See also: 1869 in Australia, other events of 1870, 1871 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 - Colonel Sir Samuel Blackall
• Governor of South Australia - Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet
• Governor of Tasmania - Charles Du Cane
• Governor of Victoria - John Manners-Sutton, 3rd Viscount Canterbury
• Governor of Western Australia - (office first formed in 1890)

Premiers

Premiers of the Australian colonies:

• Premier of New South Wales - John Robertson, until 13 January then Charles Cowper, until 16 December then James Martin
• Premier of Queensland - Charles Lilley, until 3 May then Arthur Hunter Palmer
• Premier of South Australia - Henry Strangways, until 30 May then John Hart
• Premier of Tasmania - James Milne Wilson
• Premier of Victoria - John Alexander MacPherson, until 9 April then James McCulloch
• Premier of Western Australia - office first formed in 1890

Events

• January 3 - A state flag of Western Australia is adopted.
• February 1 - A state flag of Victoria is adopted, although with no crown like the current flag.
• March 22 - A state flag of Queensland is adopted, with a portrait of Queen Victoria.
• April 20 - A second state flag of New South Wales is adopted, similar to the current flag of Victoria: a crown above the Southern Cross.
• July 22 - A state flag of South Australia is adopted.
• August 11 - Melbourne Town Hall is opened.

Unknown dates

• All British Army troops are withdrawn from Australia, leaving each colony responsible for its own land defence.

Exploration and Settlement

• March 17 - Explorer John Ross discovers Alice Springs.
• April 14 - Gold is discovered in Gulgong, New South Wales, sparking a major gold rush in the area.
• August 27 - John Forrest successfully arrives in Adelaide from Perth, leading an expedition along the south coast via the Great Australian Bight.

Science and Technology

• September 15 - Work begins on the Australian Overland Telegraph Line linking Port Augusta to Darwin.

Sport

• Nimblefoot wins the Melbourne Cup
• May 13 - Port Adelaide Football Club is founded in South Australia

Births

• January 3 - Ethel Richardson (d. 1946), author, better known by her nom de plume Henry Handel Richardson
• May 17 - Newton Moore (d. 1936), Premier of Western Australia
• November 1 - Christopher Brennan (d. 1932), poet
• December 16 - Alfred Hill (d. 1960), composer

Deaths

• May 25 - Captain Thunderbolt (real name Fred Ward, b. 1836), bushranger
• June 24 - Adam Lindsay Gordon (b. 1833), poet

See also

• 1870
• 1870s