The following lists events that happened during 1874 in Australia.
Incumbents
Governors Governors of the Australian colonies: Governor of New South Wales – Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead Governor of Queensland – George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby Governor of South Australia – Sir Anthony Musgrave Governor of Tasmania – Charles Du Cane Governor of Victoria – Sir George Bowen Governor of Western Australia – The Hon. Sir Frederick Weld GCMG.
Premiers Premiers of the Australian colonies: Premier of New South Wales – Sir Henry Parkes Premier of Queensland – Arthur Hunter Palmer until 7 January, then Arthur Macalister Premier of South Australia – John Hart until 10 November, then Arthur Blyth Premier of Tasmania – Alfred Kennerley Premier of Victoria – Charles Gavan Duffy until 31 July, then George Kerferd
Events 8 January – Arthur Macalister becomes Premier of Queensland for the third time. 10 March – Ernest Giles is the first European to explore and later names (12 March) the Petermann Ranges. 1 April – John Forrest leads an expedition from Geraldton, Western Australia across the Gibson Desert to the Peake telegraph station in South Australia. 15 June – Brisbane's first Victoria Bridge opens; it is lost in the 1893 Brisbane flood. 31 July – George Kerferd becomes Premier of Victoria. 28 September – Victorian Humane Society established; it later becomes the Royal Humane Society of Australasia. 6 November – University of Adelaide established by act of the South Australian Parliament; it opened in 1876.
Arts and literature
Marcus Clarke's For the Term of his Natural Life is published in book form
Sport Southern Rugby Union is established; renamed New South Wales Rugby Union in 1892 Haricot wins the Melbourne Cup
Births 2 March – Gregan McMahon, actor and theatre director (d. 1941) 3 March – Ada Crossley, singer (d. 1929 17 September – Walter Murdoch, essayist (d. 1970) 23 September – Ethel Ambrose, medical missionary (d. 1934 in Poona) 17 October – Sir Lionel Lindsay, painter (d. 1961)
Deaths 1 February – Alexander Harris, soldier, teacher and author (b. 1805) 6 April – Michael Fenton, first Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly (b. 1789) 17 May – Sir Roger Therry, jurist (b. 1800) date unknown Robert Menli Lyon, Aboriginal advocate (b. 1789)
References