Australian of the Year: Inspiring a Nation

Editorial

The Australian of the Year awards have often provoked controversy, not only in regard to who is selected because of their remarkable individual achievement from the hundreds of nominations received; but also regarding what it means to be Australian.

Awarded annually by the Australia Day Council, four different Award categories exist to celebrate the achievements and contributions of eminent Australians to society: Young Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Australia's Local Hero and the Australian of the Year award proper.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Australian of the Year award, this new exhibition draws on the collection of the National Portrait Gallery to showcase some of the many remarkable individuals to have received the prestigious award since it was first presented in 1960 to the groundbreaking medical researcher Sir Macfarlane Burnet.

Writers such as Patrick White, singers and entertainers from Dame Joan Sutherland to Lee Kernaghan, and sportsmen and women such as Kay Cottee and Cathy Freeman have all received the Australian of the Year award over the years. This exhibition reflects that diversity with portraits, sculptures, paintings and photographs of such eminent and much loved Australians.

Richard Watts, Citysearch