The following lists events that happened during 1909 in the Commonwealth of Australia.
Incumbents
Monarch – Edward VII Governor-General – William Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley Prime Minister – Andrew Fisher (until 2 June), then Alfred Deakin Chief Justice – Samuel Griffith
State premiers Premier of New South Wales – Charles Wade Premier of South Australia – Thomas Price (until 5 June), then Archibald Peake Premier of Queensland – William Kidston Premier of Tasmania – John Evans (until 19 June), then Sir Elliott Lewis (until 20 October), then John Earle (until 27 October), then Sir Elliott Lewis Premier of Western Australia – Sir Newton Moore Premier of Victoria – Sir Thomas Bent (until 8 January), then John Murray
State governors Governor of New South Wales – Admiral Sir Harry Rawson (until 24 March), then Frederic Thesiger, 3rd Baron Chelmsford (from 28 May) Governor of South Australia – Sir George Le Hunte (until 2 January), then Sir Day Bosanquet (from 29 March) Governor of Queensland – Frederic Thesiger, 3rd Baron Chelmsford (until 26 May), then Sir William MacGregor (from 2 December) Governor of Tasmania – Sir Gerald Strickland (until 20 May), then Sir Harry Barron (from 29 September) Governor of Western Australia – Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford (until 23 April), then Sir Gerald Strickland (from 31 May) Governor of Victoria – Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael
Events 8 January – Sir Thomas Bent retires as Premier of Victoria, and is replaced by John Murray. 9 March – Electric trams begin operation in Adelaide. 31 March – Victoria is the last Australian state to grant women's suffrage. 30 April – Tasmania begins to use the Hare-Clark single transferable vote method in the 1909 general election. 26 May – The Protectionist Party and the Free Trade Party merge to form the Fusion Party, led by Alfred Deakin. 2 June – The Labor government of Andrew Fisher is ousted from office by Alfred Deakin's Fusion Party, and Deakin becomes Prime Minister for the third time. 5 June – Steam trams begin operation in Rockhampton, Queensland. 18 to 21 August – Disastrous floods strike Victoria. 6 October – Martha Rendell becomes the last woman to be hanged in Western Australia. 9 October – John Earle becomes Premier of Tasmania, leading Tasmania's first Labor government, however Earle's minority government only lasts a week. 6 December - the Newcastle–Bolgart Railway was opened. 10 December – The University of Queensland is established. 14 December – New South Wales passes law ceding land to the Commonwealth for construction of the national capital, Canberra. 21 December – British Field Marshal Lord Kitchener arrives in Darwin after an invitation from Alfred Deakin to review Australia's military and defence plans. 24 December – Former Prime Minister Sir George Reid resigns from Parliament to become Australia's first High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Science and technology 16 July – The first powered aeroplane flight in Australia is made.
Arts and literature
Sport 29 January – New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield 15 June – Representatives from England, Australia and South Africa meet at Lord's and form the Imperial Cricket Conference. 21 August – Andrew Wood wins the inaugural men's national marathon title, clocking 2:59:15 in Brisbane. Though billed as the Australasian Championships, the Australian Athletic Union did not consider it to be the official championship. 31 August – The first interstate ice hockey competition is held in Melbourne. 14 September - The 1909 NSWRFL season culminates in the grand final which was forfeited by Balmain to make South Sydney back-to-back premiers 29 October – The South Melbourne Swans defeat the Carlton Blues 4.14 (38) to 4.12 (36) in the 1909 VFL Grand Final. 2 November – Prince Foote wins the Melbourne Cup.
Births 19 January – Leon Goldsworthy, explosives expert (died 1994) 8 February – Elisabeth Murdoch, philanthropist (died 2012) 13 February – Reg Ansett, businessman and aviator (died 1981) 2 March – Percival Bazeley, scientist (died 1991) 19 March – Nell Hall Hopman, tennis player (died 1968) 26 March – Chips Rafferty, actor (died 1971) 9 April – Robert Helpmann, dancer and choreographer (died 1986) 23 May – William Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle, Governor General of Australia (died 1991) 15 June – Cyril Walsh, High Court judge (died 1973) 20 June – Errol Flynn, Australian actor (died 1959) 23 June – Keith Virtue, aviator (died 1980) 26 June – Mavis Thorpe Clark, novelist, writer (died 1999) 6 July – Eric Reece, Premier of Tasmania (died 1999) 13 August – Brian Lawrance, bandleader (died 1983)The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/464K 9 September – Decima Norman, athlete (died 1983) 10 September – Dorothy Hill, geologist (died 1998) 3 December – Stanley Burbury, Governor of Tasmania (died 1995)
Deaths
9 February – Charles Conder, artist (born and died in the United Kingdom) (b. 1868) 4 March – Max Hirsch, Victorian politician, businessman and economist (born in Prussia and died in Russia) (b. 1852) 14 March – William Charles Kernot, engineer (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1845) 6 April – Sir Julian Salomons, 5th Chief Justice of New South Wales (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1835) 18 April – William Saumarez Smith, Anglican archbishop (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1836) 28 April – Henry D'Esterre Taylor, banker and federationist (b. 1853) 23 May – Elias Solomon, Western Australian politician (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1839) 31 May – Thomas Price, 24th Premier of South Australia (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1852) 29 June – Sir George Shenton, Western Australian politician (died in the United Kingdom) (b. 1842) 4 July – Alfred Compigne, Queensland politician (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1818) 23 July – Sir Frederick Holder, 19th Premier of South Australia (b. 1850) 8 August – Mary MacKillop, religious sister (b. 1842) 18 September – Mary Lee, suffragette and social reformer (born in Ireland) (b. 1821) 6 October – Martha Rendell, convicted murderer (b. 1871) 10 November – George Essex Evans, poet (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1863) 6 December – Sir William Henry Bundey, South Australian politician and judge (born in the United Kingdom) (b. 1838)
References