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See also: 1978 in Australia, other events of 1979, 1980 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Queen of Australia - HM Queen Elizabeth II
• Prime Minister - Malcolm Fraser
• Governor General - Zelman Cowen
• Premier of New South Wales - Neville Wran
• Premier of South Australia - Don Dunstan, Des Cocoran
• Premier of Queensland - Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
• Premier of Tasmania - Harry Holgate
• Premier of Western Australia - Charles Court
• Premier of Victoria - Rupert Hamer
• Chief Minister of the Northern Territory - Paul Everingham

Events

• Neville Bonner is announced as Australian of the Year
• June 9 - A fire at Luna Park Sydney kills 7. The park is forced to close.
• July 11 - The American space station Skylab crashes in Western Australia
• July 20 - inaugural meeting of the National Farmers' Federation
• October 19 - The Australian Federal Police is established

Arts and literature

• Wes Walters wins the Archibald Prize for his portrait of Philip Adams
• David Ireland's novel A Woman of the Future wins the Miles Franklin Award

Film

• My Brilliant Career, directed by Gillian Armstrong, is released

Television

• February 11 - The Australian 60 Minutes begins on the Nine Network
• February 27 - Prisoner makes its debut on the 0-10 Network.

Sport

• January 14 – Tasmania beats Western Australia by 47 runs to win their first Gillette Cup title.
• March 25 – Australia is represented by nine long-distance runners (all men), including Robert de Castella, at the seventh IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Limerick, Ireland. Steve Austin is Australia's best finisher, claiming the 29th spot (38:36.0) in the race over 12 kilometres.
• August 12 – Robert de Castella wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:13:23 in Perth.
• September 22: The 1979 NSWRFL season culminates in St. George's victory over Canterbury-Bankstown
• November 6 – Hyperno wins the Melbourne Cup
• Carlton Football Club wins the 1979 VFL Grand Final over Collingwood.
• Victoria wins the Sheffield Shield
• Bumblebee IV takes line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Screw Loose is the handicap winner
• England defeats Australia 5-1 in The Ashes
• Australia wins the Admiral's Cup
• Jack Newton wins the Australian Open golf championship
• The National Basketball League is founded

Births

• January 2 – Robert Newbery, diver
• January 3 – Brooke Morrison, field hockey striker
• March 4 – Geoff Huegill, swimmer
• March 12 – Jamie Dwyer, field hockey forward
• March 16 — Suzie Faulkner, field hockey striker
• April 4 – Heath Ledger, actor (d. 2008)
• April 9 – Graeme Brown, cyclist
• April 18 – Zain Wright, field hockey midfielder
• July 7 – Loudy Tourky, diver
• August 23 – Lance Whitnall, Australian Rules footballer
• September 12 – Aaron Hopkins, field hockey defender
• October 20 – Tim Neesham, water polo player
• December 21 – Stephen Lambert, field hockey goalkeeper

Deaths

• January 7 – Ivan Stedman (83), swimmer (b. 1895)
• April 15 – David Brand, Premier of Western Australia (b. 1912)
• June 6 – Ion Idriess, author (b. 1889)