See also: 1889 in Australia, other events of 1890, 1891 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

• Premier of New South Wales - Henry Parkes
• Premier of South Australia - John Cockburn until August 19, then Thomas Playford II
• Premier of Queensland - Boyd Morehead until August 12, then Samuel Griffith
• Premier of Tasmania - Philip Fysh
• Premier of Western Australia - established from December 29, John Forrest
• Premier of Victoria - Duncan Gillies until November 5, then James Munro

Events

• January 1 - The University of Tasmania opens
• February 28 - The steamship RMS Quetta sinks off Cape York Peninsula, killing 133
• December 29 - Sir John Forrest becomes the Premier of Western Australia and the first Premier in Australia.

Arts and literature

• April 26 - Banjo Patterson's The Man from Snowy River is published.

Sport

• May 31 – The first Australian Championships in Athletics are held under the name Inter Colonial Meet. The men's competition is staged at the Moore Park in Sydney.
• Carbine wins the Melbourne Cup

Births

• 2 March Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey, Governor of South Australia 1939–1944 (d. 1969)
• March 10 - Albert Ogilvie, Premier of Tasmania (d. 1939)
• July 18 - Frank Forde, 15th Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1983)
• August 29 - Richard Gardiner Casey, Governor General of Australia (d. 1976)
• September 10 - Robert Heffron, Premier of New South Wales (d. 1978)
• December 31 - Daryl Lindsay, artist (d. 1976)

Deaths

• November 9 - James Boag I, brewer (b. 1822)

See also

• 1890
• 1800s