1934 in Australia

1934 in Australia
1934 in Australia
Monarch	George V
Governor-General	Isaac Isaacs
Prime minister	Joseph Lyons
Population	6,677,361
Elections	Federal, Tasmania

Decades:	1910s; 1920s; 1930s; 1940s; 1950s;
See also:	Other events of 1934; Federal election; Timeline of Australian history;

The following lists events that happened during 1934 in Australia.

Incumbents

Joseph Lyons

State Premiers

Premier of New South Wales – Bertram Stevens
Premier of Queensland – William Forgan Smith
Premier of South Australia – Richard L. Butler
Premier of Tasmania – John McPhee (until 15 March), then Walter Lee (until 22 June), then Albert Ogilvie
Premier of Victoria – Sir Stanley Argyle
Premier of Western Australia – Philip Collier

State Governors

Governor of New South Wales – Sir Philip Game
Governor of Queensland – Sir Leslie Orme Wilson
Governor of South Australia – Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven (until 26 April), then Sir Winston Dugan (from 20 July)
Governor of Tasmania – Sir Ernest Clark
Governor of Victoria – William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield (from 14 May)
Governor of Western Australia – none appointed

Events

ANZAC War Memorial Sydney, built in 1934

Two fashionably-dressed women at the Warwick Farm Racecourse in Australia, 1934.

Schoolchildren line up for free issue of soup and a slice of bread in the Depression, Belmore North Public School, Sydney, 2 August 1934 (photographed by Sam Hood)

18 January – Qantas and Imperial Airways join forces and establish Qantas Empire Airways.
12 March – An intense cyclone crosses the Queensland coast near Innisfail, 75 people were confirmed dead.
21 March to 14 June – The Australian Eastern Mission, led by deputy prime minister John Latham, visited a number of countries in East Asia and South-East Asia, the first Australian diplomatic mission outside the British Empire.
June – During the Great Depression, Frank W. Davey opens his auto-electrical repairs business in a small shop in Carlton, Victoria, Australia with a staff of five. Recognising a market niche during poor economic times, Mr Davey expands his humble business into an electric motor and generator manufacturer and finally the manufacturer of Australia’s own world famous, iconic Davey Water brand.
1 September – Body of the "Pyjama Girl" found in Albury, New South Wales.
15 September – A federal election is held. Joseph Lyons is returned as Prime Minister, leading a United Australia Party-Country Party coalition to victory over the Australian Labor Party.
3 October – Qantas de Havilland DH.50 Atalanta, registration VH-UHE, crashes near Winton, Queensland, killing the pilot and 2 passengers.
15 October – Captain Cook's cottage is opened to the public, after being dismantled in England, then shipped to Australia and reassembled in Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne.
18 October – Charles Prince of Morphettville is found guilty of fraud for the "ring in" of Redlock at the Murray Bridge Racing Club on 28 July.
24 October – C. W. A. Scott and Tom Campbell Black cross the finishing line and win the MacRobertson Air Race, flying from London to Melbourne in an elapsed time of 71 hours.
6 November – The Australian government attempts to stop left-wing writer Egon Erwin Kisch from entering the country, using the language provisions of the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 which allowed a test in any European language. The multi-lingual Kisch was tested in Scottish Gaelic, although the decision to block his entry was later overturned by the High Court.
11 November – The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne is dedicated.
15 November – Qantas de Havilland DH86 crashes after departing from Longreach Airport during its delivery flight.

Unknown dates

The first ute is produced by Ford in Geelong
CMV Group founded

Arts and literature

Henry Hanke wins the Archibald Prize with his self-portrait^[1]
Eleanor Dark's Prelude to Christopher is published. The author was later awarded the ALS Gold Medal.
Martin Boyd publishes his first novel Scandal of Spring
Christina Stead publishes her first novel Seven Poor Men of Sydney

Film

Strike Me Lucky, starring Roy Rene and directed by Ken G. Hall, is released

Sport

8 September - The 1934 NSWRFL season culminates in Western Suburbs' 15–12 victory against Eastern Suburbs in the final. University finish in last place, claiming the wooden spoon.
Peter Pan wins the Melbourne Cup
Victoria wins the Sheffield Shield
Australia defeats England 2–1 in The Ashes series, held in England

Births

6 January – Harry M. Miller, promoter and publicist (died 2018)
11 January – Peter Badcoe, soldier and Victoria Cross recipient (died 1967)
20 January – Barry Fisher, cricketer (died 1980)
26 January – Ruby Langford Ginibi, Indigenous author and historian (died 2011)
31 January – Gil Jamieson, painter (died 1992)
15 February – Graham Kennedy, entertainer (died 2005)
17 February – Barry Humphries, entertainer (died 2023)
24 February – Frank Brazier, Olympic cyclist (died 2021)
20 March – David Malouf, writer
31 March – Stewart West, politician (died 2023)
16 April
- Robert Stigwood, impresario and film producer (died 2016)
- Barrie Unsworth, Premier of New South Wales
17 April – Sir Peter Morris, surgeon (died 2022)
27 April – Colin Holt, Australian rules footballer (died 2018)
1 May – John Meillon, actor (died 1989)
5 May – Victor Garland, politician and high commissioner to the UK (died 2022)
6 May – Chris Wallace-Crabbe, poet and academic
2 June – Ian Brooker, botanist (died 2016)
27 June – Bill Hay, Australian rules footballer (died 2018)
6 July – Tony Burreket, politician
7 July – Brian Davis, politician (died 2018)
11 July – Barney Cooney, politician (died 2019)
16 July – Marjorie McQuade, swimmer (died 1997)
18 July – Alan Ridge, politician
12 August – Ian George, Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide (1991–2004)(died 2019)
17 August – Ben Humphreys, politician (died 2019)
25 August – Jimmy Hannan, television presenter (died 2019)
14 September – Bob Maguire, Roman Catholic priest and media personality (died 2023)
15 September – Fred Nile, clergyman and politician
29 September – Alan Hopgood, actor and writer (died 2022)
9 October – Jill Ker Conway, author and academic (died 2018)
10 October – Julian Beale, politician (died 2021)
24 October – Margie Masters, golfer (died 2022)
2 November – Ken Rosewall, tennis player
16 November – Peter Ross Sinclair, Governor of New South Wales (1990–1996)
4 December – Bill Collins, film critic (died 2019)
24 December – Alan Beaumont, Chief of the Australian Defence Force (1993–1995), (died 2004)