- 1788 – Captain Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of New South Wales, sets out to explore Sydney Harbour.
- 1857 – The colony of South Australia achieves responsible government, after the first session of the bicameral Parliament of South Australia is held.
- 1887 – A cyclone hits near Broome, Western Australia, killing at least 140 people.
- 1917 – Painter Sir Sidney Nolan (pictured), known for his paintings of Ned Kelly, is born in Carlton, Victoria.
- 1983 – Diplomat Valery Ivanov, the head of the Soviet embassy in Canberra, is expelled from Australia after allegedly trying to involve Australian Labor Party official David Combe in espionage.