1972 in Australia

Decades:	1950s; 1960s; 1970s; 1980s; 1990s;
See also:	1972 in Australian literature; Other events of 1972; Federal election; Timeline of Australian history;

1972 in Australia
1972 in Australia
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor-General	Sir Paul Hasluck
Prime minister	William McMahon, then Gough Whitlam
Population	13,067,265
Australian of the Year	Shane Gould
Elections	TAS, QLD, Federal

The following lists events that happened during 1972 in Australia.

Incumbents

William McMahon

Gough Whitlam

Monarch – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Sir Paul Hasluck
Prime Minister – William McMahon (until 5 December), then Gough Whitlam
- Deputy Prime Minister – Doug Anthony (until 5 December), then Lance Barnard
- Opposition Leader – Gough Whitlam (until 5 December), then Billy Snedden (from 20 December)
Chief Justice – Sir Garfield Barwick

State and territory leaders

Premier of New South Wales – (Sir) Robert Askin
- Opposition Leader – Pat Hills
Premier of Queensland – Joh Bjelke-Petersen
- Opposition Leader – Jack Houston
Premier of South Australia – Don Dunstan
- Opposition Leader – Steele Hall (until 15 March), then Bruce Eastick
Premier of Tasmania – Angus Bethune (until 3 May), then Eric Reece
- Opposition Leader – Eric Reece (until 3 May), then Max Bingham
Premier of Victoria – Sir Henry Bolte (until 23 August), then Rupert Hamer
- Opposition Leader – Clyde Holding
Premier of Western Australia – John Tonkin
- Opposition Leader – Sir David Brand (until 5 June), then Sir Charles Court

Governors and administrators

Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler
Governor of Queensland – Sir Alan Mansfield (until 21 March), then Sir Colin Hannah
Governor of South Australia – Sir Mark Oliphant
Governor of Tasmania – Lieutenant General Sir Edric Bastyan
Governor of Victoria – Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe
Governor of Western Australia – Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew
Administrator of Norfolk Island – Robert Dalkin (until August), then Edward Pickerd
Administrator of the Northern Territory – Sir Frederick Chaney
Administrator of Papua and New Guinea – Les Johnson

Events

26 January – Aboriginal Tent Embassy was constructed in front of Parliament House (now old Parliament House).
10 May – Law professor George Duncan is drowned in the Torrens River, Adelaide. Police establish that his death was a homophobic-related murder.^[1]^[2]
3 June – Douglas Nicholls becomes the first Indigenous Australian to be knighted.
29 July – Kerry Anne Wells earned Australia's first Miss Universe crown, in Dorado, Puerto Rico.
30 August - Three people are killed in the 1972 Taroom explosion when a burning truck loaded with ammonium nitrate explodes near Taroom, Queensland.
6 October – Faraday School kidnapping – six pupils and their teacher are kidnapped for $1 million ransom in Victoria.
15 November – First aircraft hijacking in Australia. Ansett Airlines Flight 232 from Adelaide to Alice Springs with 28 passengers and a crew of 4. Followed by gun battle at Alice Springs Airport.
1 December – Belinda Green is crowned Miss World in London, becoming the second Australian winner of this pageant. Australia won the two most important beauty contest in this year.
2 December – 1972 Australian federal election: The Labor Party led by Gough Whitlam defeats the Liberal/Country Coalition government led by Prime Minister William McMahon. Consequently, Whitlam becomes the first Labor Prime Minister of Australia since the defeat of Ben Chifley in 1949.
Shane Gould is announced as Australian of the Year
The health warning, "Smoking is a Health Hazard" becomes compulsory on cigarette packets in Australia.

Arts and literature

Thea Astley's novel The Acolyte wins the Miles Franklin Award

Film

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie

Television

18 February – The Logie Awards of 1972 are held in Melbourne where Division 4's Gerard Kennedy wins his second consecutive Gold Logie.^[3]
13 March – Controversial soap opera Number 96 debuts on the 0-10 Network.^[4]^[5]^[6]
16 November – The Aunty Jack Show premieres on ABC-TV in Sydney.^[7]^[8]

Sport

16 September – Bernard Vine wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:28:21 in Richmond, Australia.
Manly-Warringah defeated Eastern Suburbs 19–14 in the 1972 NSWRFL season Grand Final, claiming the first premiership win in the club's history. Parramatta finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.
In the Bulimba Cup final Brisbane defeat Toowoomba 55–2 at Lang Park
Piping Lane wins the Melbourne Cup
Western Australia wins the Sheffield Shield
American Eagle takes line and handicap honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Shane Gould wins 3 gold medals for swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich
Australia draws Ashes Cricket Test Series 2–2 with England

Births

2 January – Adam Elliot, animator and screenwriter
7 January – Shane Kelly, cyclist
16 January
- Ang Christou, Australian rules footballer
- Greg Page, former member of The Wiggles
21 January – Brett Mullins, rugby league player
1 February – Taryn Fiebig, opera and musical theatre soprano (died 2021)
5 February
- Brad Fittler, rugby league footballer and coach
- Queen Mary of Denmark^[9]
6 February – Mark Ladbrook, track and field sprinter
7 March – Simon Pryce, current member of The Wiggles
9 March – Spencer Howson, radio announcer
11 March – Adam Bandt, politician
25 March – Nina Bonner, field hockey goalkeeper
8 April – Katrina Powell, field hockey player
15 April – Glenn Butcher, politician
16 May – Adam Crouch, politician
20 May – Michael Diamond, professional target shooter
30 May – Renita Farrell, field hockey player
31 May – Sarah Murdoch, model, actress and television presenter
19 June – Poppy Montgomery, actress
22 June – Damien Oliver, jockey
24 June – Robbie McEwen, cyclist
24 June – Ian Rutledge, field hockey coach
30 June – Stuart Rendell, hammer thrower
6 July – Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria
14 July – Deborah Mailman, actress and singer
26 July – Nathan Buckley, Australian rules footballer
2 August – Jacinda Barrett, Australian actress
12 August – Allison Tranquilli, basketball player
1 September – Louise Dobson, field hockey player
19 September
- Matt Cockbain, rugby player and coach
- Ryan Girdler, rugby league player
20 September – Jenn Morris, field hockey player
11 October – Claudia Black, actress
1 November – Toni Collette, actress^[10]
7 November – Melissa Bell, actress
8 November – Kylie Shadbolt, artistic gymnast^[11]
13 November – Samantha Riley, swimmer
9 December – Annalise Braakensiek, model, actress, television presenter, businesswoman and activist (died 2019)
11 December – Del Kathryn Barton, artist
12 December – Quan Yeomans, musician; lead singer of Regurgitator
13 December – Chris Grant, Australian rules footballer
22 December – Anthony Edwards, rower
28 December – Patrick Rafter, tennis player

Deaths

6 January – Olegas Truchanas (born 1923), conservationist and nature photographer
22 January – Jack Cummings (born 1901), tennis player
2 February – Matt Goggin (born 1936), Australian rules footballer (Geelong)
15 February – Sir Kenneth Street (born 1890), Chief Justice of New South Wales
29 February – Ernie Barber (born 1895), Australian rules footballer (South Melbourne)
9 March – Roy Kendall (born 1899), politician and MI6 officer
19 March –
- George Bassett (born 1888), politician
- Jack Carington Smith (born 1908), artist
16 April – Frank O'Connor (born 1894), public servant
2 May – Arthur Trebilcock (born 1907), Tasmanian cricketer
7 July – Sir Owen Dixon (born 1886), Chief Justice of Australia
21 August – Ernestine Hill (born 1899), author
23 September – Peter O'Sullivan (born 1932), Australian rules footballer (Essendon, North Melbourne)
31 October - Richard Norden (born 1948), soldier and police officer
4 November – Harry Rigby (born 1896), World War I flying ace
24 November – Sir Daniel McVey (born 1892), public servant

References

^ A look back at the Duncan murder Archived 17 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine, The 7.30 Report (ABC), 9 May 2002.
^ How the killing of a gay academic changed Australia Archived 7 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Jamie Duncan, BBC 14 November 2017
^ Wilson, David (19 February 1972). "Another Logie for Division 4 man". The Age. p. 2. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
^ "Bold series to test viewer reaction". The Age. 9 March 1972. p. 30. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
^ "The Sydney Morning Herald's guide to TV programs on Sydney channels: Monday, March 13, 1972". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 March 1972. p. 22. Retrieved 24 April 2025. 10, 8:30: Number 96 - Premiere movie-length episode of an adult drama series.
^ "Beeps and bleats from the Board". The Age. 30 March 1972. p. 32. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
^ "The Sydney Morning Herald's guide to TV programs on Sydney channels: Thursday, November 16, 1972". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 November 1972. p. 19. Retrieved 24 April 2025. 2, 9:05: Aunty Jack Show - premiere
^ "Aunty Jack zooms back". The Age. 23 November 1972. p. 33. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
^ "The regal meaning behind Queen Mary's coronation dress". Harper's Bazaar. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
^ "Toni Collette | Biography, Movies, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
^ "Kylie SHADBOLT - Olympic Gymnastics Artistic | Australia". International Olympic Committee. 16 June 2016. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2019.

[1] A look back at the Duncan murder Archived 17 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine, The 7.30 Report (ABC), 9 May 2002.

[2] How the killing of a gay academic changed Australia Archived 7 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Jamie Duncan, BBC 14 November 2017

[3] Wilson, David (19 February 1972). "Another Logie for Division 4 man". The Age. p. 2. Retrieved 24 April 2025.

[4] "Bold series to test viewer reaction". The Age. 9 March 1972. p. 30. Retrieved 24 April 2025.

[5] "The Sydney Morning Herald's guide to TV programs on Sydney channels: Monday, March 13, 1972". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 March 1972. p. 22. Retrieved 24 April 2025. 10, 8:30: Number 96 - Premiere movie-length episode of an adult drama series.

[6] "Beeps and bleats from the Board". The Age. 30 March 1972. p. 32. Retrieved 24 April 2025.

[7] "The Sydney Morning Herald's guide to TV programs on Sydney channels: Thursday, November 16, 1972". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 November 1972. p. 19. Retrieved 24 April 2025. 2, 9:05: Aunty Jack Show - premiere

[8] "Aunty Jack zooms back". The Age. 23 November 1972. p. 33. Retrieved 24 April 2025.

[9] "The regal meaning behind Queen Mary's coronation dress". Harper's Bazaar. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.

[10] "Toni Collette | Biography, Movies, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2020.

[11] "Kylie SHADBOLT - Olympic Gymnastics Artistic | Australia". International Olympic Committee. 16 June 2016. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2019.

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Timeline of Australian history

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