See also: 1922 in Australia, other events of 1923, 1924 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Monarch King George V
• Governor General Henry Forster
• Prime Minister Billy Hughes (until 8 February), then Stanley Bruce

State premiers

• Premier of New South Wales George Fuller
• Premier of Queensland Ted Theodore
• Premier of South Australia Henry Barwell
• Premier of Tasmania John Hayes (until 13 August), then Sir Walter Lee (until 25 October), then Joseph Lyons
• Premier of Victoria Harry Lawson
• Premier of Western Australia James Mitchell

State governors

• Governor of New South Wales Sir Walter Davidson (until 16 September)
• Governor of Queensland Sir Matthew Nathan
• Governor of South Australia Sir Tom Bridges
• Governor of Tasmania none appointed
• Governor of Victoria George Rous, 3rd Earl of Stradbroke
• Governor of Western Australia Sir Francis Newdegate

Events

• 8 February Billy Hughes resigns as Prime Minister, after the Country Party refuses to govern in coalition with him as the leader of the Nationalist Party. Hughes is succeeded by his Treasurer, Stanley Bruce.
• 25 April The first Anzac Day dawn service is held in Albany, Western Australia.^[1]
• 28 April Construction commences on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
• 14 August John Hayes resigns as Premier of Tasmania after failing to resolve Tasmania's financial crisis. Sir Walter Lee becomes Premier for the second time.
• 7 September Harry Lawson assumes office for a second term as Premier of Victoria, forming a National-Country Party ministry.
• 10 October Telephone link between Sydney and Brisbane officially opened.
• 12 October Cairns, Queensland is proclaimed a city.
• 14 October Severe floods in Melbourne, two people drown.
• 25 October Sir Walter Lee is defeated in a no-confidence motion, and Joseph Lyons becomes Premier of Tasmania.
• 31 October The Marble Bar heat wave begins, which by 7 April 1924 will hold the world record for the longest number of consecutive days (160) in which a temperature above 100 Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) was recorded.^[2]
• 1 November The 1923 Victorian Police strike begins, with half of the Victoria Police force standing down over the use of labour spies. Rioting and looting takes place in the Melbourne city centre.^[3]

Science and technology

Arts and literature

Film

Sport

• 20 October Essendon wins the Premiership of the 1923 VFL season, defeating Fitzroy 8.15 (63) to 6.10 (46) at the MCG.
• Bitalli wins the Melbourne Cup
• Wynette wins the Caulfield Cup
• New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield

Births

• 3 January Bud Tingwell, actor (died 2009)
• 15 March Lou Richards, Australian Rules footballer and media personality
• 21 May Dorothy Hewett, poet and playwright (died 2002)
• 15 June Ninian Stephen, Governor General of Australia
• 25 June Harry Seidler, architect (died 2006)
• 28 July Theo Bruce, long jumper (died 2002)
• 4 August Reg Grundy, media owner
• 15 October Lindsay Thompson, Premier of Victoria (died 2008)

Deaths

• 20 February Abraham Tobias Boas (born 1844), Adelaide rabbi
• 22 February John Jenkins (born 1851), Premier of South Australia (1901 1905)
• 18 March Thomas Allwright Dibbs (born 1832), banker
• 2 June Ted Banfield (born 1852), naturalist and author (Confessions of a Beachcomber)
• 4 June Hume Nisbet (born 1849), artist
• 6 June Sir Denison Miller (born 1860), first governor of the Commonwealth Bank
• 30 June John Henry Nicholson (born 1838), teacher and writer
• 26 July Bella Guerin (born 1858), feminist and suffragist
• 22 August James Burns (born 1846), shipowner
• 30 August Sir Pope Alexander Cooper (born 1848), chief justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland
• 14 September Edward Millen (born 1860), journalist and politician
• 26 September Charles Scrivener (born 1855), surveyor of Canberra
• 5 November Dowell Philip O'Reilly (born 1865), poet, writer and politician
• 27 November Penleigh Boyd (born 1890), artist
• 15 December Frank Morton (born 1869), journalist and poet
• 23 December Sir John Gordon (born 1850), judge and politician

References