Australia is a nation of people who, every day of the year, roll up their sleeves to get the job done.
From life-changing work in science and space to vital contributions in health, education, the arts and social change, these people are leaving a lasting impact on our nation.
And they deserve to be recognised.
The Australian of the Year Awards do just that by celebrating Australians who make an extraordinary contribution to their community and the nation.
These awards have four categories: Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year, and Australia’s Local Hero. It only takes a few minutes to nominate someone, and self-nominations are not accepted.
South Australia has a proud record of honouring champions who take their impact far beyond our state, including Katherine Bennell-Pegg who made history as the first Australian to qualify as an astronaut under Australia’s space program.
After being named the 2026 Australian of the Year for South Australian, Katherine went on to represent our state on the national stage and was named the 2026 Australian of the Year. Other recipients for 2026 were:
- Senior Australian of the Year for South Australia - Meteorological researcher Malcolm Benoy
- Senior Australian of the Year for South Australia - Sound designer James Currie
- Young Australian of the Year for South Australia - Mental health advocate Chloe Wyatt-Jasper
- Local Hero for South Australia - Community leader Ayesha Fariha Safdar.
If you know someone who goes above and beyond to lead, innovate and create meaningful change, nominate them now for the 2027 Australian of the Year Awards.
Nominations close on 31 July 2026. For more information, visit the Australia of the Year website.
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