1863 in Australia
See also: 1862 in Australia, other events of 1863, 1864 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.
Incumbents
Governors
Governors of the Australian colonies:
- Governor of New South Wales - John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar
- Governor of Queensland - Sir George Bowen
- Governor of South Australia - Sir Dominick Daly
- Governor of Tasmania - Colonel Thomas Browne
- Governor of Victoria - Sir Henry Barkly until 10 September, then Sir Charles Darling
Premiers
Premiers of the Australian colonies:
- Premier of New South Wales - Charles Cowper until 15 October, then James Martin
- Premier of Queensland - Robert Herbert
- Premier of South Australia - George Waterhouse until 4 July, then Francis Dutton until 15 July, then Henry Ayers
- Premier of Tasmania - Thomas Chapman until 20 January, then James Whyte
- Premier of Victoria - John O'Shanassy until 27 June, then James McCulloch
Events
- February 7 - The Sydney-based Royal Navy corvette HMS Orpheus sinks off the coast of New Zealand claiming 189 lives.
- February 21 - James Cockle is appointed the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland.
- March 14 - Queen Victoria issues Letters Patent granting Goulburn, New South Wales city status, making it Australia's first inland city.
- July 6 - Queen Victoria issues Letters Patent annexing to South Australia the part of the colony of New South Wales that would later become the Northern Territory.[1]
- November 11 - Elizabeth Scott is hanged for the murder of her husband, making her the first woman to be executed in Victoria.
Non-specific dates
- South Sea Islanders are brought into Queensland to work as indentured labourers in the colony's sugar industry.
- Over 2,400 volunteers are recruited to fight in the New Zealand land wars.
Exploration and Settlement
- January 17 - Explorer John McKinlay returns home to Gawler, South Australia after an unsuccessful two-year search for the missing Burke and Wills expedition.
- April 28 - Brewarrina, New South Wales proclaimed a township.
Sport
- November 3 - Banker wins the Melbourne Cup, in the smallest field in Cup history of six horses.
Births
- January 26 - Charles Wade, Premier of New South Wales (d. 1922)
- July 14 - Arthur Coningham, cricketer (d. 1939)
- July 16 - Anderson Dawson, Premier of Queensland (d. 1910)
- October 26 - Neville Howse, first Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross (d. 1930)
- October 26 - John Henry Michell, mathematician (d. 1940)
- November 29 - Adrian Knox, second Chief Justice of the High Court (d. 1932)