1872 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1872 in Australia.

← 1871 1870 1869 1872 in Australia → 1873 1874 1875
Decades:	1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s
See also:	Other events of 1872 Timeline of Australian history

Incumbents

Governors

Governors of the Australian colonies:

• Governor of New South Wales – Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore, then Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead
• Governor of Queensland – George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby
• Governor of South Australia – Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet
• Governor of Tasmania – Charles Du Cane
• Governor of Victoria – John Manners-Sutton, 3rd Viscount Canterbury

Premiers

Premiers of the Australian colonies:

• Premier of New South Wales – Sir James Martin, until 14 May then Henry Parkes
• Premier of Queensland – Arthur Hunter Palmer
• Premier of South Australia – Arthur Blyth, until 22 January then Henry Ayers (5th time)
• Premier of Tasmania – James Milne Wilson, until 4 November then Frederick Innes
• Premier of Victoria – Charles Gavan Duffy, until 10 June then James Francis

Events

• 13 February to 28 March – An election is held in New South Wales.
• 19 February – The Municipal District of Dubbo is established, following the approval of the Colonial Secretary.
• 26 February – The brig Maria is wrecked when it strikes a reef near Cardwell off the coast of Queensland, killing 39 people.
• 12 June – A Victorian branch of the Royal Australian Mint opens in Melbourne.
• 22 August – The Australian Overland Telegraph Line is completed when two telegraph lines are joined at Frew's Ponds in the Northern Territory (then South Australia).
• 24 September – The General Post Office opens in Brisbane, Queensland.

Sport

• The Quack wins the Melbourne Cup

Births

• 1 January – Arthur Manning, politician (died 1947)
• 22 February – Shaw Neilson, poet (died 1942)
• 26 February – John Holman, politician (died 1925)
• 11 September - Daniel Teese, historic event forcer (died unknown)
• 28 September – David Unaipon, writer and inventor (died 1967)
• 14 October – John Leckie, politician (died 1947)
• Joe Slater musical composer and publisher

Deaths

• 4 January – Edward Macarthur, Administrator of Victoria (b. 1789)
• 15 January – John King (born 1838), explorer
• 12 February – George Herbert Rogers (born 1820), actor
• 20 February – Andrew Petrie (born 1798), architect
• 20 March – William Wentworth, explorer and politician (b. 1790)
• 28 April – Caroline Calvert (born 1834), writer and naturalist
• 19 May – John Baker (born 1813), Premier of South Australia
• 11 June – John Davies (born 1814), founder of The Mercury newspaper
• 31 December – John McKinlay (born 1819), explorer
• date unknown
  • John Dibbs, mariner (b. 1790)

See also