1973 in Australia

Incumbents

• Monarch – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Sir Paul Hasluck
• Prime Minister – Gough Whitlam
• *Opposition Leader – Billy Snedden
• Chief Justice – Sir Garfield Barwick

  State and Territory Leaders

• Premier of New South Wales – Sir Robert Askin
• *Opposition Leader – Pat Hills, then Neville Wran
• Premier of Queensland – Joh Bjelke-Petersen
• *Opposition Leader – Jack Houston
• Premier of South Australia – Don Dunstan
• *Opposition Leader – Bruce Eastick
• Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
• *Opposition Leader – Max Bingham
• Premier of Victoria – Rupert Hamer
• *Opposition Leader – Clyde Holding
• Premier of Western Australia – John Tonkin
• *Opposition Leader – Sir Charles Court

  Governors and Administrators

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir Roden Cutler
• Governor of Queensland – Sir Colin Hannah
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Mark Oliphant
• Governor of Tasmania – Lieutenant General Sir Edric Bastyan, then Sir Stanley Burbury
• Governor of Victoria – Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe
• Governor of Western Australia – Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew
• Administrator of Norfolk Island – Edward Pickerd
• Administrator of the Northern Territory – Frederick Chaney, then Jock Nelson
• Administrator/High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea – Les Johnson

  Events

• 10 February – Australia's first casino, the Wrest Point Hotel Casino, opens in Hobart
• 28 February – The federal voting age is lowered from 21 to 18. The state of New South Wales had already enacted such a change in 1970.
• 8 March – Whiskey Au Go Go fire
• 1 June – The first General Dynamics F-111 aircraft is delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force
• 25 August - Disappearance of Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon
• 20 October – Sydney Opera House officially opened by Elizabeth II
• 1 December – Papua New Guinea is granted self-government prior to independence
• 31 December – AC/DC perform their first major gig in Sydney Australia.
• Removal of "White Australia Policy".

  Arts and literature

• Patrick White is announced as Australian of the Year
• 21 September – The Jackson Pollock painting Blue Poles is controversially purchased by the Whitlam government for US$2 million.
• "No award" was made for the Miles Franklin Award

  Film

• Alvin Purple

  Television

• Certain Women commences
• The novel Seven Little Australians adapted for television
• The New South Wales Rugby Football League negotiates its first television deal with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

  Sport

• 8 September – Derek Clayton wins his fourth men's national marathon title, clocking 2:12:07.6 in Perth.
• Gala Supreme wins the Melbourne Cup
• Western Australia wins the Sheffield Shield
• Helsall takes line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Ceil III is the handicap winner
• Australia defeats South Africa 3–0 in the Federation Cup

  Births

• 8 January – Jason Stevens, rugby league player and sportscaster
• 31 January – Portia de Rossi, actress
• 4 February – James Hird, Australian footballer and coach
• 15 February – Sarah Wynter, actress
• 20 February – Kimberley Davies, actor
• 26 March – Matt Burke, rugby union footballer
• 13 April – Tammy Cole, field hockey defender
• 19 April – George Gregan, rugby union player
• 26 April – Stephanie Graf, middle distance athlete
• 29 May – Malcolm Allen, swimmer
• 21 June – Alyson Annan, field hockey player
• 27 July – Gorden Tallis, rugby league footballer
• 2 August – Susie O'Neill, swimmer
• 14 August – Kieren Perkins, swimmer
• 20 August – Scott Goodman, swimmer
• 22 August – Mark Hickman, field hockey goalkeeper
• 2 September – Matthew Dunn, swimmer
• 5 September – Jennifer Whittle, basketball player
• 18 September – Louise Sauvage, wheelchair athlete
• 8 October – Toby Haenen, swimmer
• 14 October – Steven Bradbury, speed skater
• 18 October – Stephen Allan, golfer
• 23 October – David Beard, volleyball player
• 31 October – Andrew Constance, politician
• 6 November – Greg Warren, politician
• 20 November – Matthew Smith, field hockey player
• 4 December – Steve Menzies, rugby league footballer
• 24 December – Kerry Nettle, politician
• 28 December – Alex Dimitriades, actor
• – Rodger Corser, Actor
• – Ann Shoebridge, milliner
• date unknown – Catherine Freeman, athlete

  Deaths

• 5 April – John Coleman, Australian rules footballer
• 21 April – Arthur Fadden, former Prime Minister
• 8 July – Arthur Calwell, politician