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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Australian of the Year

Inspiring a Nation

Previous exhibition
from Friday 22 January until Monday 26 April 2010

The Australian of the Year Awards have often provoked controversy about who is selected and whether their achievements are remarkable. The awards also generate debate about what it means to be Australian. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of these unique national awards a selection of portraits from the collection are on display throughout the gallery. In partnership with the National Australia Day Council.

Lee Kernaghan near Broken Hill
Lee Kernaghan near Broken Hill, 2005 Ian Jennings. © Ian Jennings

The Australian of the Year Award was established in 1960 to acknowledge the achievements of Australians whose contribution to the nation’s culture, economy, sciences and arts is recognised as particularly outstanding.

Over the years the Award has expanded to include the categories of Young Australian of the Year (1979), Senior Australian of the Year (1999) and Local Hero (2003), recognising the individual achievements of up to 128 inspiring Australians every year.

A selection of portraits from the collection celebrates the 50th anniversary of these awards in partnership with the National Australia Day Council.

25 portraits
view all

Ian Frazer
Dr Fiona Wood AM
Steve Waugh
Sir Gustav Nossal
Mark Taylor
Cathy Freeman
1 Ian Frazer, 2007 Marian Drew. © Commonwealth of Australia. 2 Dr Fiona Wood AM, 2005 Richard Woldendorp AM. © Richard Woldendorp. 3 Steve Waugh, 2001 Russell Shakespeare. © Russell Shakespeare. 4 Sir Gustav Nossal, 1979 (printed 1981) Mark Strizic. © Estate of Mark Strizic. 5 Mark Taylor, 1999 Bill Leak. © Estate of Bill Leak. 6 Cathy Freeman, 2000 David Caird. © David Caird and News Corp.
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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