2021 Australian of the Year Awards | National Museum of Australia

Celebrate the 8 extraordinary state and territory recipients of the 2021 Australian of the Year Awards, including national winner Grace Tame. Learn about their lives, aspirations and experiences through objects of personal significance.

The 2021 Australian of the Year Awards exhibition is on show at:

State Library of Western Australia, Perth, 5 June to 25 July 2021
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, 13 August to 26 September 2021

Grace Tame

Shane Fitzsimmons

Donna Stolzenberg

Dinesh Palipana

Helen Milroy

Tanya Hosch

Brendan Murphy

Wendy Page

Explore the objects

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

A blue scrub with pockets featuring multiple signatures across the front. - click to view larger image — Medical scrubs from Dinesh Palipana

Black and white photograph of a smiling woman holding a sleeping baby. The woman is wearing a T-shirt printed with the text: ‘THANKS’ and a shell necklace around her neck. - click to view larger image — Photograph from Tanya Hosch

Intricately carved statue of a seated mythological figure which features the head of an elephant and the body of a man. The figure has multiple arms which are in a series of poses or holding objects. - click to view larger image — Statuette of Ganesh from Donna Stolzenberg

A trophy which features a brass nozzle from a fire hose engraved with the text ‘COMMISSIONER SHANE FITZSIMMONS’ mounted on a wooden base. A plaque fixed to one side is printed with the text: ‘PRESENTED TO COMMISSIONER SHANE FITZSIMMONS / A FORMER CAPTAIN AND LIFE MEMBER / OF A VERY PROUD DUFFYS FOREST RURAL FIRE BRIGADE / MARCH 2008. - click to view larger image — Rural Fire Brigade award from Shane Fitzsimmons

Composite image of a necklace on the left which features a long metal chain and a bird pendant with a small circular pattern. The painting on the right, features colourful imagery including the sun, the moon, clouds and stars, and a star-shaped figure in the centre. - click to view larger image — Necklace and The Dance of Life from Helen Milroy

An A4-sized booklet with plastic binding features a front cover with the text: ‘#LET HER SPEAK / 5000 SIGNATURES / FOR LAW REFORM’. - click to view larger image — Book of signatures from Grace Tame

COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan from Brendan Murphy

A turquoise shirt that features navy blue lining, white buttons and an embroidered patch featuring an ocean scene with a seagull, two Dolphins and the sun on the horizon. Underneath is embroidered text: ‘MIWATJ HEALTH’. - click to view larger image — Miwatj Health shirt from Wendy Page

Framed illustration of a sombre scene with a man and a woman wearing peasant clothing. Their heads are bowed and the woman is clasping her hands in the form of prayer. They both are looking down towards the ground which appears barren and features a basket. Below the illustration is the text: ‘THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS / PHILIPPIANS IV:7’. - click to view larger image — Serenity prayer from Wendy Page

Explore other categories

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

Touring exhibition

If you are interested in hosting the exhibition, please email touring@nma.gov.au

Supporters

The 2021 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:

This exhibition was also on show at:

Albany Public Library, Western Australia, 9 April to 28 May 2021
National Museum of Australia, Canberra, 16 December 2020 to 10 February 2021

Annual exhibition Australian of the Year Awards

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