- 1805 – William Bligh is appointed the fourth Governor of New South Wales, he arrives at Port Jackson to replace King on August 6, 1806.
- 1870 – Port Adelaide Football Club play their first match.
- 1905 – Empire Day is first celebrated in Australia.
- 1917 – Australian boxer Les Darcy dies in the United States.
- 1960 – The Parliament of Victoria authorised Totalizator Agency Boards with the intention to stamp out starting price (SP) betting.
- 1969 – Keith Payne is the last Australian soldier awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery during the Vietnam War.
- 2006 – Author Geraldine Brooks wins the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.