1949 in Australia.html

1949 in Australia
Monarch	George VI
Governor-General	William McKell
Prime Minister	Ben Chifley, then Robert Menzies
Population	7,908,066
Elections	Federal,

Incumbents

26 January – The Nationality and Citizenship Act is passed. Rather than being identified as subjects of Britain, the Act established Australian citizenship for people who met eligibility requirements.
March 10 – A Lockheed L-18 Lodestar crashes near Coolangatta, Queensland, killing 21 people.
March 16 – Australia's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is established, by order of the Directive for the Establishment and Maintenance of a Security Service.
March 16 – Indigenous Australians who are eligible to vote in state elections in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania are also given the right to vote in federal elections.
June 27 – A seven-week coal strike begins, involving 23,000 miners and broken by the sending in of troops.
October 17 – Construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme begins.
December 10 – A federal election is held. The incumbent Australian Labor Party lead by Ben Chifley is defeated by Robert Menzies' Liberal Party.
December 18 – Prime Minister-elect Robert Menzies announces his cabinet, including Dame Enid Lyons as Australia's first female cabinet minister.

November – Australia's first digital computer, CSIRAC, runs its first test programs.

Athletics
- September 17 - Robert Prentice wins his first men's national marathon title, clocking 2:43:46 in Perth

Football
- Bledisloe Cup: won by the Wallabies
- Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Souths defeated Easts 22-8
- New South Wales Rugby League premiership: Western Suburbs defeated Balmain 8-5
- South Australian National Football League premiership: won by North Adelaide
- Victorian Football League premiership: Essendon defeated Carlton 125-52

Golf
- Australian Open: won by Eric Cremin
- Australian PGA Championship: won by Kel Nagle

Horse Racing
- Persist wins the AJC Oaks
- Lincoln wins the Caulfield Cup
- Delta wins the Cox Plate
- Foxzami wins the Melbourne Cup

Motor Racing
- The Australian Grand Prix was held at Leyburn, and was won by John Crouch driving a Delahaye

Tennis
- Australian Open men's singles: Frank Sedgman defeats John Bromwich 6-3 6-2 6-2
- Australian Open women's singles: Doris Hart defeats Nancye Wynne Bolton 6-3 6-4
- Davis Cup: Australia is defeated by the United States 1-4 in the 1949 Davis Cup final
- US Open: John Bromwich and Bill Sidwell win the Men's Doubles

Yachting
- Waltzing Matilda takes line honours and Trade Winds wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race