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See also: 1946 in Australia, other events of 1947, 1948 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Monarch – King George VI
• Governor-General – Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (until March 11), then William McKell
• Prime Minister – Ben Chifley

State Premiers

• Premier of New South Wales – William McKell (until February 6), then James McGirr
• Premier of Queensland – Ned Hanlon
• Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
• Premier of Tasmania – Robert Cosgrove (until December 18), then Edward Brooker
• Premier of Victoria – John Cain (until November 20), then Thomas Hollway
• Premier of Western Australia – Frank Wise (until April 1), then 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 – none appointed

Events

• April 1 – The Woomera rocket range is established in South Australia as a testing site for British and Australian missiles.
• May 5 – A train derails in the Camp Mountain rail accident in Queensland, killing 16 people.
• June 30 – The Australian government assumes control of Qantas.
• July 1 – Real estate company L. J. Hooker is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
• August 5 – Australia becomes a member of the International Monetary Fund
• August 30 – The Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration grants workers a 40-hour week.
• November 18 – Australia reduces its trade tariffs after ratifying the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in Geneva.
• December 26 – Heard Island and McDonald Islands in Antarctica are transferred from British control to Australian territories.

Science and technology

Arts and literature

• William Dargie wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Marcus Clarke

Film

Sport

• Morna takes line honours and Westward wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
• Hiraji wins the Melbourne Cup

Births

• June 19 – James Mason, field hockey player
• August 28 – Jennie George, politician and trade unionist
• September 28 – Bob Carr, premier of New South Wales (1995–2005)

Deaths

• April 25 - Rupert Bunny (b. 1864), artist
• July 30 - Joseph Cook (b. 1860), Prime Minister of Australia

See also

• 1947
• 1940s