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See also: 1960 in Australia, other events of 1961, 1962 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Prime Minister - Robert Menzies
• Governor General - William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil (died in office February 3) William Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle
• Premier of New South Wales - Robert Heffron
• Premier of South Australia - Sir Thomas Playford
• Premier of Queensland - Frank Nicklin
• Premier of Tasmania - Eric Reece
• Premier of Western Australia - David Brand
• Premier of Victoria - Henry Bolte

Events

• January 2 - Oral contraceptives are first sold in Australia
• February 25 - Last electric tram service runs in Sydney
• June 23 - Australia signed the Antarctic Treaty
• October 31 - Parkes radiotelescope officially opened by the Governor General
• November 30 - an Ansett ANA Vickers Viscount aircraft crashes on takeoff into Botany Bay, killing all 15 on board

Science and technology

Arts and literature

• Dame Joan Sutherland is announced as Australian of the Year
• William Edwin Pidgeon wins the Archibald Prize
• The novel Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence is banned from sale
• Riders in the Chariot by Patrick White is awarded the Miles Franklin Literary Award

Film

Television

• August 19 - Four Corners TV current affairs program first screened on ABC TV

Sport

• Cricket
  • New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield
  • The Ashes: Australia defeats England 2-1 and retains The Ashes

• Football
  • Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Norths defeated Valleys 29-5
  • New South Wales Rugby League premiership: St. George defeated Western Suburbs 22-0
  • South Australian National Football League premiership: won by West Adelaide
  • Victorian Football League premiership: Hawthorn defeated Footscray 94-51

• Golf
  • Australian Open: won by Frank Phillips
  • Australian PGA Championship: won by Alan Murray (golfer)

• Horse Racing
  • Summer Fair wins the Caulfield Cup
  • Dhaulagiri wins the Cox Plate
  • Magic Night wins the Golden Slipper
  • Lord Fury wins the Melbourne Cup

• Motor Racing
  • The Australian Grand Prix was held at Mallala and won by Lex Davison driving a Cooper Climax

• Tennis
  • Australian Open men's singles: Roy Emerson defeats Rod Laver 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
  • Australian Open women's singles: Margaret Court defeats Jan Lehane O'Neill 6-1, 6-4
  • Davis Cup: Australia defeats Italy 5-0 in the 1961 Davis Cup final
  • Wimbledon: Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser win the Men's Doubles
  • Wimbledon: Rod Laver wins the Men's Singles

• Yachting
  • Astor takes line honours and Rival wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Births

• January 1 - Sam Backo, Indigenous Australian rugby league footballer
• March 14 - Garry Jack, rugby league footballer and coach
• March 16 - Brett Kenny, rugby league footballer
• March 24 - Dean Jones, cricketer
• April 12 - Magda Szubanski, comedian
• May 16 - Gina Riley, actor and comedian
• May 31 - Justin Madden, Australian rules footballer
• June 16 - Peter Sterling, rugby league footballer
• July 21 - Morris Iemma, Premier of New South Wales
• September 15 - Terry Lamb, rugby league footballer and coach
• October 8 - Simon Burke, actor
• October 19 - Cliff Lyons, rugby league footballer
• November 18 - Anthony Warlow, singer
• November 23 - Merv Hughes, cricketer
• December 17 - Larry Anthony, politician
• December 29 - Mal Brough, politician

Deaths

• February 3 – William Morrison (b. 1893), Governor General of Australia
• February 20 – Percy Grainger (b.1882), pianist and composer
• May 22 – Lionel Lindsay (b.1874), artist
• September 27 – Peter Dawson (b. 1882), singer
• December 3 – Pat O'Hara Wood (b. 1891), tennis player
• December 20 – Earle Page (b. 1880), Prime Minister of Australia

See also

• 1961
• 1960s