AustLit logo

AustLit

Australian of the Year Awards
Subcategory of Awards — Australian Awards
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

History

The Australian of the Year Awards recognise any Australians across four categories: Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year (over 65 years of age), Young Australian of the Year, and Australia's Local Hero.

The Awards operate at two levels - State/Territory and national.  State and Territory selection committees select four nominees for each Award category, with one of these nominees being announced as the State/Territory Award recipient.  

Award recipients are announced on the 26th January each year.

The awards were established in 1960.

Source: https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au

Notes

  • 'The Australian of the Year Awards were founded in 1960, when Sir MacFarlane Burnet OM AK KBE recieved the inaugural award. Australia Day Committees in each state and territory decided the recipient of the Award, although until 1979 the Victorian Australia Day Committee usually won the agreement of the other States with its choice of Australian of the Year. [...] The Young Australian of the Year Award was introduced in 1979, Senior Australian in 1999, and the Local Hero Award in 2003.'

    (Source: Australian of the Year Awards website, http://www.australianoftheyear.gov.au/about01.asp)

Subcategories

Latest Winners / Recipients (also see subcategories)v1551

VIEW ALL LISTED RECIPIENTS (24)

Works About this Award

Two in Running for Australian of Year 2016 single work column
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 13 January no. 617 2016; (p. 14) Just two Indigenous people are in the running for this year's Australian of the Year award...'
Cape York's 'barefoot Chairman' Nominated for Queenslander of the Year Award Daniel Bateman , 2015 single work column
— Appears in: The Cairns Post , October 2015; 'Cape York's famous "barefoot chairman" has joked that he may need to go shopping for a new pair of shoes, after being nominated for an Australian of the Year award...'
Senior Title for Jack Charles Rudi Maxwell , 2015 single work column
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 4 November no. 613 2015; (p. 7) '...Last week Mr Charles, one of Australia's most respected and loved actors, was announced as the Victorian Senior Australian of the Year...'
Starring Role for Rush, the Clown Prince of Acting Jessica Wright , Garry Maddox , 2012 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 26 January 2012; (p. 1, 2)
And the Australian of the year is ... Geoffrey Rush Jessica Wright , 2012 single work column
— Appears in: The Age , 26 January 2012; (p. 1,2)
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (41)
X