1862 in Australia

Incumbents

Governors

• Governor of New South Wales – John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar
• Governor of Queensland – Sir George Bowen
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Richard G. MacDonnell, Sir Dominick Daly
• Governor of Tasmania – Colonel Thomas Browne
• Governor of Victoria – Sir Henry Barkly.

  Premiers

• Premier of New South Wales – Charles Cowper
• Premier of Queensland – Robert Herbert
• Premier of South Australia – Thomas Reynolds, then George Waterhouse
• Premier of Tasmania – Thomas Chapman
• Premier of Victoria – John O'Shanassy

  Exploration and settlement

• 24 July – Explorer John McDouall Stuart successfully returns from crossing the Australian continent from north to south on his third attempt.

  Music, arts and literature

• Waterfall, Strath Creek – Eugene von Guérard

  Sport

• 4 November – Archer wins the second Melbourne Cup.

  Births

• 4 February – George Ernest Morrison, Australian adventurer and journalist
• 29 July – Mona McBurney, British-born pianist, teacher and composer who lived and worked in Australia
• 16 November – Charles Turner, Australian cricketer
• 8 December – Kate Rickards, Australian trapeze artist and later musical theatre actress

  Deaths

• 13 March – Roderick Flanagan, historian
• 5 July – Charles Whitehead, English novelist