See also: 1867 in Australia, other events of 1868, 1869 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

Governors

Governors of the Australian colonies:

• 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
• Governor of Western Australia - (office first formed in 1890)

Premiers

Premiers of the Australian colonies:

• 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 (2nd time), until 13 October then Henry Ayers (4th time), 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 (2nd time)
• Premier of Western Australia - office first formed in 1890

Events

• January 10 - The last convict ship to Western Australia, the Hougoumont, arrives in Western Australia.
• March 12 - Henry James O'Farrell fires a revolver into the back of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (second son of Queen Victoria) while the latter is picnicking in the beachfront suburb of Clontarf. Australia's first attempted political assassination.

Sport

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

Births

• November 14 - Arthur Hoey Davis, better known as author Steele Rudd (d. 1935)

Deaths

• April 21 - Henry James O'Farrell, attempted assassin of Prince Alfred
• June 10 - Charles Harpur, poet (b. 1813)

See also

• 1868
• 1860s