1861 in Australia
The following lists events that happened during 1861 in Australia. Incumbents Monarch - Victoria Governors Governors of the Australian colonies: Governor of New South Wales – Sir William Denison, then John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar Governor of Queensland – Sir George Bowen Governor of South Australia – Sir Richard G. MacDonnell Governor of Tasmania – Sir Henry Young Governor of Victoria – Sir Henry Barkly Governor of Western Australia – Sir Arthur Kennedy. Premiers Premiers of the Australian colonies: Premier of New South Wales – John Robertson, then Charles Cowper Premier of Queensland – Robert Herbert Premier of South Australia – Thomas Reynolds, then George Waterhouse Premier of Tasmania – William Weston, then Thomas Chapman Premier of Victoria – Richard Heales, then John O'Shanassy Events 13 May – The Great Comet of 1861 is discovered by John Tebbutt of Windsor, New South Wales. 30 June – Lambing Flat riots of Lambing Flat (Young), New South Wales 6 July – Robert Palin is hanged in Western Australia following the use of Ordinance 17 Victoria Number 7 to secure the capital punishment of a convict for a crime not normally punishable by death. 8 July – The Geelong College is established by