<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 04/30/97
000 C000000 0000779336
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 THE FIRST AUSTRALIA FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-4438
001 C000000 2013677487
002 A000000 100 MULBERRY STREET
002 B000000 NEWARK
002 C000000 NJ
002 D010000 07120
002 D020000 4077
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 EQUITILINK AUSTRALIA LIMITED
008 B000001 S
008 C000001 801-25821
008 D010001 SYDNEY
008 D050001 AUSTRALIA
008 D060001 2000
008 A000002 EQUITILINK INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED
008 B000002 A
008 C000002 801-25823
008 D010002 ST. HELIER
008 D050002 JERSEY CHANNEL ISLES
008 A000003 PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO. OF AMERICA
008 B000003 S
008 C000003 801-12484
008 D010003 NEWARK
008 D020003 NJ
008 D030003 07101
010 A000001 PRUDENTIAL INVESTMENTS FUND MANAGEMENT, LLC.
<PAGE> PAGE 2
010 B000001 8-27154
010 C010001 NEWARK
010 C020001 NJ
010 C030001 07120
010 C040001 4077
011 A000001 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
011 B000001 8-27154
011 C010001 NEW YORK
011 C020001 NY
011 C030001 10292
011 A000002 BEAR STEARNS & CO., INC.
011 B000002 8-35008
011 C010002 NEW YORK
011 C020002 NY
011 C030002 10041
011 A000003 NIKKO SECURITIES CO., INT'L, INC.
011 B000003 8-17611
011 C010003 NEW YORK
011 C020003 NY
011 C030003 00000
012 A000001 BOSTON EQUISERVE
012 B000001 85-0000
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02110
013 A000001 PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
013 B010001 NEW YORK
013 B020001 NY
013 B030001 10036
014 A000001 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
014 B000001 8-27154
014 A000002 SBC DOMINGUEZ BARRY LIMITED
014 B000002 8-000000
015 A000001 WESTPAC BANKING CORP
015 B000001 S
015 C010001 WELLINGTON
015 D010001 NEW ZEALAND
015 E040001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 N
019 B000000 0
020 A000001 MACQUIRE EQUITES LIMITED
020 C000001 106
020 A000002 COUNTY NATWEST
020 C000002 94
020 A000003 JB WERE & SONS LTD
020 C000003 50
020 A000004 FIRST PACIFIC STOCKBROKERS LTD.
020 C000004 42
020 A000005 MERRILL LYNCH AUSTRALIA EQUITY
020 C000005 40
<PAGE> PAGE 3
020 A000006 BZW AUSTRALIA
020 C000006 38
020 A000007 DEUTCHE MORGAN GREMFELL
020 C000007 36
020 A000008 BELL SECURITIES CORP
020 C000008 35
020 A000009 E.L. & C. BAILLIEU LTD
020 C000009 31
020 A000010 ORD MINNETT SECURITES GROUP LTD
020 C000010 31
021 000000 694
022 A000001 BNP SECURITIES
022 C000001 60479
022 D000001 62585
022 A000002 STATE STREET BANK
022 C000002 41576
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 GARLICK & CO LTD
022 C000003 714
022 D000003 0
022 A000004 ORD MINNETT GROUP LTD
022 C000004 580
022 D000004 0
022 C000005 0
022 D000005 0
022 C000006 0
022 D000006 0
022 C000007 0
022 D000007 0
022 C000008 0
022 D000008 0
022 C000009 0
022 D000009 0
022 C000010 0
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 103349
023 D000000 62585
024 000000 N
025 A000001 STATE STREET BANK
025 C000001 D
025 D000001 7388
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 N
026 C000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 4
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 N
028 A010000 0
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 0
028 B010000 0
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 0
028 C010000 0
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 0
028 D010000 0
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 0
028 E010000 0
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 0
028 F010000 0
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 0
028 G010000 0
028 G020000 0
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 0
028 H000000 0
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
035 000000 0
036 B000000 0
038 000000 0
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 0
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 50000
048 A020000 1.100
048 B010000 50000
048 B020000 0.900
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 100000
048 K020000 0.700
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 N
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 6
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 Y
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
061 000000 0
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 Y
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 N
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 Y
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 Y
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 G010000 N
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 N
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 N
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 144865
071 B000000 147517
071 C000000 181831
071 D000000 80
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 216
072 C000000 1960
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 107
072 F000000 783
072 G000000 45
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 19
072 J000000 144
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 109
072 M000000 55
072 N000000 0
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 57
072 S000000 35
072 T000000 0
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 17
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 X000000 1264
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 1019
072AA000000 12842
072BB000000 10559
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 4037862
072DD010000 2012
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 2469
073 A010000 0.1200
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.1500
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 128
074 B000000 710
074 C000000 11944
074 D000000 0
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 165309
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 19480
074 J000000 3958
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 224
074 M000000 25
074 N000000 201778
074 O000000 0
074 P000000 125
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 19857
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 181796
074 U010000 17059
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 10.66
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 1713
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 181573
076 000000 8.50
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 N
077 C000000 Y
077 D000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 9
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 C000000 0
081 B000000 0
082 B000000 0
083 B000000 0
084 B000000 0
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
087 A010000 THE FIRST AUSTRALIA FUND, INC.
087 A020000 999123ABB
087 A030000 IAF
088 A000000 N
088 B000000 N
088 C000000 N
088 D000000 N
SIGNATURE EUGENE. S. STARK
TITLE ASSISTANT TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000779336
<NAME> THE FIRST AUSTRALIA FUND, INC.
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> Oct-31-1997
<PERIOD-END> Apr-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 162,679,472
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 177,962,733
<RECEIVABLES> 4,182,281
<ASSETS-OTHER> 19,632,901
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 201,777,915
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 19,479,905
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 501,732
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 19,981,637
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 152,245,521
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 17,059,266
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 16,914,278
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 622,441
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 15,580,452
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 13,347,864
<NET-ASSETS> 181,796,278
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1,960,121
<INTEREST-INCOME> 215,888
<OTHER-INCOME> 107,203
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,263,752
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 1,019,460
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (2,320,434)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 545,583
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (755,391)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (2,012,798)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (2,469,485)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 1,277,849
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (3,959,825)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 1,540,677
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 2,336,915
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 782,702
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,263,752
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 181,923,000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.98
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.06
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.10)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.12)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.15)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> (0.01)
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.66
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.40
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0.00
</TABLE>
For the semi-annual period ended 4/30/97
File number: 811-4438
SUB-ITEM 77C
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
An Annual Meeting of Shareholders for
The First Australia Fund, Inc. was called
for March 13, 1997. At such meeting the
shareholders approved the following
proposals:
A) Approval that Sir Roden Cutler,
David Lindsay Elsum, Laurence S.
Freedman, Michael R. Horsburgh, and
William J. Potter are duly elected to
serve as Class III Directors of the Fund
for a period of three years.
B) Approval of the selection of Price
Waterhouse LLP as independent
accountants for the Fund conditioned
upon the right by vote of a majority of
such Fund's outstanding voting shares at
any meeting called for the purpose to
terminate such employment forthwith
without penalties.
C) In their discretion on any other
business which may properly come before
the meeting or any adjournment thereof.
For Against
Abstain
12,021,766.7215 1,043,401.9763
953,036.6010
- -wpdocs/n-sar/ausfund/6-97.77c
