The following lists events that happened during 1962 in Australia.
Incumbents
Monarch – Elizabeth II
Prime Minister – Robert Menzies
Governor General – William Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle
Chief Justice – Sir Owen Dixon
State Premiers
Premier of New South Wales – Robert Heffron
Premier of Queensland – Frank Nicklin
Premier of South Australia – Sir Thomas Playford
Premier of Tasmania – Eric Reece
Premier of Western Australia – David Brand
Premier of Victoria – Henry Bolte
State Governors
Governor of New South Wales – Sir Eric Woodward
Governor of Queensland – Sir Henry Abel Smith
Governor of South Australia – Sir Edric Bastyan
Governor of Tasmania – Thomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan
Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner
Governor of Victoria – Sir Dallas Brooksis
Events
The Australian Ballet is founded. 1 March – The final section of the Cahill Expressway opens in Sydney.
16 July – The Goulburn School Strike started. This was an education strike in Goulburn, New South Wales, where, in response to a demand for the installation of three extra toilets at a local Catholic Primary School, the local community closed down these schools and sent the children to the Government schools. The Catholic Church declared they had no money to install the extra toilets. Nearly 1,000 children turned up to be enrolled locally and the state schools were unable to accommodate them. In 1963, Menzies made State aid for science blocks part of his party's platform in response to the public debate engendered by the Goulburn strike. 15 August – The Red Sales aerobatic team, flying Vampire jets, crashes in practice, killing six people. 28 September – Paddington tram depot fire: One fifth of the Brisbane tram fleet is destroyed when the Paddington tram depot is burnt down in suspicious circumstances. 65 trams are destroyed.
Arts and literature
2 November – The first performance of the Australian Ballet Company in Sydney was of Swan Lake. The Well Dressed Explorer by Thea Astley and The Cupboard Under the Stairs by George Turner are jointly awarded the Miles Franklin Literary Award
Television
4 March – NBN Television opens in Newcastle, New South Wales as NBN-3. 18 March – WIN Television opens in Wollongong, New South Wales as WIN-4. 26 May - Southern Cross Television opens in Launceston, Tasmania as TNT-9
Sport
General
Australia wins 38 gold medals at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, held in Perth Athletics 11 August – Keith Ollerenshaw wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:26:24.2 in Perth. Cricket New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield Football Bledisloe Cup: retained by the All Blacks Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Norths defeated Valleys 22–0 New South Wales Rugby League premiership: St. George defeated Wests 9–6 ** South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide Victorian Football League premiership: Essendon defeated Carlton 90–58 * Golf Australian Open: won by Gary Player Australian PGA Championship: won by Bill Dunk Horse racing Indian Summer wins the AJC Oaks Even Stevens wins the Caulfield Cup Aquanita wins the Cox Plate Birthday Card wins the Golden Slipper Even Stevens wins the Melbourne Cup Motor racing The Australian Grand Prix was held at Caversham and won by Bruce McLaren driving a Cooper-Climax The Armstrong 500 was held at Phillip Island, and was won by Harry Firth and Bob Jane driving an XL Falcon Squash Heather Blundell wins the Women's Championship at the British Open Squash Championships Tennis Australian Open men's singles: Rod Laver defeats Roy Emerson 8–6 0–6 6–4 6-4 Australian Open women's singles: Margaret Court defeats Jan Lehane O'Neill 6–0 6-2 Davis Cup: Australia defeats Mexico 5–0 in the 1962 Davis Cup final French Open: Rod Laver wins the Men's Singles French Open: Margaret Court wins the Women's Singles French Open: Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser win the Men's Doubles US Open: Rod Laver wins the Men's Singles US Open: Margaret Court wins the Women's Singles Wimbledon: Rod Laver wins the Men's Singles Wimbledon: Bob Hewitt and Fred Stolle win the Men's Doubles Yachting Gretel makes Australias first challenge for the America's Cup, losing 4–1 to the American opponent Weatherly Ondine takes line honours and Solo wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race