List of Australians
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
- 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
- Tracey Moffatt, film and video maker, photographer
- Reg Mombassa, Pop artist, cartoonist and buisnessman
- Albert Namatjira (1902-1959), painter
- Sir Sidney Nolan - painter
- 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
- Eric Bana - actor
- Bruce Beresford - filmmaker (Barry McKenzie, Don's Party, Breaker Morant, The Fringe Dwellers, Driving Miss Daisy)
- Cate Blanchett - actor
- Bille Brown - actor
- Bryan Brown - actor
- John Clarke, (born NZ), actor, comedian
- Paul Cox - (born Netherlands) filmmaker
- Russell Crowe, (born NZ 1964), actor
- Judy Davis - actor
- Portia De Rossi - actor
- Ernie Dingo - actor
- Carmen Duncan - (born 1942) soap actress, with roles to her credit in the U.S. as well as Australia
- Errol Flynn - (1909-1959) actor
- Colin Friels - actor
- Mel Gibson - (born 1956) - actor American born, Australian raised
- 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
- Nicole Kidman - (born 1967) actor American born, Australian raised
- Anthony LaPaglia - actor
- Heath Ledger - (born 1979) actor
- Baz Luhrmann - filmmaker
- Stephanie McIntosh - actress
- Amy Mizzi - 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
- Jack Thompson - (born 1940), 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
- 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
- Dame Mary Gilmore, poet
- 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
- 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)
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Vanessa Amorosi - singer
- Christine Anu - singer
- Tina Arena - singer
- 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
- Stuart Challender - conductor
- Peter Dawson - baritone
- 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
- 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
- Matthew Hindson - composer
- Michael Hutchence, (1960-1997), frontman for INXS
- 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
- Olivia Newton-John, (born UK 1948), singer
- Shannon Noll - singer, runner-up to Guy Sebastian in 2003 Australian Idol
- 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
- 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 Hiward'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
- 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- )
- 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
- Wilson Tuckey, controversial Liberal politician
- Gough Whitlam, (1916-), Prime Minister
- Neville Wran, Premier of NSW
Science
- Sir William Lawrence Bragg - physicist, Nobel Prize winner
- Peter Doherty - immunologist, Nobel Prize winner
- Sir John Eccles (born 1903) - Nobel prize physiologist
- Tim Flannery - zoologist and author
- 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
Sports
B-G
- Darren Bennett (born 1965), Australian rules football player turned American football star
- Raelene Boyle, athlete
- Sir Donald Bradman (1908-2001), cricketer
- Matt Burke (born 1973), rugby union player
- Maureen Caird, athlete
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Ray Lindwall - cricketer
- Luc Longley - basketball player, many NBA teams
M-S
- Glenn McGrath - cricketer
- Anna Meares - track cyclist
- Pauline Menczer - Surfer
- Mal Meninga, Rugby League icon
- Keith Miller - cricketer
- 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
- Kieren Perkins, swimmer
- Mark Philippoussis, tennis player
- Ricky Ponting - cricketer
- Patrick Rafter - tennis player
- Bruce Reid, (born 1963), cricketer
- 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
- 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
Other
- 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)
- Rolf Harris - artist, singer and TV personality
- Sir Lawrence Hartnett - businessman
- Harry Hawker, (1889-1921) aviation pioneer
- Bert Hinkler - (1892-1933), aviator
- Frank Hurley - photographer on Shackleton's ill-fated Antarctica expedition
- Ned Kelly, (c. 1854-1880), bushranger
- Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, (1897-1935), aviator
- Elle MacPherson - model
- Michael Mansell - Aboriginal activist
- Sir Douglas Mawson - explorer
- Rupert Murdoch - Media Mogul
- Rodney Rude - standup comedian
- Peter Singer - philosopher, major influence on animal rights movement.
- Christopher Skase - businessman and fugitive
- Dick Smith - businessman
- Trugernanna or Truganini- called last of the Tasmanian Aborigines