The following lists events that happened during 1887 in Australia.
Incumbents
Premier of New South Wales – Patrick Jenning (until 19 January), then Henry Parkes Premier of South Australia – John Downer (until 11 June), then Thomas Playford II Premier of Queensland – Samuel Griffith Premier of Tasmania – James Agnew (until 29 March), then Philip Fysh Premier of Victoria – Duncan Gillies Governor of the Crown Colony of Western Australia – Sir Frederick Broome
Events
1 January – Clement Wragge is appointed Government Meteorologist for Queensland
21 January – Brisbane receives a daily rainfall of 465 millimetres (18.3 inches), a record for any Australian capital city. 23 March – 81 miners are killed during a coal gas explosion at Bulli, New South Wales 22 April – A cyclone hits a pearling fleet off Eighty Mile Beach, 120 men drown. 22 June – The Fremantle Town Hall is opened. 26 Sept – The Celtic Club Melbourne is formed and remains today as Australia's oldest Irish Club 19 October – The Sydney-bound steamer SS Cheviot is wrecked near Point Nepean, Victoria, claiming 35 lives.
Science and technology
Construction of Goulburn Weir commenced, one of Australia's earliest irrigation schemes.
Arts and literature
Sport
Dunlop wins the Melbourne Cup
Births
2 February – Pat Sullivan, film director (died 1933) 16 April – Henry Gordon Bennett, soldier (died 1962) 6 July – Annette Kellerman, swimming celebrity (died 1975) 28 October – Herb Byrne, Australian rules footballer (died 1959) 30 November – Beatrice Kerr, swimmer, diver, and aquatic performer (died 1971)