The following lists events that happened during 1964 in Australia.
Incumbents
Monarch – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Viscount De L'Isle
Prime Minister – Sir Robert Menzies
Opposition Leader – Arthur Calwell
Chief Justice – Sir Owen Dixon (until 13 April), then Sir Garfield Barwick
State and territory leaders
Premier of New South Wales – Bob Heffron (until 30 April), then Jack Renshaw
Opposition Leader – Robert Askin
Premier of Queensland – Frank Nicklin
Opposition Leader – Jack Duggan
Premier of South Australia – Sir Thomas Playford IV
Opposition Leader – Frank Walsh
Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
Opposition Leader – Angus Bethune
Premier of Victoria – Henry Bolte
Opposition Leader – Clive Stoneham
Premier of Western Australia – David Brand
Opposition Leader – Albert Hawke
Governors and administrators
Governor of New South Wales – Lieutenant General Sir Eric Woodward
Governor of Queensland – Colonel Sir Henry Abel Smith
Governor of South Australia – Lieutenant General Sir Edric Bastyan
Governor of Tasmania – General Sir Charles Gairdner
Governor of Victoria – Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe
Governor of Western Australia – Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew
Administrator of Nauru – Reginald Leydin
Administrator of Norfolk Island – Robert Wordsworth, then Roger Nott
Administrator of the Northern Territory – Roger Nott (until 1 October), then Roger Dean Administrator of Papua and New Guinea – Sir Donald Cleland
Events
29 January – The Royal Australian Air Force takes delivery of its first two Mirage fighter jets 3 February – The first double-decker carriages begin trial runs on the Sydney rail network 4 February – Cyclone Dora strikes north west Queensland 10 February – Melbourne–Voyager collision: The aircraft carrier and the destroyer collide, with the loss of 82 lives March – There is a split in the Communist Party of Australia and the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist) is formed April – The Menzies government refuses to ratify the International Labour Organization convention on equal pay for women. April – The editors of Sydney satirical Oz magazine – Richard Neville, Richard Walsh and Martin Sharp – are charged with printing an obscene publication 8 April – The Moonie oil pipeline to Lytton Oil Refinery opens 24 April – Melbourne woman Judy Hanrahan becomes the first female teller appointed by the Bank of NSW since World War II 27 April Sir Garfield Barwick resigns as Minister for External Affairs to take up his appointment as the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia June – Macquarie University is founded. 12–30 June – The Beatles' 1964 world tour in Australia and New Zealand. 6 July – Warrant Officer Class 2, Kevin Conway of the Australian Army Training Team died; he was Australia's first Vietnam War battle casualty. 15 July – The first edition of The Australian is published in Canberra. It is Australia's first national daily newspaper, published by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited. 17 July – Donald Campbell sets new land speed record of 429 miles per hour in his jet-propelled car "Bluebird" at Lake Eyre, South Australia August – The Tasman Bridge across the Derwent River opens in Hobart. 26 October – Notorious Perth serial killer Eric Edgar Cooke is executed at Fremantle Prison; he is the last person to be hanged in Western Australia 10 November – Prime Minister Robert Menzies announces the reintroduction of National Service 10 December – The Queensland government declares a state of emergency in an attempt to end the Mount Isa Mines dispute 16 December – Melbourne's La Trobe University is founded 31 December – Donald Campbell sets new water speed record of 276 miles per hour at Dumbleyung Lake, Western Australia The Beatles tour Australia Sir Percy Spender is appointed President of the International Court of Justice Swimmer Dawn Fraser is named Australian of the Year
Science and technology
2 October – Gladesville Bridge opened – the world's longest concrete arch at the time.
Arts and literature
Donald Horne's The Lucky Country published. Kath Walker's We Are Going published. My Brother Jack by George Johnston is awarded the Miles Franklin Literary Award.