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1939
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Decades:

1939 in Australia
Monarch	George VI
Governor-General	Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Baron Gowrie
Prime minister	Joseph Lyons, Earle Page, Robert Menzies
Population	6,967,754
Elections	WA

Incumbents

Joseph Lyons

Sir Earle Page

Robert Menzies

Monarch – George VI
Governor-General – Alexander Hore-Ruvthen, 1st Baron Gowrie
Prime Minister – Joseph Lyons (until 7 April),^[1] then Sir Earle Page (until 26 April), then Robert Menzies
Chief Justice – Sir John Latham

State Premiers

Premier of New South Wales – Bertram Stevens (until 5 August) then Alexander Mair
Premier of Queensland – William Forgan Smith
Premier of South Australia – Thomas Playford IV
Premier of Tasmania – Albert Ogilvie (until 10 June), then Edmund Dwyer-Gray (until 18 December), then Robert Cosgrove
Premier of Victoria – Albert Dunstan
Premier of Western Australia – John Willcock

State Governors

Governor of New South Wales – John Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst
Governor of Queensland – Sir Leslie Orme Wilson
Governor of South Australia – Sir Winston Dugan (until 23 February), then Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey (from 12 August)
Governor of Tasmania – Sir Ernest Clark
Governor of Victoria – William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield (until 4 April), then Sir Winston Dugan (from 17 July)
Governor of Western Australia – none appointed

Events

13 January – The bushfires of Black Friday kill 70 people in Victoria.
27 March – The first CAC Wirraway training aircraft, A20-3, takes to the air at Fishermans Bend, Victoria.
7 April – Prime Minister Joseph Lyons dies of a sudden heart attack, the first Prime Minister to die in office. Sir Earle Page, the leader of the Country Party is appointed caretaker Prime Minister until the United Australia Party can elect a new leader.
26 April – Robert Menzies is elected leader of the United Australia Party, and is sworn in as Prime Minister.
10 June – Premier of Tasmania Albert Ogilvie dies in office. Edmund Dwyer-Gray acts as Premier until he is officially elected as leader of the Labor Party in Tasmania on 6 July.
3 September – World War II begins. Australia declares war on Germany, following the United Kingdom and British Dominions' declaration of same, after the German invasion of Poland.
15 September – Robert Menzies announces a new War Cabinet.
1 December – Australia agrees to take 15,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Europe, following the German occupation of Austria and Czechoslovakia.
18 December – Edmund Dwyer-Gray steps aside as Premier of Tasmania, by prior arrangement with Robert Cosgrove to assume the premiership.

Arts and literature

Main article: 1939 in Australian literature

Max Meldrum wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of The Hon G J Bell, Speaker of the House of Representatives

Sport

Rivette wins the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup
Mosaic wins the Cox Plate
South Australia wins the Sheffield Shield
Balmain win the 1939 NSWRFL premiership, defeating South Sydney 33–4. Newtown finish in last place, claiming the wooden spoon.

Births

January

3 January – Janice Crosio, New South Wales politician
4 January – J. S. Harry, poet (d. 2015)
6 January
- Roderick Weir Home, academic and historian
- Murray Rose, Olympic swimmer (born in the United Kingdom) (d. 2012)
9 January
- Max Burr, Tasmanian politician
- Rik Kemp, cartoonist (born in the United Kingdom)
- Gary Shearston, singer, songwriter and priest (d. 2013)
10 January – Jill Kitson, radio broadcaster and literary journalist (d. 2013)
12 January – John Gregg, actor (d. 2021)
15 January – Ken Doolan, rear admiral and author
20 January – Paul Braddy, 28th Deputy Premier of Queensland
23 January – Peter Richardson, Western Australian politician
29 January – Germaine Greer, academic and feminist
30 January – Dale Baker, 34th South Australian Leader of the Opposition (d. 2012)
31 January – Paddy Guinane, Australian rules footballer (Richmond) (d. 2019)

February

1 February – John Haslem, Australian Capitol Territory politician
5 February – Ian Norman, businessman and retail executive (d. 2014)
7 February
- Betty Bobbitt, actress (born in the United States) (d. 2020)
- Ian Davis, Victorian politician (d. 2016)
11 February – Gary Hooper, Paralympian athlete
12 February – Nita Cunningham, Queensland politician (d. 2015)
13 February – Andrew Peacock, 22nd Federal Leader of the Opposition (d. 2021)
16 February – Peter Heerey, Federal Court judge (d. 2021)
19 February – Beatrice Faust, co-founder of Women's Electoral Lobby and author (d. 2019)
23 February – Elaine Lee, actress (born in South Africa) (d. 2014)
25 February – Gerald Murnane, writer
27 February – Harry Roberts, rugby union player
28 February – Ron Leeson, Western Australian politician

March

1 March
- Ivan Petch, New South Wales politician
- Alan Thorne, academic (d. 2012)
5 March – Tony Rundle, 40th Premier of Tasmania
7 March – Tony Lamb, Victorian politician
8 March – Peter Nicholls, literary scholar and critic (d. 2018)
10 March – Lin Powell, Queensland politician
11 March – Bob Francis, radio presenter (born in Egypt) (d. 2016)
18 March – Michael Kirby, High Court justice and academic
20 March
- Patrick Quilty, geologist and palaeontologist (d. 2018)
- Johnny Rebb, rock and roll singer (d. 2014)
25 March – Ted Mullighan, South Australian Supreme Court judge (d. 2011)

April

4 April – Alex George, botanist
7 April – Brett Whiteley, artist (d. 1992)
12 April
- Johnny Raper, rugby league footballer (d. 2022)
- Lyall Watson, botanist and author (born in South Africa) (d. 2008)
14 April – Jennifer Fowler, composer
20 April
- Elspeth Ballantyne, actress
- Chris Heyde, statistician (d. 2008)
21 April
- John Bangsund, science-fiction fan (d. 2020)
- Irwin Lewis, Indigenous artist (d. 2020)
27 April – David de Kretser, 27th Governor of Victoria (born in British Ceylon)

May

1 May – Roger Degen, New South Wales politician
4 May – Alan Carstairs, Western Australian politician
9 May
- Garry Spry, Victorian politician
- Ken Warby, motorboat racer (d. 2023)
10 May – Peter Wilenski, public servant and ambassador (born in Poland) (d. 1994)
12 May – Reg Gasnier, rugby league footballer (d. 2014)
13 May – Barry Murphy, Victorian politician
14 May – John Price, New South Wales politician
15 May – Tony Staley, Victorian politician (d. 2023)
22 May – Angus Innes, Queensland politician and former Queensland Liberal leader (born in the United Kingdom)
24 May – Alan Hayes, Australian rules footballer (Richmond) (d. 2019)
29 May
- Alby Schultz, New South Wales politician (d. 2015)
- Roger Steele, Northern Territory politician

June

1 June – Ernie Tuck, mathematician (d. 2009)
3 June – Colin Youren, Australian rules footballer (Hawthorn) (d. 2015)
4 June – Elaine Schreiber, Paralympian athlete (d. 2017)
5 June – Ron Baensch, racing cyclist (d. 2017)
6 June – John Oswald, South Australian politician
10 June
- Charles Abbott, Australian rules footballer (Hawthorn)
- John Read, Western Australian politician and former Administrator of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
20 June – Rodger Head, Australian rules footballer (St Kilda) (d. 2012)
21 June
- Gordon Bilney, South Australian politician (d. 2012)
- Ken Catchpole, rugby union footballer (d. 2017)
- Marshall Younger, Australian rules footballer (South Melbourne)
22 June – Paul Winkler, film director (born in Germany)
23 June – David Hannay, film producer (born in New Zealand) (d. 2014)
24 June – Annette Andre, actress
25 June
- John Abel, New South Wales politician (d. 2019)
- David Ramage, rower
- Brian Lowe, Australian rules footballer (Geelong)
27 June – Neil Hawke, test cricketer and Australian rules footballer (Port Adelaide) (d. 2000)
29 June – Alan Connolly, cricketer

July

3 July
- Frank Blevins, 6th Deputy Premier of South Australia (d. 2013)
- Michele Brown, Olympic athlete
7 July – Ron Evans, Australian rules footballer (Essendon) (d. 2007)
9 July – Jack Danzey, rugby league footballer (d. 2020)
10 July – Garry Young, Australian rules footballer (Hawthorn)
12 July
- Phillip Adams, broadcaster and writer
- Helen Frith, athlete
- Graeme Lee, Australian rules footballer (St Kilda) (d. 2021)
- Ted Magrath, rugby union player
- Ann Symonds, New South Wales politician (d. 2018)
13 July – John Sinclair, conservationist (d. 2019)
14 July – John Murray, New South Wales politician
19 July – Victor Kelleher, author (born in the United Kingdom)
20 July – David Connolly, New South Wales politician
21 July
- Barbara Scott, Western Australian politician
- Kevin Wickham, Olympic rower (d. 2020)
24 July
- John Anderson, Olympic sailor
- Thomas Anderson, Olympic sailor (d. 2010)
26 July
- K. G. Cunningham, cricketer and radio personality
- John Howard, 25th Prime Minister of Australia
28 July
- Vince Lester, Queensland politician
- John Zillman, meteorologist
29 July – Mark Stoneman, Queensland politician
31 July – Bill D'Arcy, Queensland politician

August

2 August – Roger Ryan, Northern Territory politician
7 August – Sally Thomas, judge and former Administrator of the Northern Territory (born in the United Kingdom)
12 August
- Pam Kilborn, Olympic athlete
- Mick Veivers, Queensland politician
13 August
- Graeme Campbell, Western Australian politician (born in the United Kingdom)
- John Nicholls, Australian rules footballer (Carlton)
18 August – Chris Pavlou, Australian rules footballer (Carlton) (d. 2012)
23 August – Ray Halligan, Western Australian politician
27 August – Len Diett, rugby union and rugby league player (d. 2018)

September

3 September – John Langmore, Australian Capitol Territory politician
4 September – Richard Lewis, Western Australian politician (d. 2019)
5 September – George Lazenby, actor
7 September – John McGrath, Victorian politician (d. 2021)
8 September – Lew Mander, organic chemist (born in New Zealand) (d. 2020)
9 September
- Arthur Dignam, actor (d. 2020)
- Hugh Wirth, veterinarian and animal welfare activist (d. 2018)
10 September – Mike Dancis, basketball player (born in Latvia) (d. 2020)
13 September – Kevin Rozzoli, New South Wales politician
15 September – Ron Walker, businessman, former Lord Mayor of Melbourne (d. 2018)
18 September – Gerry Harvey, entrepreneur
19 September – Jim Lisle, rugby union and rugby league player (d. 2003)
24 September – Tony Messner, South Australian politician and former Administrator of Norfolk Island

October

1 October – Philip Cox, architect
3 October – Dave Barsley, rugby league player (d. 2021)
4 October – Ivan Mauger, motorcycle speedway racer (born in New Zealand) (d. 2018)
5 October – Scott Ashenden, South Australian politician
7 October – Clive James, writer and broadcaster (d. 2019)
8 October
- Sam Chisholm, media executive (born in New Zealand) (d. 2018)
- Paul Hogan, comedian and actor
9 October – John Pilger, journalist and filmmaker (d. 2023)
12 October – Michael Clyne, linguist, academic, and intellectual (d. 2010)
25 October – Terry Gill, actor (born in the United Kingdom) (d. 2015)
26 October
- Barry Cunningham, Victorian politician (d. 2018)
- Nick Dondas, Northern Territory politician
27 October – Hurtle Lupton, Victorian politician

November

1 November
- Kevin Pay, Australian rules footballer (Collingwood) (d. 2020)
- Ted Pickering, New South Wales politician
- Barry Pullen, Victorian politician
4 November – George Mallaby, actor and scriptwriter (born in the United Kingdom) (d. 2004)
9 November – Philip Cummins, Victorian Supreme Court judge (d. 2019)
10 November – Allan Moffat, racing driver (born in Canada)
11 November – Lloyd McDermott, barrister and rugby union player (d. 2019)
18 November
- Max Phipps, actor (d. 2000)
- Clem Tisdell, economist and professor (d. 2022)
19 November – Bruce McMaster-Smith, Australian rules footballer (Carlton) (d. 2017)
20 November – Michael Beecher, model and actor (d. 1993)
25 November
- Bob Maza, actor and playwright (d. 2000)
- Ian Smith, Victorian politician

December

3 December – Warwick Selvey, Olympic athlete (d. 2018)
4 December – Denis Hinton, Queensland politician
15 December – Andrew Lohrey, Tasmanian politician
18 December – Bob Horne, New South Wales politician
22 December – Silvia Smith, Tasmanian politician (d. 2020)
26 December
- Ron Campbell, animator (d. 2021)
- Fred Schepisi, film director
30 December – Glenda Adams, novelist (d. 2007)

Deaths

14 February – James Webb, New South Wales politician (b. 1887)
9 March – Edwin Greenslade Murphy, journalist and poet (b. 1866)
11 March – William Miller, athlete (born in the United Kingdom and died in the United States) (b. 1846)
7 April – Joseph Lyons, 10th Prime Minister of Australia and 26th Premier of Tasmania (b. 1879)
25 April – Sir Charles Powers, High Court judge (b. 1853)
18 May – Francis Clarke, New South Wales politician (b. 1857)
10 June – Albert Ogilvie, 28th Premier of Tasmania (b. 1890)
13 June – Arthur Coningham, cricketer (b. 1863)
6 August – James MacCallum Smith, Western Australian politician (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1868)
11 August – Margaret Windeyer, librarian and feminist (b. 1866)
30 August – Edward Sydney Simpson, mineralogist and geochemist (b. 1875)
3 October – Henry Augustus Ellis, physician and federalist (born in Ireland and died in the United Kingdom) (b. 1861)
22 October – Sir Langdon Bonython, South Australian politician and journalist (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1848)
15 November – William Hill, Victorian politician (b. 1866)
6 December – Sir Ernest Scott, historian (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1867)

References

^ Hart, P. R.; Lloyd, C. J. "Lyons, Joseph Aloysius (Joe) (1879–1939)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 10 October 2018.

v t e Years in Australia (1788–present)
18th century	1788 1789 1790 1791 1792 1793 1794 1795 1796 1797 1798 1799 1800
19th century	1801 1802 1803 1804 1805 1806 1807 1808 1809 1810 1811 1812 1813 1814 1815 1816 1817 1818 1819 1820 1821 1822 1823 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900
20th century	1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
21st century	2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Timeline of Australian history

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Associated states of New Zealand	Cook Islands Niue