At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, 13 swimming events were contested, seven for men and six for women. There was a total of 235 participants from 33 countries competing. For the first time, the butterfly stroke was contested as a separate event. Australia dominated the medal standings with a total of 8 out of a possible 13 gold medals, eventually finishing with 14 medals overall.
Medal table
Medalists
Men's events
{|
|-
| 100 m freestyle<br>
| || 55.4 (WR)
| || 55.8
| || 56.7
|-
| 400 m freestyle<br>
| || 4:27.3 (WR)
| || 4:30.4
| || 4:32.5
|-
| 1500 m freestyle<br>
| || 17:58.9
| || 18:00.3
| || 18:08.2
|-
| 100 m backstroke<br>
| || 1:02.2 (WR)
| || 1:03.2
| || 1:04.5
|-
| 200 m breaststroke<br>
| || 2:34.7
| || 2:36.7
| || 2:36.8
|-
| 200 m butterfly<br>
| || 2:19.3
| || 2:23.8
| || 2:23.9
|-valign="top"
| 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay<br>
| <br />Kevin O'Halloran<br />John Devitt<br />Murray Rose<br />Jon Henricks || 8:23.6 (WR)
| <br />Dick Hanley<br />George Breen<br />Bill Woolsey<br />Ford Konno || 8:31.5
| <br />Vitaly Sorokin<br />Vladimir Struzhanov<br />Gennady Nikolayev<br />Boris Nikitin || 8:34.7
|}
Women's events
{|
|-
| 100 m freestyle<br>
| || 1:02.0 (WR)
| || 1:02.3
| || 1:05.1
|-
| 400 m freestyle<br>
| || 4:54.6 (OR)
| || 5:02.5
| || 5:07.1
|-
| 100 m backstroke<br>
| || 1:12.9 (WR)
| || 1:12.9 (WR)
| || 1:13.1
|-
| 200 m breaststroke<br>
| || 2:53.1 (OR)
| || 2:54.8
| || 2:55.1
|-
| 100 m butterfly<br>
| || 1:11.0 (OR)
| || 1:11.9
| || 1:14.4
|-valign="top"
| 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay<br>
| <br />Dawn Fraser<br />Faith Leech<br />Sandra Morgan<br />Lorraine Crapp || 4:17.1 (WR)
| <br />Sylvia Ruuska<br />Shelley Mann<br />Nancy Simons<br />Joan Rosazza || 4:19.2
| <br /> Natalie Myburgh<br />Susan Roberts<br />Moira Abernethy<br />Jeanette Myburgh || 4:25.7
|}
Participating nations
235 swimmers from 33 nations competed.