Opposition Leader – Clyde Holding
• Premier of Western Australia – John Tonkin
  • Opposition Leader – Sir Charles Court

Governors and administrators

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler
• Governor of Queensland – Sir Colin Hannah
  • Governor of South Australia – Sir Mark Oliphant Governor of Tasmania – Lieutenant General Sir Edric Bastyan (until 30 November), then Sir Stanley Burbury
• Governor of Victoria – Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe
• Governor of Western Australia – Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew
• Administrator of Norfolk Island – Edward Pickerd
• Administrator of the Northern Territory – Frederick Chaney (until 10 December), then Jock Nelson
• Administrator/High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea – Les Johnson

Events

• 10 February – Australia's first casino, the Wrest Point Hotel Casino, opens in Hobart^[1]
• 28 February – The federal voting age is lowered from 21 to 18.^[2] The state of New South Wales had already enacted such a change in 1970.
• 2 March – Wellington Street bus station in Perth is opened by Western Australia's premier John Tonkin^[3]
• 8 March – Whiskey Au Go Go fire^[4]
• 1 June – The first General Dynamics F-111 aircraft is delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force^[5]
• 9 June – Disappearance of Jason Shannon^{[6] [7]}
• 19 July – Lois D'Arcy was the first independent civil marriage celebrant ever appointed – by Attorney-General Lionel Murphy.
• 25 August - Disappearance of Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon^[8]
• 20 October – Sydney Opera House officially opened by Elizabeth II^[9]
• 1 December – Papua New Guinea is granted self-government prior to independence
• 31 December – AC/DC perform their first major gig in Sydney.
• Removal of the "White Australia Policy".

Arts and literature

See main article: 1973 in Australian literature.

• Patrick White is announced as Australian of the Year^[10]
• 21 September – The Jackson Pollock painting Blue Poles is controversially purchased by the Whitlam government for US$2 million (A$1.3 million).^[11]
• "No award" was made for the Miles Franklin Award^[12]

Film

• Alvin Purple^[13]

Television

• Certain Women (TV series) commences^[14]
• The novel Seven Little Australians adapted for television (10 part series)^[15]
• The New South Wales Rugby Football League negotiates its first television deal with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.^[16]

Sport

• 8 September – Derek Clayton wins his fourth men's national marathon title, clocking 2:12:07.6 in Perth.
• 15 September – Manly-Warringah defeated Cronulla-Sutherland 10–7 in the 1973 NSWRFL season Grand Final, claiming their second straight premiership.^[17] Penrith finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.
• Gala Supreme wins the Melbourne Cup^[18]
• Western Australia wins the Sheffield Shield^[19]
• Helsall takes line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Ceil III is the handicap winner^[20]
• Australia defeats South Africa 3–0 in the Federation Cup

Births

• 8 January – Jason Stevens, rugby league player and sportscaster
• 17 January – Chris Bowen, politician
• 22 January – Abi Tucker, actor and singer
• 31 January – Portia de Rossi, actress
• 4 February – James Hird, Australian footballer and coach
• 5 February – Luke Ricketson, rugby league player^[21]
• 15 February – Sarah Wynter, actress
• 16 February – Catherine Freeman, athlete
• 20 February – Kimberley Davies, actor
• 28 February – Rodger Corser, Actor
• 26 March – Matt Burke, rugby union footballer
• 13 April – Tammy Cole, field hockey defender
• 19 April – George Gregan, rugby union player
• 26 April – Stephanie Graf, middle distance athlete
• 29 May – Malcolm Allen, swimmer
• 12 June – Darryl White, Australian rules footballer
• 21 June – Alyson Annan, field hockey player
• 24 June – Matt Drummond, film director, screenwriter and visual effects supervisor
• 27 July – Gorden Tallis, rugby league footballer
• 2 August – Susie O'Neill, swimmer
• 14 August – Kieren Perkins, swimmer
• 20 August – Scott Goodman, swimmer
• 22 August – Mark Hickman, field hockey goalkeeper
• 2 September – Matthew Dunn, swimmer
• 5 September – Jennifer Whittle, basketball player
• 18 September – Louise Sauvage, wheelchair athlete
• 22 September – Craig McRae, footballer
• 8 October – Toby Haenen, swimmer
• 14 October – Steven Bradbury, speed skater
• 18 October – Stephen Allan, golfer
• 23 October – David Beard, volleyball player
• 31 October – Andrew Constance, politician
• 1 November – Peta Murphy, politician (d. 2023)
• 6 November – Greg Warren, politician
• 20 November
  • Sav Rocca, American football player and Australian rules footballer
  • Matthew Smith, field hockey player
• 4 December – Steve Menzies, rugby league footballer
• 24 December – Kerry Nettle, politician
• 28 December – Alex Dimitriades, actor
• (Date Unknown) – Ann Shoebridge, milliner

Deaths

• 18 January – Beatrice Bligh, gardener (b. 1916)^[22]
• 5 April – John Coleman (born 1928), Australian rules footballer^[23]
• 21 April – Arthur Fadden (born 1894), former Prime Minister^[24]
• 8 July – Arthur Calwell (born 1896), politician^[25]

Notes and References

1. News: . 12 February 1973. First casino opens doors for public. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042646/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110707060. live.
2. News: . 1 March 1973. Bill to give vote at age 18. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042650/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136963816. live.
3. Web site: Acott . Kent . End of line for city bus station . The West Australian . 11 April 2023 . 4 January 2014 . 11 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411103047/https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/end-of-line-for-city-bus-station-ng-ya-363613 . live .
4. News: . 9 March 1973. Petrol bomb fire kills 15 in Brisbane nightclub. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042637/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136964951. live.
5. News: . 1 June 1973. The controversial F111 touches down at last. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042643/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110712337. live.
6. News: . 11 June 1973. Man dies after abducting his son - now baby missing. The Age. 1. 2 June 2023. 3 June 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230603083649/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-man-dies-after-abducting-his-son/125711940/. live.
7. News: Schipp. Debbie. 21 August 2016. Cold case: Four decades on, what happened to baby Jason?. news.com.au. 2 June 2023.
8. News: . 27 August 1973. Fears held for safety of missing SA girls. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042648/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110744634. live.
9. News: Rees. Jacqueline. 22 October 1973. Opera House opening was spectacular. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042649/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110753207. live.
10. News: . 15 January 1974. Award to Patrick White. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042356/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110756694. live.
11. News: . 24 September 1973. Australia buys $1.3m painting. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042358/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110748955. live.
12. News: . 27 March 1974. No award. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042400/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110768988. live.
13. News: MacDonald. Dougal. 19 December 1973. Pacy but shallow. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042218/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131699325. live.
14. News: . 3 October 1973. Family conflicts in "Certain Women". Australian Women's Weekly. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042117/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/51283029. live.
15. News: Newton. Gloria. 8 August 1973. A man of two cultures. Australian Women's Weekly. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042115/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/45653687. live.
16. News: . 12 April 1973. Live RL on TV. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003042122/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136970103. live.
17. News: . 17 September 1973. Premierships decided. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003041932/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110747869. live.
18. News: Hourigan. John. 7 November 1973. Fate has a hand in Gala Supreme's game win. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003041933/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131690627. live.
19. News: . 7 March 1973. WA's shield. Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003041928/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/250612496. live.
20. News: . 31 December 1973. Sydney-Hobart race to Ceil III. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003041926/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131700979. live.
21. Web site: Like father like son. 23 July 2003. Sydney Morning Herald. 2 June 2022. 18 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211118050800/https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/like-father-like-son-20030723-gdh58g.html. live.
22. Martha . Rutledge . Rosemary Beatrice (Bea) Bligh (1916–1973) . 13 . 1993 . bligh-rosemary-beatrice-bea-9527 . March 31, 2024 .
23. News: . 7 April 1973. John Coleman dead. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022. 3 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221003041718/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136969374. live.
24. Book: Fadden, Sir Arthur William (1894–1973) . Australian Dictionary of Biography . Margaret Bridson Cribb . 1996 . John Ritchie . 14 . Melbourne University Press . 4 January 2022 . 25 May 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110525140155/http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A140134b.htm . live .
25. News: . 9 July 1973. Arthur Calwell: Australian first, politician second. The Canberra Times. 3 October 2022.