The 1916 to 1896 Summer Olympic Games were a series of international multi-sport events and the modern Olympiads to be held entirely in the host city.
Edwin Flack was the only competitor from the Australian colony at the 1896 Summer Games. Born in London, but he spent most of his life in Victoria which later formed part of Australia. The British Union Flag was used to represent the Australian colonies at the 1896 and 1900 Olympic Games.
The 1904 St Louis Summer Olympics was the first time Australian athletes competed for the Commonwealth of Australia. The birth of Australia at Federation occured in 1901.
Australian athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games.
| Host | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
| 1916 | Games cancelled | |||
| 1912 | Stockholm | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 1908 | United Kingdom London | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Host | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
| 1904 | St Louis | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 1900 | France Paris | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1896 | Greece Athens | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1916 | |||
| Sport | Event | Competitors | |
| Cancelled due to WWI – Originally awarded to Berlin Germany | |||
| 1912 Stockholm Sweden | |||
| Sport | Event | Competitors | |
| 1st | Swimming | 4x200m freestyle | Australasian team 2 Cecil Healy, Leslie Boardman, Harold Hardwick, Malcolm Champion |
| 1st | Swimming | Women’s 100m freestyle | Fanny Durac 2 |
| 2nd | Swimming | Women’s 100m freestyle | Wilhelmina Wylie 2 |
| 2nd | Swimming | Men’s 100m freestyle | Cecil Healy 2 |
| 3rd | Swimming | Men’s 400m freestyle | Harold Hardwick 2 |
| 3rd | Swimming | Men’s 1500m freestyle | Harold Hardwick 2 |
| 3rd | Tennis | Men’s singles indoor | Anthony Wilding |
| 1908 London UK | |||
| Sport | Event | Competitors | |
| 1st | Rugby | Men’s tournament | Australasian team 2 Sydney Middleton, Jack Hickey, Bob Craig, Christopher McKivat, Charles McMurtrie, Malcolm McArthur, Daniel Carroll, Arthur McCabe, Frank Smith, Phil Carmichael, Tom Richards, Charles Russell, Patrick McCue, Thomas Griffen, John Barnett |
| 2nd | Boxing | Middleweight | Reginald Baker 2 |
| 2nd | Swimming | 400m freestyle | Frank Beaurepaire 2 |
| 3rd | Swimming | 1500m freestyle | Frank Beaurepaire 2 |
| 3rd | Athletics | 3500m walk | Harry Kerr 2 |
| 1904 St Louis USA | |||
| Sport | Event | Competitors | |
| 2nd | Swimming | 220-yard freestyle | Frank Gailey 1 |
| 2nd | Swimming | 440-yard freestyle | Frank Gailey 1 |
| 2nd | Swimming | 880-yard freestyle | Frank Gailey 1 |
| 3rd | Swimming | one-mile freestyle | Frank Gailey 1 |
| 1900 Paris France | |||
| Sport | Event | Competitors | |
| 1st | Swimming | 200m freestyle | Frederick Lane |
| 1st | Swimming | 200m obstacle event | Frederick Lane |
| 3rd | Athletics | 60m | Stanley Rowley |
| 3rd | Athletics | 100m | Stanley Rowley |
| 3rd | Athletics | 200m | Stanley Rowley |
| 1896 Athens Greece | |||
| Sport | Event | Competitors | |
| 1st | Athletics | 800m | Edwin Flack |
| 1st | Athletics | 1500m | Edwin Flack |
