1911 in Australia

Incumbents

• Monarch – George V
• Governor-General – William Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, then Thomas Denman, 3rd Baron Denman
• Prime Minister – Andrew Fisher
• Chief Justice – Samuel Griffith

  State premiers

• Premier of New South Wales – James McGowen
• Premier of Queensland – William Kidston, then Digby Denham
• Premier of South Australia – John Verran
• Premier of Tasmania – Elliott Lewis
• Premier of Victoria – John Murray
• Premier of Western Australia – Frank Wilson, then John Scaddan

  State governors

• Governor of New South Wales – Frederic Thesiger, 3rd Baron Chelmsford
• Governor of South Australia – Admiral Sir Day Bosanquet
• Governor of Queensland – Sir William MacGregor
• Governor of Tasmania – Major General Sir Harry Barron
• Governor of Western Australia – Sir Gerald Strickland
• Governor of Victoria – Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael

  Events

• The Australian Capital Territory is established through the Seat of Government Act 1910.
• 1 January – The Northern Territory is politically separated from South Australia and transferred to Commonwealth control. The city of Palmerston is renamed Darwin in honour of Charles Darwin.
• 1 January – Compulsory military training comes into effect in Australia.
• 23 March – The steamer SS Yongala sinks in a cyclone off the coast of Townsville, Queensland killing 122 people.
• 3 April - 1911 Australian census was the first national population census. The day used for the census, was taken for the night between 2 and 3 April 1911. The total population of the Commonwealth of Australia was counted as 4,455,005.
• 26 April – A federal referendum is held containing two questions: one on Trade and Commerce and the other on Nationalisation of Monopolies. Neither is carried.
• 30 May – The Supreme Court of the Northern Territory is established.
• 1 June – The University of Queensland opens.
• 10 July – King George V grants the title of Royal Australian Navy to Australia's naval forces.
• 27 June – The Royal Military College, Duntroon opens.
• 3 October – A state election is held in Western Australia. The Labor Party led by John Scaddan defeats the incumbent government of Frank Wilson.
• 2 December – The Australasian Antarctic Expedition, led by Douglas Mawson, leaves Hobart to begin an expedition to Antarctica.
• The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is established by the Commonwealth Bank Act 1911.
• 18 December - The Marburg railway line opens in South west Queensland

  Arts and literature

• The Austral Society ceased functioning.

  Sport

• 16 September – The 1911 NSWRFL season culminates in a final re-play win to Eastern Suburbs.
• 30 September – Essendon become premiers of the 1911 VFL season, defeating Collingwood 5.11 to 4.11.
• 7 November – The Parisian wins the Melbourne Cup.

  Births

• 7 January – Mervyn Waite, cricketer
• 11 January – Nora Heysen, artist
• 21 January – Dick Garrard, Olympic wrestler
• 2 February – Jack Pizzey, Premier of Queensland
• 16 February – Hal Porter, author and playwright
• 1 March – Ian Mudie, poet
• 12 March – Ainslie Roberts, artist
• 18 March – Deverick John Cronin, Australian rules football player
• 14 April – Reginald Swartz, soldier and politician
• 22 April – Max Dupain, photographer
• 25 April – Leonard Long, artist
• 4 June – Alan Walker, theologian
• 21 June – Chester Wilmot, war correspondent
• 4 July – Bruce Hamilton, Australian public servant
• 5 July – Haydn Bunton, Sr, Australian Rules footballer
• 7 July – Keith Jones, surgeon
• 27 August – Bluey Wilkinson, speedway rider
• 9 September – John Gorton, 19th Prime Minister of Australia
• 16 September – Wilfred Burchett, journalist and alleged KGB agent
• 21 September – Afferbeck Lauder, author of Let's Talk Strine
• 22 September – George Bennett, Australian Rules footballer
• 29 September – Charles Court, Premier of Western Australia
• 14 October – Marcus Loane, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia
• 1 November – Samuel Warren Carey, geologist
• 8 November – Robert Gillman Allen Jackson, United Nations administrator

  Deaths

• 18 February – Billy Murdoch, cricketer
• 4 March – William Randell, politician and pioneer
• 18 March – Sir Richard Baker, politician
• 6 May – Thomas Edward Spencer, writer
• 9 July – Douglas Fry, artist
• 13 July – Allan McLean, Premier of Victoria
• 16 August – Patrick Francis Moran, Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney
• 21 August – George Sydney Aldridge, businessman
• 13 September – James Rutherford, transit pioneer
• 23 September – John Arthur Barry, journalist and writer
• 5 October – William Astley, short story writer
• 3 October – Rosetta Jane Birks, suffragist
• 6 October – Sir John Charles Hoad, soldier
• 8 October – Lee Batchelor, politician