2023 Australian of the Year

Celebrate the eight extraordinary state and territory recipients of the 2023 Australian of the Year Awards, including national winner Taryn Brumfitt. Learn about their lives, aspirations and experiences through objects of personal significance.

The 2023 Australian of the Year exhibition was on show at the National Museum of Australia from 14 December 2022 to 19 February 2023. It is available for touring.

Taryn Brumfitt

Olympia Yarger

Craig Foster

Samuel Bush-Blanasi

William Barton

John Kamara

Angraj Khillan

Samar Aoun

Explore the objects

The National Museum of Australia uses objects to tell stories, to connect with others and make us think. We asked the Australian of the Year recipients from each state and territory to choose an object of personal significance to go on display. Each object tells us something about their lives, aspirations and experiences.

A control panel made from pieces of wood nailed and taped together to form a box. On the top are three silver, metal switches and three green, glass lights. - click to view larger image — ‘Maggot Robot’ control panel from Olympia Yarger

A black, cotton t-shirt with '#SaveHakeem' painted in yellow across the chest. Below this are two signatures written in white. - click to view larger image — #SaveHakeem t-shirt from Craig Foster

A grey polo shirt shirt with black details and three grey buttons at the neck. Embroidered in black on the proper right chest are the words 'Learning / on Country' underlined in red and yellow. There is also embroidery on the proper left chest depicting a yellow, red, black and white Rainbow Serpent with the words 'NORTHERN / LAND COUNCIL / Our Land, Our Sea, Our Life' in black and blue. A photo of two men and a photo of woman sit adjacent. - click to view larger image — T-shirt and family photographs from Samuel Bush-Blanasi

A pair of cylindrical, wooden clapsticks with tapered ends, and bands of dark brown on the surface of the wood. - click to view larger image — Clapsticks from William Barton

An artwork in the form of a cube with a set of nine portraits on each side accompanied by the words 'THE / Embrace / hub'. Each portrait has a plain background in one of six colours, including blue, green, red, orange, yellow and pink. - click to view larger image — *Embrace Unpuzzled* from Taryn Brumfitt

An artwork printed on white photo paper depicting five people from different cultural groups gathered at a table. On the table are cakes, a set of scales, and a graduation hat. In the background is a blue sky with a several crowds of people near the top left corner. - click to view larger image — *Embracing the Human Struggles* from John Kamara

A white ceramic coffee cup with a colour portrait of a man on one side. Printed over the man's head is a yellow crown, and to the right is black text that reads 'King / of the / Kids'. A colour photograph of a man and child sits adjacent. - click to view larger image — Coffee mug and photograph from Angraj Khillan

A star shaped medal with white, red and green enamel hanging from a green enamelled wreath; attached to a red and green ribbon. The medal is in a rectangular, red box with cream velvet lining and white satin. - click to view larger image — Medal from Samar Aoun

Other categories

Meet the Australians nominated for senior, young and local hero awards.

20 Years of Australia’s Local Hero Award

The 2010 Local Hero, Ronni Kahn, has created a special artwork to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the award.

Supporters

The 2023 Australian of the Year exhibition was developed by the National Museum of Australia in collaboration with the National Australia Day Council. Portrait images supplied by the National Australia Day Council.

The National Australia Day Council would like to thank the following sponsors for their continued support of the Australian of the Year Awards program:

Logos of organisations supporting the Australian of the Year 2023 including the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Government Department of Education, Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, ABC, The Canberra Times, International Day of People with Disability, Crowne Plaza, Australian National University, National Museum of Australia and MinterEllison.

Annual exhibition Australian of the Year

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