Australian Living Treasures

Australian Living Treasures are people who have made outstanding contributions to Australian society in any field of human endeavour. In 1997 the National Trust of Australia (NSW) called for nominations from the public for 100 Australian Living Treasures and each nomination was counted as one vote. The nominees had to be living and had to have made a substantial and enduring contribution. There was no request to rank nominations. The choice of those who were named as National Living Treasures was not made by the Board or the Executive of the National Trust of Australia (NSW) and more than 10,000 Australians voted. Their votes determined who was chosen. The first list of 100 Living Treasures was published in 1997.

In 2004 the list was refreshed with 15 names, following the deaths of notable Australians and the exclusion of disgraced former Justice Marcus Einfeld. following an identical process to that used in 1997 – a public nomination and vote.

On 23 January 2012, the National Trust of Australia (NSW) joined with Woman's Day magazine to launch a nationwide search for seven new National Living Treasures.

Current list

The list, in alphabetical order, stands as follows:

1. Phillip Adams, humanist, social commentator
2. Faith Bandler, academic, activist and advocate for Indigenous Australians and South Sea Islander people
3. Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales, professor
4. John Bell, actor
5. Geoffrey Blainey, professor, historian
6. Raelene Boyle, Olympic runner, sports commentator
7. Father Frank Brennan, social commentator
8. Senator Bob Brown, politician, Australian Greens activist
9. Julian Burnside, barrister, refugee rights advocate, author
10. Don Burrows, musician
11. The Reverend Tim Costello, social activist, commentator
12. The Reverend Bill Crews, social activist
13. Russell Crowe, actor
14. Bart Cummings, racehorse trainer
15. Betty Cuthbert, Olympic runner
16. Judy Davis, actress
17. Sir William Deane, former High Court judge and former Governor-General of Australia
18. Ernie Dingo, Indigenous Australian television personality
19. Mick Dodson, Indigenous Australian leader
20. Pat Dodson, Indigenous Australian activist/leader
21. Peter Doherty, immunologist, professor, Nobel Prize winner
22. Ted Egan, musician, activist, administrator
23. Herb Elliott, Olympic runner
24. John Farnham, entertainer
25. Dawn Fraser, Olympic swimmer, former politician
26. Malcolm Fraser, former Prime Minister of Australia
27. Cathy Freeman, Indigenous Australian sportsperson, Olympic runner
28. Margaret Fulton, writer, food expert
29. Peter Garrett, politician, former singer and social activist
30. Jennie George, ACTU trade union leader, politician
31. Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Indigenous Australian tennis player
32. Shane Gould, Olympic swimmer
33. Germaine Greer, writer, social activist
34. Catherine Hamlin, physician
35. Rolf Harris, entertainer
36. John Hatton, independent NSW politician
37. Hazel Hawke, social activist, ex-wife of Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia
38. Basil Hetzel, medical researcher, public health advocate
39. The Rt Revd Peter Hollingworth, former Governor-General of Australia
40. Gabi Hollows, social activist, philanthropist
41. Janet Holmes à Court, business leader, philanthropist
42. John Howard, politician, former Prime Minister of Australia
43. Robert Hughes, art critic, author
44. Barry Humphries, entertainer
45. Barry Jones, former politician, author, polymath
46. Caroline Jones, television personality, social commentator
47. Paul Keating, former Prime Minister of Australia
48. Thomas Keneally, writer
49. Cheryl Kernot, former politician
50. Nicole Kidman, actress
51. Ian Kiernan, businessman, social activist
52. Justice Michael Kirby, lawyer, judge, social commentator
53. Dame Leonie Kramer, academic, businesswoman
54. John Landy, Olympic athlete, former Governor of Victoria
55. Rod Laver, tennis player, businessman
56. Michael Leunig, cartoonist, social commentator
57. Jimmy Little, Indigenous Australian singer
58. Ted Mack, politician, social commentator
59. David Malouf, novelist
60. Colleen McCullough, author, writer
61. Garry McDonald, actor
62. Walter Mikac, survivors' advocate
63. Jack Mundey, trade union leader
64. Graeme Murphy, dancer, choreographer
65. Les A Murray, poet
66. John Newcombe, tennis player, television commentator
67. Greg Norman, golfer, businessman
68. Sir Gustav Nossal, scientist, administrator
69. Lowitja O'Donoghue, Indigenous Australian leader
70. Pat O'Shane, magistrate, Indigenous Australian leader
71. Mary Paton, founder of the Nursing Mothers' Association
72. Noel Pearson, Indigenous Australian leader
73. Kieren Perkins, Olympic swimmer, television commentator
74. Pat Rafter, tennis player
75. Henry Reynolds, historian
76. Ken Rosewall, tennis player
77. Peter Sculthorpe, musician, composer
78. Dick Smith, businessman, social commentator
79. Fiona Stanley, physician
80. Richard Tognetti, violinist and conductor
81. Tom Uren, former politician
82. Anthony Warlow, singer
83. Gai Waterhouse, racehorse trainer
84. Steve Waugh, cricketer
85. Gough Whitlam, former Prime Minister of Australia
86. Margaret Whitlam, social activist, wife of Gough Whitlam
87. Robyn Williams, science broadcaster
88. David Williamson, playwright
89. Tim Winton, novelist
90. Fiona Wood, physician
91. Roger Woodward, pianist
92. John Yu, medical doctor
93. Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Indigenous Australian leader

Deceased (formerly listed)

• Betty Archdale, cricketer, educator (d. 2000)
• Nancy Bird Walton, aviator (d. 2009)
• Arthur Boyd, artist (d. 1999)
• Sir Don Bradman, cricketer (d. 2001)
• Ruth Cracknell, actress (d. 2002)
• Sir Roden Cutler, World War II hero, Governor of New South Wales (d. 2002)
• Don Dunstan, politician, Premier of South Australia, social commentator (d. 1999)
• Slim Dusty, singer, entertainer (d. 2003)
• Donald Horne, academic, writer, author of The Lucky Country (d. 2005)
• Elizabeth Jolley, author (d. 2007)
• Edward (Ted) Matthews, World War I soldier and last Gallipoli survivor (d. 1997)
• Judith Wright McKinney, poet (d. 2000)
• Sir Mark Oliphant, physicist, Governor of South Australia (d. 2000)
• Margaret Olley, artist (d. 2011)
• Charles Perkins, Indigenous Australian leader (d. 2000)
• Mum (Shirl) Smith, Aboriginal Australian activist (d. 1998)
• Dame Joan Sutherland, opera singer (d. 2010)
• Mavis Taylor, humanitarian (d. 2007)
• The Rev Sir Alan Walker, social commentator/activist (d. 2003)
• Morris West, author (d. 1999)
• R. M. Williams, businessman (d. 2003)

Living (formerly listed)

• Marcus Einfeld, "disgraced former judge"