See also:
2003 in Australia,
other events of 2004,
2005 in Australia
Incumbents
Events
- January 13 - The Spirit of Tasmania III makes its inaugural trip from Sydney to Devonport
- February 1 - The first Ghan passenger train across Australia from Adelaide to Darwin sets off on its three-day journey.
- February 6 - The Music Industry Piracy Investigations organization uses an Anton Piller order to raid offices of P2P companies Sharman Networks and Brilliant Digital Entertainment, the homes of their key executives, as well as several ISPs and universities.
- February 8 - Peter Beattie's Australian Labor Party Queensland state government is re-elected in a landslide.
- February 11 - A Black Hawk helicopter reportedly crashed near Amberley air force base, Mount Walker with at least five seriously injured.
- February 14 - Riots break out between police and Aboriginal residents of Sydney suburb Redfern
- February 15 - Violent riots ensue in the Sydney suburb of Redfern after an Aboriginal boy dies while allegedly fleeing police.
- February 23 - Tasmanian Premier Jim Bacon resigns after being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, handing power to his deputy, Paul Lennon.
- February 25 - QANTAS launches its discount domestic airline, Jetstar.
- February 29 - Malcolm Turnbull controversially wins Liberal pre-selection for the federal seat of Wentworth, displacing sitting member Peter King.
- March 11 - A Senate report on poverty is immediately dismissed by Prime Minister John Howard. The report shows between 2 and 3.5 million Australians, or up to 19 per cent of the population, are living in poverty.
- April 5 - Australia's biggest supplier of the potential explosive ammonium nitrate decides to pull the product from its stores in response to concerns it could be used by terrorists.
- April 14 - The Family Court allows a thirteen year old child, born female, to start preliminary hormone treatment: the child identifies as being male and has been suffering from gender identity disorder.
- April 24 - John Howard joins Australian troops in Baghdad for ceremonies honouring the country's war dead.
- May 14 - Hobart woman Mary Donaldson marries Frederick, Crown Prince of Denmark in Copenhagen to become Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark
- June 1 - Australian Jennifer Hawkins wins the Miss Universe contest, held in Quito, Ecuador.
- June 3 - United States President George W. Bush publicly supports Prime Minister John Howard and criticises Opposition Leader Mark Latham, sparking criticism from the Opposition for intervening in Australian domestic politics.
- July 5 - Australia and Thailand sign a free trade agreement.
- August 9 - Richard Butler, the controversial governor of Tasmania, resigns.
- August - Australia brings home 49 medals, including a record 17 gold medals, from the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
- August 29 - John Howard announces that the 2004 federal election will take place on October 9
- September 9 - A bomb blast outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, kills eleven people and injures up to 100 people.
- October 9 - The Liberal Party of Australia government of John Howard is returned for a fourth term at the 2004 federal election.
- October 12 - Simon Crean resigns from the position of Shadow Treasurer, requesting a lesser portfolio, and John Faulkner resigns as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate in the aftermath of the Australian Labor Party's election loss.
- October 12 - Numerous Australians visit Kuta, Bali, to commemorate the second anniversary of the Bali bombing, with services being held across the nation.
- October 14 - Annette Ellis stands down as Shadow Minister for Ageing, Seniors and Disabilities.
- October 14 - The successful tenderer for Melbourne's Mitcham-Frankston Freeway is announced, with tolls due to be set at $4.43 for a one way trip.
Arts and literature
Film
Television
Sports
Births
Deaths
- January 19 - David Hookes, 48, cricketer
- February 16 - Shirley Strickland, 78, athlete, three-time Olympic champion
- March 24 - Rupert Hamer, 87, Premier of Victoria
- April 19 - Tim Burstall, 76, film director and producer
- May 26 - Gatjil Djerrkura, 54, indigenous leader, Chairman of ATSIC
- June 20 - Jim Bacon, 54, Premier of Tasmania
- July 7 - Yang Xiaokai, 55, economist
- July 12 - George Mallaby, 64, actor
- August 17 - Thea Astley, 78, novelist
- August 22 - Marcel Caux, 105, First World War veteran, last known survivor of the Battle of Pozières
- October 11 - Keith Miller, 84, cricketer, Australian rules footballer, fighter pilot and journalist
- November 1 - Marie Tehan, 64, Victorian health minister
- November 6 - Johnny Warren, 61, soccer player, coach and ethnic community advocate
- November 8 - Eddie Charlton, 78, snooker player
- November 20 - Janine Haines, 59, Australian Democrats senator
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