See also: 1945 in Australia, other events of 1946, 1947 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Monarch King George VI
• Governor-General Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
• Prime Minister Ben Chifley

State Premiers

• Premier of New South Wales William McKell
• Premier of Queensland Frank Cooper (until 7 March), then Ned Hanlon
• Premier of South Australia Thomas Playford IV
• Premier of Tasmania Robert Cosgrove
• Premier of Victoria John Cain
• Premier of Western Australia Frank Wise

State Governors

• Governor of New South Wales Sir John Northcott (from 1 August)
• Governor of Queensland Sir Leslie Orme Wilson (until 23 April), then Sir John Lavarack (from 1 October)
• Governor of South Australia Sir Charles Norrie
• Governor of Tasmania Sir Hugh Binney
• Governor of Victoria Sir Winston Dugan
• Governor of Western Australia none appointed

Events

• 26 January Foundation Day is renamed Australia Day.
• 18 February The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Norman Gilroy, becomes Cardinal Gilroy, the first Australian born member of the College of Cardinals
• 10 March An Australian National Airways (ANA) DC3 aircraft crashes near Hobart, killing 25 people.
• 1 May At least 800 Aboriginal pastoral workers walk off the job in Northwest Western Australia, starting one of the longest industrial strikes in Australia.
• 6 June The ABC makes the first national broadcast of a federal parliamentary debate.
• 19 July Orange, New South Wales is proclaimed a city.
• 9 September Trans Australia Airlines makes its first flight.
• 28 September A federal election is held. The Australian Labor Party and Prime Minister Ben Chifley are returned to power. A three-question referendum is also held: the question on Social Services is carried; questions on Marketing and Industrial Employment are not.
• 23 November A general election is held in Tasmania. The Labor Party led by Robert Cosgrove is returned to power with a reduced majority.
• 13 December The United Nations grants Australia trusteeship of Territory of New Guinea and Territory of Papua.

Science and technology

• 7 August Overseas Telecommunications Commission established by an Act of Parliament in August 1946. It inherited facilities and resources from Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited (AWA) and Cable & Wireless, and was charged with responsibility for all international telecommunications services into, through and out of Australia.

Arts and literature

• William Dargie wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of L. C. Robson

Film

• The Overlanders is released, starring Chips Rafferty

Sport

• Morna takes line honours and Christina wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
• Russia wins the Melbourne Cup
• New Zealand defeats Australia 2-0 in a Rugby union test

Births

• 29 January Ian Meldrum, music personality
• 8 February Bob Collins, politician
• 24 February Bob Pearce, politician
• 3 March Tim Fischer, politician
• 4 April Colin Coates, ice speed skater
• 17 April Kerry O'Brien, middle-distance runner
• 22 May David Graham, golfer
• 9 July Bon Scott, singer (died 1980)
• 1 August Fiona Stanley, epidemiologist
• 16 September Mike Reynolds, Qld Parliament Speaker
• 10 October Anne Boyd, composer
• 18 October Penelope Wensley, Governor of Queensland (2008-Incumbent)
• 28 October John Hewson, politician
• 2 November Alan Jones, racing driver
• 20 December John Bertrand, yachtsman

Deaths

• 2 January Joe Darling, Australian Test cricket captain (b, 1870)
• 20 March Ethel Richardson, writer (born 1870)
• 13 September William Watt, Premier of Victoria (born 1871)