The following lists events that happened during 1954 in Australia. Incumbents Monarch – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Sir William Slim Prime Minister – Robert Menzies Chief Justice – Sir Owen Dixon State Premiers Premier of New South Wales – Joseph Cahill Premier of Queensland – Vince Gair State Governors Governor of New South Wales – Sir John Northcott Governor of Queensland – Sir John Lavarack Governor of South Australia – Sir Robert George Governor of Tasmania – Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet Governor of Western Australia – Sir Charles Gairdner Events 3 February – Elizabeth II arrives in Sydney on her first visit as monarch 13 February – Mawson Station in the Australian Antarctic Territory is established During February, a cyclone hits the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales, killing 26 1 March - Adelaide and large parts of southern South Australia are shaken by a 5.6 magnitude earthquake, resulting in the injuries of 16 people, and a damage bill of £17 million (2017: $578 million). 3 April – Vladimir Petrov, a Soviet diplomat, defects to Australia, sparking the Petrov Affair Shirley Bliss wins the Miss Australia Quest On 31 October, the first Vickers Viscount aircraft delivered to Australia crashed at Mangalore Airport while on a training flight only days after its arrival in Australia, killing 3 of the 7 people on board. Science and technology The Australian Academy of Science is established. Arts and literature Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Rt Hon R G Menzies, PC, CH, QC, MP Charles Bannon wins the Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work Judas Iscariot Overland literary magazine is founded, edited by Stephen Murray-Smith Sport Cricket New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield Football Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Wests defeated Brothers 35-18 New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeated Newtown 23-15 South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide Victorian Football League premiership: Footscray defeated Melbourne 102-51 Golf Australian Open: won by Ossie Pickworth Australian PGA Championship: won by Kel Nagle Horse Racing Rising Fast wins the Caulfield Cup Rising Fast wins the Cox Plate Rising Fast wins the Melbourne Cup Motor Racing The Australian Grand Prix was held at Southport and won by Lex Davison driving a HWM Jaguar Tennis Australian Open men's singles: Mervyn Rose defeats Rex Hartwig 6-2 0–6 6-4 6-2 Australian Open women's singles: Thelma Coyne Long