1883 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1883 in Australia.

Incumbents

Governors

Governors of the Australian colonies:

• Governor of New South Wales – Lord Augustus Loftus
• Governor of Queensland – Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy GCMG CB/Sir Anthony Musgrave GCMG
• Governor of South Australia – Sir William Jervois then Sir William Robinson
• Governor of Tasmania – Major Sir George Strahan
• Governor of Victoria – George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby

Premiers

Premiers of the Australian colonies:

• Premier of New South Wales – Sir Henry Parkes until 5 January then Alexander Stuart
• Premier of Queensland – Thomas McIlwraith until 13 November then Samuel Griffith
• Premier of South Australia – John Cox Bray
• Premier of Tasmania – William Giblin
• Premier of Victoria – Bryan O'Loghlen until 8 March then James Service

Events

• The J. Boag & Son brewery is established in Launceston, Tasmania.
• 12 June – The first Australasian headquarters of the Salvation Army opened in Melbourne.
• 14 June – A rail service between Sydney and Melbourne commences when the NSW and Victorian rail systems are joined at Albury.
• 1 October – Sydney Boys High School is founded in Sydney, New South Wales. It is the first boys public school in Australia.
• 26 November – An Australasian Inter-Colonial Conference is held in Sydney. Federation and annexation of surrounding islands are discussed by the Australian colonies, New Zealand and Fiji.

Exploration and settlement

• Boundary rider Charles Rath discovers the Line of Lode, a massive silver deposit near the town of Broken Hill, New South Wales.

Arts and literature

Sport

• 30 January – England defeats Australia 2–1 in the 1882–83 Test cricket series, reclaiming "The Ashes" of English cricket.
• November – Martini-Henry wins the Melbourne Cup
• 2 November –The Northern Rugby Union (later renamed Queensland Rugby Union) is formed at a meeting in Brisbane
• Petersham Rugby Union Football Club formed in Sydney NSW

Births

• 16 March – Ethel Anderson (died 1958), poet, author, and painter
• 12 April – Dally Messenger, (died 1959), rugby footballer
• 15 April – Stanley Bruce (died 1967), 8th Prime Minister of Australia
• 30 May – Sandy Pearce (died 1930), rugby league footballer and boxer
• 1 July – Micky Dore (died 1910), rugby league footballer
• 1 September – Robert Graves (died 1958), rugby footballer
• 12 December – William Baylebridge (died 1943), poet and short story writer

Deaths

• 5 January – Charles Tompson (born 1806), poet
• 18 August – Roger William Bede Vaughan (born 1834), Archbishop of Sydney

References