1868 in Australia

Incumbents

Governors

• Governor of New South Wales – Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore
• Governor of Queensland – Sir George Bowen, then Colonel Sir Samuel Blackall
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Dominick Daly until 19 February
• Governor of Tasmania – Colonel Thomas Browne, then Charles Du Cane
• Governor of Victoria – Sir John Manners-Sutton

  Premiers

• Premier of New South Wales – James Martin, until 27 October then John Robertson
• Premier of Queensland – Robert Mackenzie, until 25 November then Charles Lilley
• Premier of South Australia – Henry Ayers, until 24 September then John Hart, until 13 October then Henry Ayers, until 3 November then Henry Strangways
• Premier of Tasmania – Richard Dry
• Premier of Victoria – James McCulloch, until 6 May then Charles Sladen, until 11 July then James McCulloch

  Events

• 10 January – The last convict ship to Western Australia, the Hougoumont, arrives in Western Australia. This brought the end of penal transportation to Australia.
• 5 March – The Queensland Parliament passes the Polynesian Labourers Act to regulate the employment of Pacific Islanders recruited through blackbirding.
• 12 March – Henry James O'Farrell fires a revolver into the back of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh while the latter is picnicking in the beachfront suburb of Clontarf. It was Australia's first attempted political assassination. O'Farrell first claimed that he was acting under instruction from Melbourne Fenians but later retracted the claims. He had problems with alcoholism and mental illness.

  Economy

• The Geelong Woollen Company sets up the first woollen mill in Australia.

  Sport

• May to October – The first Australian cricket team to tour overseas plays against several English teams, winning 14 matches, losing 14 and drawing 19.
• 3 November – Glencoe wins the Melbourne Cup

  Births

• 14 November – Arthur Hoey Davis, better known as author Steele Rudd

  Deaths

• 21 April – Henry James O'Farrell, attempted assassin of Prince Alfred
• 10 June – Charles Harpur, poet
• 21 July - William Bland, Medical practitioner, surgeon and politician