List of Australians
|
|
This is a list of Australians, who are in any way notable.
See also the list of 100 Australian Living Treasures.
| Contents |
Creative art
- Howard Arkley - painter
- Charles Blackman - painter
- Arthur Boyd - painter
- Noel Counihan - social realist painter
- Sir William Dobell - painter
- Ken Done - painter
- Sir Russell Drysdale - painter
- Donald Friend - painter
- Joy Hester - painter
- Sir Hans Heysen - painter
- Nora Heysen - (died 2003) painter
- Robert Hughes - art critic
- Norman Lindsay - painter
- Michael Leunig - cartoonist
- Tracey Moffatt - film and video maker, photographer
- Reg Mombassa - Pop artist, cartoonist and businessman
- Albert Namatjira - (1902-1959) painter
- Sir Sidney Nolan - painter
- Frank Plicka - photographer
- Margaret Preston - (1875-1963) modernist painter and woodblock artist
- Tom Roberts - painter
- Martin Sharp - pop artist
- Jeffrey Smart - painter
- Stelarc - performance artist
- Sir Arthur Streeton - painter
- Albert Tucker - painter
- Brett Whiteley - painter
- Arthur Boyd - painter
Film and television
- Abigail - actress
- Eric Bana - actor
- Bruce Beresford - filmmaker
- Cate Blanchett - actor
- Bille Brown - actor
- Bryan Brown - actor
- Emily Browning - actress
- Rebecca Cartwright - actor
- John Clarke - (born New Zealand) actor, comedian
- Paul Cox - (born Netherlands) filmmaker
- Russell Crowe - (born in New Zealand) actor
- Judy Davis - actor
- Portia de Rossi - actress
- Ernie Dingo - actor
- Carmen Duncan - (born 1942) soap actress (Number 96, A Country Practice, Another World)
- Peter Finch - actor
- Errol Flynn - (1909-1959) actor
- Colin Friels - actor
- Mel Gibson - (born 1956) - actor American born, Australian raised
- Stan Grant - television presenter
- Rachel Griffiths - actor
- David Gulpilil - actor & dancer
- Scott Hicks - filmmaker (Shine, Snow Falling on Cedars)
- Paul Hogan - (born 1939) actor
- P. J. Hogan - film director (Muriel's Wedding, My Best Friend's Wedding, Peter Pan)
- Barry Humphries - actor/comedian
- Steve Irwin - (born 1962) The Crocodile Hunter
- Hugh Jackman - actor
- Mark 'Jacko' Jackson - actor, sportsperson
- Nicole Kidman - (born 1967) actor American born, Australian raised
- Maggie Kirkpatrick - actor
- Anthony LaPaglia - actor
- George Lazenby - actor who played James Bond
- Heath Ledger - (born 1979) actor
- Baz Luhrmann - filmmaker
- Stephanie McIntosh - actress
- Kyal Marsh - actor
- Leo McKern - actor
- Keith Michell - British television actor
- Amy Mizzi - actress
- Tharini Mudaliar - actress
- Phillip Noyce - filmmaker
- Guy Pearce - (born 1967), actor
- Gina Riley - comedian
- Geoffrey Rush - actor (won 1997 Academy Award for Best Actor for Shine)
- Fred Schepisi - filmmaker
- Yahoo Serious - comedian, filmmaker
- Tammin Sursok - (born 1983 in South Africa) actor
- Rod Taylor - actor
- Jack Thompson - (born 1940), actor
- Charles Tingwell - actor
- Sigrid Thornton - actor
- Peter Weir - (born 1944) filmmaker
- David Wenham - actor
Journalism
Literature and theatre
- Patsy Adam-Smith - (1924-2001) Author, Historian and Servicewoman
- C.E.W. Bean - (1879-1968) journalist, WWI war correspondent and historian
- Vincent Buckley - (1927-1988) poet, teacher, editor, critic
- Wilfred Burchett - (1911-1983) journalist
- Peter Carey - novelist, twice winner of the Booker Prize
- James Clavell - (1924-1994) British author of Shogun fame
- David Williamson - playwright
- Nick Earls - novelist
- Nick Enright - (1950-2003) playwright
- Dame Mary Gilmore - poet
- Dorothy Hewett - poet, playwright and novellist
- A. D. Hope - poet
- Paul Jennings - children's author
- Henry Lawson - prose and poetry
- Kathy Lette - novelist (Puberty Blues)
- John Marsden - most popular Australian author for young adults, and writer of the Tomorrow series.
- Sally Morgan - biographer
- Les Murray - poet
- D'Arcy Niland - (1919-1967) author (The Shiralee)
- Oodgeroo Noonuccal (aka Kath Walker)
- Ruth Park - (born NZ) author
- Banjo Paterson - (1864-1941) writer, author of Waltzing Matilda and The Man from Snowy River
- Steele Rudd - Author
- Christina Stead - novelist (The Man Who Loved Children)
- Alan Villiers - (1903-1982) author, adventurer, master mariner
- Patrick White - (1912-1990) winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature
- Tim Winton - Western Australian author of books such as Cloudstreet
- Judith Wright - poet (South of My Days)
Medical
- Percival Bazeley - Public health hero, brought medicine and vaccine to an entire population
- Dr John F. Cade - discovered usefulness of lithium for treating bipolar disorder
- Dr Victor Chang - heart surgeon
- Reverend John Flynn - founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
- Dr Fred Hollows - (born NZ) eye doctor
Military
- Admiral Chris Barrie AC - Chief of Defence Force 1998–2002
- Percival Bazeley - Brought penicillin to Australians and allies in WWII
- Don Bennett - Aviation pioneer, commander of the Royal Air Force Pathfinders
- Henry Gordon Bennett - (1887-1962) WWI & WWII general
- Sir Thomas Blamey - WWII general and Australia's only Field Marshal
- Clive Caldwell - Top-scoring fighter ace of WWII
- Sir Henry George Chauvel - (1865-1945) WWI general
- General Peter Cosgrove - Chief of Defence Force 2002–2005
- Sir Roden Cutler - WWII Victoria Cross recipient, diplomat and Governor of New South Wales
- Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop - (1907-1993) WWII Surgeon
- Sir Hughie Edwards - (1914-1982) Victoria Cross recipient, senior Bomber Command Officer during WWII, Governor of Western Australia
- Air Marshal Allan (Angus) Houston - Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force
- Albert Jacka - First Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross in WWI
- James Whiteside M'Cay - (1864-1930) WWI general
- Rawdon Hume "Ron" Middleton VC - (1916-1942) Posthumous Victoria Cross recipient
- Sir John Monash - (1865-1931) WWI general
- Sir Leslie Morshead - (1889-1959) WWII General and Commander during the Siege of Tobruk
- Keith Payne - Victoria Cross recipient
- Arnold Potts - WWII Brigadier, esp. during decisive Kokoda Trail battles
- Keith William "Bluey" Truscott - WWII ace
- Nancy Wake - (born NZ 1912) operative with WWII French resistance
- Sir Richard Williams - First Chief of Air Staff, Royal Australian Air Force
Music
A-G
- Peter Allen - singer, songwriter
- Vanessa Amorosi - singer
- Christine Anu - singer
- Tina Arena - singer
- Stephanie Ashworth - photographer and bassist in rock_band Something_For_Kate
- Chris Bailey - frontman for punk rock band The Saints
- Jimmy Barnes - singer
- Betty Beath - composer
- Richard Bonynge - conductor, pianist, husband of Dame Joan Sutherland
- Philip Bracanin - composer
- Daryl Braithwaite - singer
- John Butler - musician
- Joan Carden - soprano
- Kelly Cavuoto - singer, 2003 Australian Idol finalist
- Stuart Challender - conductor
- Kasey Chambers - singer
- Peter Dawson - baritone
- Cosima De Vito - singer, 2003 Australian Idol finalist
- Paul Dempsey - lead singer and songwriter of Rock_band Something_For_Kate
- Casey Donovan - singer, 2004 Australian Idol winner
- Jason Donovan (actor and singer)
- Judith Durham - lead singer of The Seekers
- Slim Dusty - singer, guitarist
- Ross Edwards - composer
- Peter Garrett - former lead singer and songwriter of Midnight Oil, currently a political activist
- Lisa Gerrard - (born 1961) former Dead Can Dance(1981-1998) member, solo artist and movie score composer
- Andy Gibb - (1958-1988) pop singer
- Delta Goodrem - singer, pianist, actress
- Percy Grainger - pianist, composer (later became an American citizen)
H-R
- Dame Joan Hammond - (born NZ) (1912-1996) violinist, soprano
- Sir Bernard Heinze - conductor
- David Helfgott - (born 1947) pianist
- Laurence Henry Hicks - (1912-1997) composer
- Hilltop Hoods - Hip Hop Band
- Missy Higgins - singer-songwriter
- Matthew Hindson - composer
- Michael Hutchence - (1960-1997) frontman for INXS
- Clint Hyndman - drummer in rock_band Something_For_Kate
- Natalie Imbruglia - singer
- Daniel Johns - (born 1978) singer of Silverchair
- Kamahl - (born Malaysia, Sri Lankan descent) singer, actor
- Elena Kats-Chernin - Russian-born composer
- Jeff Lang - guitar virtuoso
- Jimmy Little - singer
- Paul Mac - electronic musician
- Sir Charles Mackerras - conductor
- Dame Nellie Melba - opera singer
- Kylie Minogue - (born 1968) singer
- Dannii Minogue - singer, Kylie's sister
- Gladys Moncrieff - singer
- Olivia Newton-John - (born UK 1948) singer
- Shannon Noll - singer, 2003 Australian Idol finalist
- Johnny O'Keefe - singer 'The Wild One'
- Lemon - Musician and founder of the successful independent group Frost.
- Joseph Post - conductor
- Helen Reddy - singer
S-Y
- Bon Scott, Malcolm & Angus Young - members of hard rock band AC/DC
- Peter Sculthorpe - composer
- Guy Sebastian - singer, winner of 2003 Australian Idol
- Mark Seymour - lead singer of the Hunters & Collectors
- Sara Storer - country music singer
- Dame Joan Sutherland - soprano, known as 'La Stupenda'
- Deniz Tek - of the punk rock band Radio Birdman
- Keith Urban - (born NZ 1967) country musician
- Holly Valance - singer
- Carl Vine - composer
- Gerard Willems - Dutch-born pianist
- John Williams - guitarist
- Kevin Bloody Wilson - comedy singer/songwriter
- Simone Young - conductor
- Mandawuy Yunupingu - singer & political activist
Politics
A-F
- Tony Abbott - Liberal Minister in John Howard's government
- Lance Barnard - Deputy PM to Gough Whitlam
- Sir Edmund Barton - (1849-1920) first Prime Minister of Australia
- Peter Beattie - Premier of Queensland
- Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen - Premier of Queensland
- Neville Bonner - politician
- Steve Bracks - Premier of Victoria
- Bob Brown - Green leader and Senator
- Brian Burke - WA premier, later Ambassador to the Holy See - jailed for corruption
- Jim Cairns - Treaurer and Deputy PM to Gough Whitlam
- Bob Carr - Premier of NSW
- Ben Chifley - Labour Prime Minister 1945-49
- Peter Costello - Treasurer in John Howard's government since 1996
- Simon Crean - Opposition Leader to John Howard 2001-03
- Bob Collins - NT politician, Federal Senator, Minister of Hawke government
- Don Dunstan - SA premier
- Herbert Evatt - Labour politician, Opposition Leader to Menzies
- Paul Everingham - first Chief Minister of the Northern Territory; later Federal politician
- Sir Arthur Fadden - Treasurer under Menzies
- Tim Fischer - Deputy Prime Minister 1996-1999
G-W
- Julia Gillard - shadow minister for health 2003-
- Germaine Greer - (born 1939) feminist, writer, academic (moved to U.K.)
- Nick Greiner - Premier of NSW
- Pauline Hanson - former Senator, controversial founder of the One Nation Party
- Bob Hawke - ALP Prime Minister 1983-91
- William Holman - former Premier of NSW 1913-1920
- Harold Holt - (1908-1967) Prime Minister
- John Howard - (born 1939) Prime Minister
- Paul Keating - ALP Prime Minister 1991-96
- Jeff Kennett - Former Premier of Victoria
- Cheryl Kernot - Leader of the Australian Democrats, defected to ALP and lost seat in 2001
- Mark Latham - Leader of the Opposition (Australian Labor Party) (2003-05)
- Sir John McEwen - Country Party leader, briefly Prime Minister after Holt's drowning
- Sir William McMahon - Liberal Prime Minister 1971-72
- Eddie Mabo - political activist
- Malcolm Mackerras - commentator and academic (author of Mackerras Pendulum)
- Clare Martin - first female and first ALP Chief Minister of the NT
- Sir Robert Menzies - (1894-1978) Prime Minister
- Kerry Nettle - Green senator
- Sir Henry Parkes - "father of Federation"
- Peter Reith - Liberal Minister under John Howard
- Aden Ridgeway - Australian Democrats senator
- Wilson Tuckey - controversial Liberal politician
- Gough Whitlam - (1916-) Prime Minister
- Neville Wran - Premier of NSW
Science and technology
- Sir William Lawrence Bragg - physicist, Nobel Prize winner
- Peter Doherty - immunologist, Nobel Prize winner
- Sir John Eccles (born 1903) - Nobel prize physiologist
- Howard, Lord Florey of Adelaide and Marston - lead development of mass-production of penicillin
- James Harrison - pioneer of mechanical refrigeration, (1816 - 1893)
- Sir Gustav Nossal - immunologist
- Professor Fiona Stanley - epidemiologist
- The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists:
- Prof Peter Cullen - Director, Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, University of Canberra; President, Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies
- Prof Tim Flannery - zoologist and author (The Future Eaters)
- Assoc Prof Ronnie Harding - Institute of Environmental Studies, University of New South Wales
- Dr Steve Morton - Chief of CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
- Prof Hugh Possingham - Director, Ecology Centre, University of Queensland
- Dr Denis Saunders - Conservation biologist and former CSIRO chief research scientist
- Prof Bruce Thom - Emeritus Professor, University of Sydney - former Chair Australian State of the Environment Committee
- Dr John Williams - former Chief of CSIRO Land and Water
- Prof Mike Young - Director Policy and Economic Research Unit, CSIRO Land and Water
- Peter Cosier - Policy Officer with the World Wide Fund for Nature.
- Leith Boully - Board Member, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and former Chair of the Community Advisory Committee of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission
Sports
A-G
- Phil Anderson (born 1958) cyclist
- Darren Bennett - (born 1965) Australian rules football player turned American football star
- Andrew Bogut - (born 1984) basketball player
- Raelene Boyle - athlete
- Sir Donald Bradman - (1908-2001) cricketer
- Matt Burke - (born 1973) rugby union player
- Maureen Caird - athlete
- Greg Chappell - (born 1948) cricketer
- Baden Cooke - (born 1978) cyclist
- Margaret Smith Court - (born 1942) tennis player
- Betty Cuthbert - (born 1938) athlete
- Ralph Doubell - (born 1945) athlete
- Herb Elliott - middle distance runner
- Roy Emerson - tennis player
- Brett Emerton - soccer
- Cadel Evans - (born 1977) cyclist
- Johnny Famechon - world boxing champion
- Jeff Fenech - (born 1964) world boxing champion
- Teddy Flack - (1873-1935) athlete
- Dawn Fraser - swimmer
- Cathy Freeman - (born 1973) athlete
- Andrew Gaze - (born 1965) basketball player
- Evonne Goolagong - tennis player
- Shane Gould - swimmer
- George Gregan - (born 1973) rugby union player
- Dunc Gray - (1905-1996) - cyclist
H-L
- Grant Hackett - swimmer
- Matthew Hayden - cricketer
- Lleyton Hewitt - (born 1981) tennis player
- Jodie Henry - swimmer
- Lew Hoad - tennis player
- Kim Hughes - cricketer
- Lauren Jackson - (born 1981) basketball player
- Marjorie Jackson - athlete, later Governor of South Australia
- Chris Judd - AFL footballer
- Harry Kewell - (born 1978) soccer
- Michael Klim - swimmer
- Brett Lancaster - cyclist
- John Landy - athlete, second person to run a mile in under 4 minutes; later Governor of Victoria
- Rod Laver - (born 1938) tennis player
- Brett Lee - cricketer (fast bowler)
- Libby Lenton - swimmer
- Tamsyn Lewis - athlete
- Wally Lewis - Rugby League player
- Walter Lindrum - (1898-1960) World Champion Billiards player
- Ray Lindwall - cricketer
- Luc Longley - basketball player, many NBA teams
M-Z
- Robbie McEwen - (Born 1972) cyclist
- Bradley McGee - cyclist
- Glenn McGrath - cricketer
- Anna Meares - track cyclist
- Pauline Menczer - Surfer
- Mal Meninga - Rugby League icon
- Keith Miller - cricketer
- Russell Mockridge - (1928-1958) cyclist
- Anthony Mundine - Rugby League, then boxer
- Tony Mundine - boxer
- John Newcombe - tennis player
- Greg Norman - (born 1955) golfer
- Glynis Nunn - athlete
- Stuart O'Grady - cyclist
- Sir Hubert Opperman - (1904-1996) endurance cyclist, then politician (cabinet minister)
- Sid Patterson (1927 - 1999) - track cyclist
- Kieren Perkins - swimmer
- Mark Philippoussis - tennis player
- Ricky Ponting - cricketer
- Patrick Rafter - tennis player
- Bruce Reid - (born 1963) cricketer
- Dave Sands - (1926-1952) boxer
- Frank Sedgman - tennis player
- Janine Shepherd - cross-country skiier turned motivational speaker
- Matt Shirvington - athlete
- Shirley Strickland - (1925-2004) athlete
- Bill Sweetenham - swimming coach
- Andrew Symonds - cricketer
- Todd Woodbridge - tennis player
- Mark Woodforde - tennis player
This is a list of Australians, who are in any way notable.
See also the list of 100 Australian Living Treasures.
Creative art
- Howard Arkley - painter
- Charles Blackman - painter
- Arthur Boyd - painter
- Noel Counihan - social realist painter
- Sir William Dobell - painter
- Ken Done - painter
- Sir Russell Drysdale - painter
- Donald Friend - painter
- Joy Hester - painter
- Sir Hans Heysen - painter
- Nora Heysen - (died 2003) painter
- Robert Hughes - art critic
- Norman Lindsay - painter
- Michael Leunig - cartoonist
- Tracey Moffatt - film and video maker, photographer
- Reg Mombassa - Pop artist, cartoonist and businessman
- Albert Namatjira - (1902-1959) painter
- Sir Sidney Nolan - painter
- Frank Plicka - photographer
- Margaret Preston - (1875-1963) modernist painter and woodblock artist
- Tom Roberts - painter
- Martin Sharp - pop artist
- Jeffrey Smart - painter
- Stelarc - performance artist
- Sir Arthur Streeton - painter
- Albert Tucker - painter
- Brett Whiteley - painter
- Arthur Boyd - painter
Film and television
- Abigail - actress
- Eric Bana - actor
- Bruce Beresford - filmmaker
- Cate Blanchett - actor
- Bille Brown - actor
- Bryan Brown - actor
- Emily Browning - actress
- Rebecca Cartwright - actor
- John Clarke - (born New Zealand) actor, comedian
- Paul Cox - (born Netherlands) filmmaker
- Russell Crowe - (born in New Zealand) actor
- Judy Davis - actor
- Portia de Rossi - actress
- Ernie Dingo - actor
- Carmen Duncan - (born 1942) soap actress, with roles to her credit in the U.S. as well as Australia
- Peter Finch - actor
- Errol Flynn - (1909-1959) actor
- Colin Friels - actor
- Mel Gibson - (born 1956) - actor American born, Australian raised
- Stan Grant - television presenter
- Rachel Griffiths - actor
- David Gulpilil - actor & dancer
- Scott Hicks - filmmaker (Shine, Snow Falling on Cedars)
- Paul Hogan - (born 1939) actor
- P. J. Hogan - film director (Muriel's Wedding, My Best Friend's Wedding, Peter Pan)
- Barry Humphries - actor/comedian
- Steve Irwin - (born 1962) The Crocodile Hunter
- Hugh Jackman - actor
- Mark 'Jacko' Jackson - actor, sportsperson
- Nicole Kidman - (born 1967) actor American born, Australian raised
- Maggie Kirkpatrick - actor
- Anthony LaPaglia - actor
- George Lazenby - actor who played James Bond
- Heath Ledger - (born 1979) actor
- Baz Luhrmann - filmmaker
- Stephanie McIntosh - actress
- Kyal Marsh - actor
- Leo McKern - actor
- Keith Michell - British television actor
- Amy Mizzi - actress
- Tharini Mudaliar - actress
- Phillip Noyce - filmmaker
- Guy Pearce - (born 1967), actor
- Gina Riley - comedian
- Geoffrey Rush - actor (won 1997 Academy Award for Best Actor for Shine)
- Fred Schepisi - filmmaker
- Yahoo Serious - comedian, filmmaker
- Tammin Sursok - (born 1983 in South Africa) actor
- Rod Taylor - actor
- Jack Thompson - (born 1940), actor
- Charles Tingwell - actor
- Sigrid Thornton - actor
- Peter Weir - (born 1944) filmmaker
- David Wenham - actor
Journalism
Literature and theatre
- Patsy Adam-Smith - (1924-2001) Author, Historian and Servicewoman
- C.E.W. Bean - (1879-1968) journalist, WWI war correspondent and historian
- Vincent Buckley - (1927-1988) poet, teacher, editor, critic
- Wilfred Burchett - (1911-1983) journalist
- Peter Carey - novelist, twice winner of the Booker Prize
- James Clavell - (1924-1994) British author of Shogun fame
- David Williamson - playwright
- Nick Earls - novelist
- Nick Enright - (1950-2003) playwright
- Dame Mary Gilmore - poet
- Dorothy Hewett - poet, playwright and novellist
- A. D. Hope - poet
- Paul Jennings - children's author
- Henry Lawson - prose and poetry
- Kathy Lette - novelist (Puberty Blues)
- John Marsden - most popular Australian author for young adults, and writer of the Tomorrow series.
- Sally Morgan - biographer
- D'Arcy Niland - (1919-1967) author (The Shiralee)
- Oodgeroo Noonuccal (aka Kath Walker)
- Ruth Park - (born NZ) author
- Banjo Paterson - (1864-1941) writer, author of Waltzing Matilda and The Man from Snowy River
- Steele Rudd - Author
- Christina Stead - novelist (The Man Who Loved Children)
- Alan Villiers - (1903-1982) author, adventurer, master mariner
- Patrick White - (1912-1990) winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature
- Tim Winton - Western Australian author of books such as Cloudstreet
- Judith Wright - poet (South of My Days)
Medical
- Dr John F. Cade - discovered usefulness of lithium for treating bipolar disorder
- Dr Victor Chang - heart surgeon
- Reverend John Flynn - founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
- Dr Fred Hollows - (born NZ) eye doctor
Military
- Admiral Chris Barrie AC - Chief of Defence Force 1998–2002
- Don Bennett - Aviation pioneer, commander of the Royal Air Force Pathfinders
- Henry Gordon Bennett - (1887-1962) WWI & WWII general
- Sir Thomas Blamey - WWII general and Australia's only Field Marshal
- Clive Caldwell - Top-scoring fighter ace of WWII
- Sir Henry George Chauvel - (1865-1945) WWI general
- General Peter Cosgrove - Chief of Defence Force 2002–2005
- Sir Roden Cutler - WWII Victoria Cross recipient, diplomat and Governor of New South Wales
- Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop - (1907-1993) WWII Surgeon
- Sir Hughie Edwards - (1914-1982) Victoria Cross recipient, senior Bomber Command Officer during WWII, Governor of Western Australia
- Air Marshal Allan (Angus) Houston - Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force
- Albert Jacka - First Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross in WWI
- James Whiteside M'Cay - (1864-1930) WWI general
- Rawdon Hume "Ron" Middleton VC - (1916-1942) Posthumous Victoria Cross recipient
- Sir John Monash - (1865-1931) WWI general
- Sir Leslie Morshead - (1889-1959) WWII General and Commander during the Siege of Tobruk
- Keith Payne - Victoria Cross recipient
- Arnold Potts - WWII Brigadier, esp. during decisive Kokoda Trail battles
- Keith William "Bluey" Truscott - WWII ace
- Nancy Wake - (born NZ 1912) operative with WWII French resistance
- Sir Richard Williams - First Chief of Air Staff, Royal Australian Air Force
Music
A-G
- Peter Allen - singer, songwriter
- Vanessa Amorosi - singer
- Christine Anu - singer
- Tina Arena - singer
- Stephanie Ashworth - photographer and bassist in rock_band Something_For_Kate
- Chris Bailey - frontman for punk rock band The Saints
- Jimmy Barnes - singer
- Betty Beath - composer
- Richard Bonynge - conductor, pianist, husband of Dame Joan Sutherland
- Philip Bracanin - composer
- Daryl Braithwaite - singer
- John Butler - musician
- Joan Carden - soprano
- Kelly Cavuoto - singer, 2003 Australian Idol finalist
- Stuart Challender - conductor
- Kasey Chambers - singer
- Peter Dawson - baritone
- Cosima De Vito - singer, 2003 Australian Idol finalist
- Paul Dempsey - lead singer and songwriter of Rock_band Something_For_Kate
- Casey Donovan - singer, 2004 Australian Idol winner
- Jason Donovan (actor and singer)
- Judith Durham - lead singer of The Seekers
- Slim Dusty - singer, guitarist
- Ross Edwards - composer
- Peter Garrett - former lead singer and songwriter of Midnight Oil, currently a political activist
- Lisa Gerrard - (born 1961) former Dead Can Dance(1981-1998) member, solo artist and movie score composer
- Andy Gibb - (1958-1988) pop singer
- Delta Goodrem - singer, pianist, actress
- Percy Grainger - pianist, composer (later became an American citizen)
H-R
- Dame Joan Hammond - (born NZ) (1912-1996) violinist, soprano
- Sir Bernard Heinze - conductor
- David Helfgott - (born 1947) pianist
- Laurence Henry Hicks - (1912-1997) composer
- Hilltop Hoods - Hip Hop Band
- Missy Higgins - singer-songwriter
- Matthew Hindson - composer
- Michael Hutchence - (1960-1997) frontman for INXS
- Clint Hyndman - drummer in rock_band Something_For_Kate
- Natalie Imbruglia - singer
- Daniel Johns - (born 1978) singer of Silverchair
- Kamahl - (born Malaysia, Sri Lankan descent) singer, actor
- Elena Kats-Chernin - Russian-born composer
- Jeff Lang - guitar virtuoso
- Jimmy Little - singer
- Paul Mac - electronic musician
- Sir Charles Mackerras - conductor
- Dame Nellie Melba - opera singer
- Kylie Minogue - (born 1968) singer
- Dannii Minogue - singer, Kylie's sister
- Gladys Moncrieff - singer
- Olivia Newton-John - (born UK 1948) singer
- Shannon Noll - singer, 2003 Australian Idol finalist
- Johnny O'Keefe - singer 'The Wild One'
- Lemon - Musician and founder of the successful independent group Frost.
- Joseph Post - conductor
- Helen Reddy - singer
S-Y
- Bon Scott, Malcolm & Angus Young - members of hard rock band AC/DC
- Peter Sculthorpe - composer
- Guy Sebastian - singer, winner of 2003 Australian Idol
- Mark Seymour - lead singer of the Hunters & Collectors
- Sara Storer - country music singer
- Dame Joan Sutherland - soprano, known as 'La Stupenda'
- Deniz Tek - of the punk rock band Radio Birdman
- Keith Urban - (born NZ 1967) country musician
- Holly Valance - singer
- Carl Vine - composer
- Gerard Willems - Dutch-born pianist
- John Williams - guitarist
- Kevin Bloody Wilson - comedy singer/songwriter
- Simone Young - conductor
- Mandawuy Yunupingu - singer & political activist
Politics
A-F
- Tony Abbott - Liberal Minister in John Howard's government
- Lance Barnard - Deputy PM to Gough Whitlam
- Sir Edmund Barton - (1849-1920) first Prime Minister of Australia
- Peter Beattie - Premier of Queensland
- Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen - Premier of Queensland
- Neville Bonner - politician
- Steve Bracks - Premier of Victoria
- Bob Brown - Green leader and Senator
- Brian Burke - WA premier, later Ambassador to the Holy See - jailed for corruption
- Jim Cairns - Treaurer and Deputy PM to Gough Whitlam
- Bob Carr - Premier of NSW
- Ben Chifley - Labour Prime Minister 1945-49
- Peter Costello - Treasurer in John Howard's government since 1996
- Simon Crean - Opposition Leader to John Howard 2001-03
- Bob Collins - NT politician, Federal Senator, Minister of Hawke government
- Don Dunstan - SA premier
- Herbert Evatt - Labour politician, Opposition Leader to Menzies
- Paul Everingham - first Chief Minister of the Northern Territory; later Federal politician
- Sir Arthur Fadden - Treasurer under Menzies
- Tim Fischer - Deputy Prime Minister 1996-1999
G-W
- Julia Gillard - shadow minister for health 2003-
- Germaine Greer - (born 1939) feminist, writer, academic (moved to U.K.)
- Nick Greiner - Premier of NSW
- Pauline Hanson - former Senator, controversial founder of the One Nation Party
- Bob Hawke - ALP Prime Minister 1983-91
- William Holman - former Premier of NSW 1913-1920
- Harold Holt - (1908-1967) Prime Minister
- John Howard - (born 1939) Prime Minister
- Paul Keating - ALP Prime Minister 1991-96
- Jeff Kennett - Former Premier of Victoria
- Cheryl Kernot - Leader of the Australian Democrats, defected to ALP and lost seat in 2001
- Mark Latham - Leader of the Opposition (Australian Labor Party) (2003-05)
- Sir John McEwen - Country Party leader, briefly Prime Minister after Holt's drowning
- Sir William McMahon - Liberal Prime Minister 1971-72
- Eddie Mabo - political activist
- Malcolm Mackerras - commentator and academic (author of Mackerras Pendulum)
- Clare Martin - first female and first ALP Chief Minister of the NT
- Sir Robert Menzies - (1894-1978) Prime Minister
- Kerry Nettle - Green senator
- Sir Henry Parkes - "father of Federation"
- Peter Reith - Liberal Minister under John Howard
- Aden Ridgeway - Australian Democrats senator
- Wilson Tuckey - controversial Liberal politician
- Gough Whitlam - (1916-) Prime Minister
- Neville Wran - Premier of NSW
Science and technology
- Sir William Lawrence Bragg - physicist, Nobel Prize winner
- Peter Doherty - immunologist, Nobel Prize winner
- Sir John Eccles (born 1903) - Nobel prize physiologist
- Howard, Lord Florey of Adelaide and Marston - lead development of mass-production of penicillin
- James Harrison - pioneer of mechanical refrigeration, (1816 - 1893)
- Sir Gustav Nossal - immunologist
- Professor Fiona Stanley - epidemiologist
- The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists:
- Prof Peter Cullen - Director, Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, University of Canberra; President, Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies
- Prof Tim Flannery - zoologist and author (The Future Eaters)
- Assoc Prof Ronnie Harding - Institute of Environmental Studies, University of New South Wales
- Dr Steve Morton - Chief of CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
- Prof Hugh Possingham - Director, Ecology Centre, University of Queensland
- Dr Denis Saunders - Conservation biologist and former CSIRO chief research scientist
- Prof Bruce Thom - Emeritus Professor, University of Sydney - former Chair Australian State of the Environment Committee
- Dr John Williams - former Chief of CSIRO Land and Water
- Prof Mike Young - Director Policy and Economic Research Unit, CSIRO Land and Water
- Peter Cosier - Policy Officer with the World Wide Fund for Nature.
- Leith Boully - Board Member, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and former Chair of the Community Advisory Committee of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission
Sports
A-G
- Phil Anderson (born 1958) cyclist
- Darren Bennett - (born 1965) Australian rules football player turned American football star
- Andrew Bogut - (born 1984) basketball player
- Raelene Boyle - athlete
- Sir Donald Bradman - (1908-2001) cricketer
- Matt Burke - (born 1973) rugby union player
- Maureen Caird - athlete
- Greg Chappell - (born 1948) cricketer
- Baden Cooke - (born 1978) cyclist
- Margaret Smith Court - (born 1942) tennis player
- Betty Cuthbert - (born 1938) athlete
- Ralph Doubell - (born 1945) athlete
- Herb Elliott - middle distance runner
- Roy Emerson - tennis player
- Brett Emerton - soccer
- Cadel Evans - (born 1977) cyclist
- Johnny Famechon - world boxing champion
- Jeff Fenech - (born 1964) world boxing champion
- Teddy Flack - (1873-1935) athlete
- Dawn Fraser - swimmer
- Cathy Freeman - (born 1973) athlete
- Andrew Gaze - (born 1965) basketball player
- Evonne Goolagong - tennis player
- Shane Gould - swimmer
- George Gregan - (born 1973) rugby union player
H-L
- Grant Hackett - swimmer
- Matthew Hayden - cricketer
- Lleyton Hewitt - (born 1981) tennis player
- Jodie Henry - swimmer
- Lew Hoad - tennis player
- Kim Hughes - cricketer
- Lauren Jackson - (born 1981) basketball player
- Marjorie Jackson - athlete, later Governor of South Australia
- Harry Kewell - (born 1978) soccer
- Michael Klim - swimmer
- Brett Lancaster - cyclist
- John Landy - athlete, second person to run a mile in under 4 minutes; later Governor of Victoria
- Rod Laver - (born 1938) tennis player
- Brett Lee - cricketer (fast bowler)
- Libby Lenton - swimmer
- Wally Lewis - Rugby League player
- Walter Lindrum - (1898-1960) World Champion Billiards player
- Ray Lindwall - cricketer
- Luc Longley - basketball player, many NBA teams
M-S
- Robbie McEwen - (Born 1972) cyclist
- Bradley McGee - cyclist
- Glenn McGrath - cricketer
- Anna Meares - track cyclist
- Pauline Menczer - Surfer
- Mal Meninga - Rugby League icon
- Keith Miller - cricketer
- Russell Mockridge - (1928-1958) cyclist
- Anthony Mundine - Rugby League, then boxer
- Tony Mundine - boxer
- John Newcombe - tennis player
- Greg Norman - (born 1955) golfer
- Glynis Nunn - athlete
- Stuart O'Grady - cyclist
- Sir Hubert Opperman - (1904-1996) endurance cyclist, then politician (cabinet minister)
- Kieren Perkins - swimmer
- Mark Philippoussis - tennis player
- Ricky Ponting - cricketer
- Patrick Rafter - tennis player
- Bruce Reid - (born 1963) cricketer
- Dave Sands - (1926-1952) boxer
- Frank Sedgman - tennis player
- Janine Shepherd - cross-country skiier turned motivational speaker
- Matt Shirvington - athlete
- Shirley Strickland - (1925-2004) athlete
- Bill Sweetenham - swimming coach
- Andrew Symonds - cricketer
T-W
- Ian Thorpe - (born 1982) swimmer
- Michele Timms - (born 1965) basketball player, Phoenix Mercury WNBA
- Warren Tredrea - AFL Footballer
- Kostya Tszyu - (born 1969) world boxing champion, Russian born but Australian citizen.
- Mark Viduka - (born 1975) soccer
- Shane Warne - cricketer
- Mark Waugh - cricketer
- Steve Waugh - cricketer
- Karrie Webb - (born 1974) golfer
- Todd Woodbridge - (born 1971) tennis player
Other
- Tilly Aston - Disability activist and founder of Association for the Advancement of the Blind
- Daisy Bates - self-proclaimed anthropologist
- Mary Elizabeth Donaldson - Crown Princess of Denmark, wife of HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark
- Megan Gale - model and actress
- Eve van Grafhorst - AIDS patient and activist (moved to New Zealand)
- Lawrence Hargrave - aviation pioneer
- Rolf Harris - artist, singer and TV personality
- Sir Lawrence Hartnett - businessman
- Harry Hawker - (1889-1921) aviation pioneer
- William Guilfoyle - (1840-1912) - landscape designer
- Bert Hinkler - (1892-1933) aviator
- Clement Hodgkinson - (1818-1893) explorer, surveyor, landscape designer of Melbourne parks and gardens.
- Frank Hurley - photographer on Shackleton's ill-fated Antarctica expedition
- Ned Kelly - (c. 1854-1880) bushranger
- Sir Sidney Kidman - (1852 - 1935) pastoralist
- Sir Charles Kingsford Smith - (1897-1935) aviator
- Elle MacPherson - model
- Michael Mansell - Aboriginal activist
- Sir Douglas Mawson - explorer
- Rupert Murdoch - Media Mogul
- Henry A. Reynolds - historian and academic
- John Rudder - linguist (Australian Aboriginal languages)
- Rodney Rude - standup comedian
- Wayne Sievers - former Australian police officer, trade union official, social justice campaigner and political figure
- Peter Singer - philosopher, major influence on animal rights movement.
- Christopher Skase - businessman and fugitive
- Dick Smith - businessman
- Alfred Traeger - (1895 - 1980) inventor of pedal radio
- Olegas Truchanas - conservationist and wildlife photographer
- Trugernanna or Truganini - called last of the Tasmanian Aborigines
- Keith Windschuttle - historian and academic