See also: 1934 in Australia, other events of 1935, 1936 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Monarch King George V
• Governor-General Sir Isaac Isaacs
• Prime Minister 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 Albert Ogilvie
• Premier of Victoria Sir Stanley Argyle (until 2 April), then Albert Dunstan
• Premier of Western Australia Philip Collier

State Governors

• Governor of New South Wales Sir Philip Game (until 15 January), then Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Baron Gowrie (from 21 February)
• Governor of Queensland Sir Leslie Orme Wilson
• Governor of South Australia Sir Winston Dugan
• Governor of Tasmania Sir Ernest Clark
• Governor of Victoria William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield
• Governor of Western Australia none appointed

Events

• 26 February Qantas Empire Airways makes its first scheduled international flight, when a De Havilland Express departs Darwin bound for Singapore.
• 2 March A general election is held in Victoria. The UAP-Country Party coalition wins a comfortable majority.
• 29 March 141 people drown when a cyclone strikes the pearling fleet off the coast of Broome, Western Australia.
• 2 April Stanley Argyle stands down as Premier of Victoria after the Country Party dissolves their coalition with the UAP. He is succeeded by Country Party leader Albert Dunstan.
• 1 July The Australian Associated Press (AAP) news agency is established.
• 2 October John Curtin replaces James Scullin as leader of the Australian Labor Party.
• 4 October Luna Park in Sydney is officially opened.
• 14 October The Hornibrook Bridge, connecting Redcliffe and Sandgate in Queensland, is officially opened.
• 31 December The Cane Toad is introduced to Queensland.

Science and technology

Arts and literature

• John Longstaff wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Banjo Paterson
• Olive Cotton takes the photograph Teacup Ballet
• Scottish painter Ian Fairweather moves to Melbourne and is soon noticed by local artists as a significant painter.

Film

Sport

• 15 February Cricket: Victoria wins the Sheffield Shield.
• 11 May Rugby league: St. George beats Canterbury 91 points to 6 for the highest score and biggest win in NRL history.
• 14 September Rugby league: Eastern Suburbs beats South Sydney 19 to 3 for its fifth premiership
• 5 October Australian rules football: Collingwood 11.12 (78) beats South Melbourne 7.16 (58) for its tenth premiership. Bob Pratt missed the game due to a car accident.
• 5 November Horse racing: Marabou wins the Melbourne Cup.

Births

• 9 January Brian Harradine, politician
• 19 January Johnny O'Keefe (died 1978), entertainer
• 3 March Malcolm Anderson, tennis player
• 5 March Philip K. Chapman, astronaut
• 7 April Mervyn Crossman, field hockey player
• 10 April Peter Hollingworth, Bishop and Governor General of Australia
• 12 May Leneen Forde, Governor of Queensland
• 2 August Llewellyn Edwards, politician
• 8 August John Laws, radio personality
• 28 September
  • Eddie Lumsden, rugby league footballer
  • Bruce Crampton, golfer
• 7 October Thomas Keneally, writer
• 4 November Barry Crocker, entertainer
• 28 November Randolph Stow, writer
• 13 December Arthur Summons, rugby footballer

Deaths

• 8 April David Watkins (born 1865), Newcastle politician and member of the First Parliament
• 2 September Sir Sidney Kidman (born 1857), pastoralist
• 22 September Elliott Lewis (born 1858), Premier of Tasmania
• 25 September Tom Richards (53), rugby union player (born 1882)
• 8 November Charles Kingsford Smith (born 1897), aviator