Company in Melbourne with the playwright in a leading role; this is influential as the first authentically naturalistic modern drama in the theatre of Australia 19 December – Dame Edna Everage makes her first stage appearance, in Melbourne John Brack paints The Car and Collins St., 5 pm in Oakleigh, Victoria Ivor Hele wins the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Robert Campbell Esq. Donald Friend wins the Blake Prize for Religious Art with his work St John and Scenes from the Apocalypse Patrick White's novel The Tree of Man is published Alan Marshall's childhood autobiography I Can Jump Puddles is published Film Jedda, a film by Charles Chauvel, is released Sport and recreation Board games 19 January – Australian debut of Scrabble Cricket New South Wales wins the Sheffield Shield England defeats Australia 3–1 in The Ashes Football South Australian National Football League premiership: won by Port Adelaide Victorian Football League premiership: Melbourne defeated Collingwood 64–36 Rugby Bledisloe Cup: won by the All Blacks Brisbane Rugby League premiership: Valleys defeat Brothers 17–7 New South Wales Rugby League premiership: South Sydney defeat Newtown 12–11 Golf Australian Open: won by Bobby Locke Australian PGA Championship: won by Ossie Pickworth Horse Racing Rising Fast wins the Caulfield Cup Kingster wins the Cox Plate Toparoa wins the Melbourne Cup Motor Racing The Australian Grand Prix is held at Port Wakefield and won by Jack Brabham driving a Cooper Bristol Tennis Australian Open men's singles: Ken Rosewall defeats Lew Hoad 9–7 6–4 6–4 Australian Open women's singles: Beryl Penrose Collier defeats Thelma Coyne Long 6–4 6–3 Davis Cup: Australia defeats the United States 5–0 in the 1955 Davis Cup final Wimbledon: Rex Hartwig and Lew Hoad win the Gentlemen's Doubles Yachting Even takes line honours and Moonbi wins on handicap in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Births 1 January – Mario Andreacchio, film director 6 January – Graham Murray, rugby league footballer and coach (died 2013) 13 January – Paul Kelly, rock musician 10 February – Greg Norman, golfer 4 March – Tim Costello, Baptist minister and CEO of World Vision 6 April - Ray Blacklock (died 2020), rugby league footballer 23 April – Judy Davis, actress 3 May – David Hookes (died 2004), cricketer 31 May – Tommy Emmanuel, guitarist 23 June – Alan J. Gow, motorsport executive 5 July – Peter McNamara, tennis player 24 July – David Smith, race walker