List of Australian of the Year award recipients - wikipedia List of Australian of the Year award recipients The Australian of the Year Award is given annually on Australia Day. The announcement of the award has become a major public event in Australia, and is televised nationwide. The award `` offers an insight into Australian identity, reflecting the nation 's evolving relationship with world, the role of sport in Australian culture, the impact of multiculturalism, and the special status of Australia 's Indigenous people ''. The award is unique in that it is sponsored by a national government and commands broad public support. The following is a list of the recipients of the Australian of the Year award. Year of award Name Post nominals Comments 1960 Sir Burnet, Macfarlane Macfarlane Burnet OM 1899 1985 Virologist ; 1960 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine co-recipient 1961 Sutherland, Joan Joan Sutherland CBE 1926 Opera singer 1962 Sturrock, Jock Jock Sturrock 1915 1997 Yachtsman 1963 Sir Eccles, John John Eccles 1903 1997 Neurophysiologist ; 1963 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine co-recipient 1964 Fraser, Dawn Dawn Fraser 1937 Swimmer ; gold medal winner at 1956, 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympic Games 1965 Helpmann, Robert Robert Helpmann CBE 1909 1986 Actor ; ballet dancer ; director 1966 Brabham, Jack Jack Brabham OBE 1926 2014 Racing driver ; Formula One champion in 1959, 1960 and 1966 1967 Seekers, The The Seekers N / A Music group 1968 Rose, Lionel Lionel Rose MBE 1948 2011 Boxer ; first Aboriginal Australian to win world boxing title ( 1968 ) 1969 Casey, Lord Lord Casey GCMG, CH, DSO, MC, PC 1890 1976 Politician, diplomat, Governor - General of Australia ( 1965 -- 1969 ) 1970 Cardinal Sir Gilroy, Norman Norman Gilroy KBE 1896 1977 Clergyman ; first Australian - born Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church 1971 Goolagong, Evonne Evonne Goolagong 1951 Tennis player 1972 Gould, Shane Shane Gould 1956 Swimmer ; winner of three gold medals, a silver and bronze in 1972 Summer Olympics 1973 White, Patrick Patrick White 1912 1990 Author ; 1973 Nobel Prize for Literature recipient Sir Heinze, Bernard Bernard Heinze 1894 1982 Conductor Cornforth, John John Cornforth AC, CBE 1917 2013 Scientist ; 1975 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recipient MAJGEN Stretton, Alan Alan Stretton AO, CBE 1922 2012 Australian Army officer ; managed Cyclone Tracy cleanup 1976 LTCOL Sir Dunlop, Edward Edward `` Weary '' Dunlop CMG, OBE 1907 1993 Military surgeon ; World War II prisoner of war 1977 Roe, Raigh Raigh Roe CBE 1922 2014 President of the Country Women 's Association Sir Tyrrell, Murray Murray Tyrrell KCVO, CBE 1913 1994 Official Secretary to six Governors - General 1978 Bond, Alan Alan Bond 1938 2015 Businessman Yunupingu, Galarrwuy Galarrwuy Yunupingu 1948 Native title activist 1979 Bonner, Neville Neville Bonner 1922 1999 First Aboriginal elected to the Parliament of Australia Butler, Harry Harry Butler OBE 1930 2015 Naturalist 1980 Clark, Manning Manning Clark AC 1915 1991 Historian 1981 Sir Crawford, John John Crawford 1910 1984 Economist 1982 Sir Williams, Edward Edward Williams KCMG, KBE, QC 1921 1999 Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland ; chairman of the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games Foundation de Castella, Robert Robert de Castella MBE 1957 Marathon runner 1984 O'Donoghue, Lowitja Lowitja O'Donoghue CBE 1932 Aboriginal health worker ; inaugural chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission ( 1990 -- 1996 ) 1985 Hogan, Paul Paul Hogan 1939 Actor 1986 Smith, Dick Dick Smith 1944 Entrepreneur Farnham, John John Farnham AO 1949 Singer, entertainer 1988 Cottee, Kay Kay Cottee AO 1954 First female sailor to perform a single - handed, non-stop circumnavigation of the world ( 1988 ) 1989 Border, Allan Allan Border AO 1955 Australian cricket team captain 1990 Hollows, Fred Fred Hollows 1921 1993 Ophthalmologist ; founder of The Fred Hollows Foundation 1991 Hollingworth, Peter Peter Hollingworth AC, OBE 1935 Bishop ; head, Brotherhood of St. Lawrence ; Governor General 1992 Yunupingu, Mandawuy Mandawuy Yunupingu 1956 2013 Singer, Yothu Yindi 1993 No award made : period of award changed from the previous year to the year ahead in 1994 ; i.e. Mandawuy Yunupingu was named Australian of the Year for 1992 in 1993 and Ian Kiernan was named Australian of the Year for 1994 in 1994 1994 Kiernan, Ian Ian Kiernan OAM 1940 Environmentalist ; founder of Clean Up Australia and Clean Up the World 1995 Boyd, Arthur Arthur Boyd AC, OBE 1920 1999 Painter Yu, John John Yu AM 1934 Paediatrician 1997 Doherty, Peter Peter Doherty AC 1940 Veterinarian ; immunologist ; 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recipient 1998 Freeman, Cathy Cathy Freeman 1973 Athlete ; also Young Australian of the Year in 1990 1999 Taylor, Mark Mark Taylor AO 1964 Australian cricket team captain 2000 Sir Nossal, Gustav Gustav Nossal AC, CBE 1931 Biologist 2001 LTGEN Cosgrove, Peter Peter Cosgrove AC, MC 1947 Commander of the International Force for East Timor ( 1999 - 2000 ) Chief of Army ( 2000 -- 02 ) Chief of the Defence Force ( 2002 -- 05 ) Governor - General of Australia ( 2014 -- present ) 2002 Rafter, Pat Pat Rafter 1972 Tennis player 2003 Stanley, Fiona Fiona Stanley AC 1946 Epidemiologist Waugh, Steve Steve Waugh AO 1965 Australian cricket team captain and humanitarian 2005 Wood, Fiona Fiona Wood AM 1958 Plastic surgeon ; worked with victims of the 2002 Bali bombings 2006 Frazer, Ian Ian Frazer 1953 Immunologist 2007 Flannery, Tim Tim Flannery 1956 Scientist ; global warming activist 2008 Kernaghan, Lee Lee Kernaghan OAM 1964 Singer 2009 Dodson, Mick Mick Dodson AM 1950 Indigenous leader McGorry, Patrick Patrick McGorry AO 1953 Psychiatrist 2011 McKeon, Simon Simon McKeon AO 1955 Philanthropist businessman 2012 Rush, Geoffrey Geoffrey Rush 1951 Australian actor and film producer 2013 Buttrose, Ita Ita Buttrose AO, OBE 1942 Australian journalist and businesswoman, founding editor of Cleo 2014 Goodes, Adam Adam Goodes 1980 Australian rules footballer and indigenous community leader 2015 Batty, Rosie Rosie Batty 1962 Domestic violence campaigner 2016 LTGEN Morrison, David David Morrison AO 1956 Commitment to gender equality, diversity and inclusion 2017 Mackay - Sim, Alan Alan Mackay - Sim 1951 Biomedical scientist treating spinal cord injuries 2018 Simmons, Michelle Michelle Simmons 1967 Scientia Professor of Quantum Physics in the Faculty of Science at the University of New South Wales Plaque for the 1971 recipient Evonne Goolagong on the Australians of the Year Walk See also List of Senior Australian of the Year Award recipients List of Young Australian of the Year Award recipients List of Australian Local Hero Award recipients List of South Australian of the Year Award recipients References Jump up ^ http://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/the-awards/awards-history/ Jump up ^ Australian of the Year - Honour Roll Jump up ^ Lewis, Wendy ( 2010 ). Australians of the Year. Pier 9 Press. ISBN 978 - 1 - 74196 - 809 - 5. Jump up ^ http://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/honour-roll/?view=fullView&year=2010&recipientID=192 Jump up ^ http://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/honour-roll/?view=fullView&year=2011&recipientID=462 Jump up ^ http://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/honour-roll/?view=fullView&year=2012&recipientID=882 Jump up ^ `` Australian of the Year 2013 recipients announced '' ( Press release ). National Australia Day Committee. 2013. Jump up ^ `` Australian of the Year : Rosie Batty awarded top honour for efforts to stop family violence ''. ABC News. Australia. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Former Army chief David Morrison named Australian of the Year ''. ABC News. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016. Winners of the Australian of the Year Award 1960 Frank Macfarlane Burnet 1961 Joan Sutherland 1962 Jock Sturrock 1963 John Eccles 1964 Dawn Fraser 1965 Robert Helpmann 1966 Jack Brabham 1967 The Seekers 1968 Lionel Rose 1969 Lord Casey 1970 Norman Gilroy 1971 Evonne Goolagong 1972 Shane Gould 1973 Patrick White 1974 Bernard Heinze 1975 John Cornforth / Alan Stretton 1976 Edward Dunlop 1977 Raigh Roe / Murray Tyrrell 1978 Alan Bond / Galarrwuy Yunupingu 1979 Neville Bonner / Harry Butler 1980 Manning Clark 1981 John Crawford 1982 Edward Williams 1983 Robert de Castella 1984 Lowitja O'Donoghue 1985 Paul Hogan 1986 Dick Smith 1987 John Farnham 1988 Kay Cottee 1989 Allan Border 1990 Fred Hollows 1991 Peter Hollingworth 1992 Mandawuy Yunupingu 1993 no award 1994 Ian Kiernan 1995 Arthur Boyd 1996 John Yu 1997 Peter Doherty 1998 Cathy Freeman 1999 Mark Taylor 2000 Gustav Nossal 2001 Peter Cosgrove 2002 Pat Rafter 2003 Fiona Stanley 2004 Steve Waugh 2005 Fiona Wood 2006 Ian Frazer 2007 Tim Flannery 2008 Lee Kernaghan 2009 Mick Dodson 2010 Patrick McGorry 2011 Simon McKeon 2012 Geoffrey Rush 2013 Ita Buttrose 2014 Adam Goodes 2015 Rosie Batty 2016 David Morrison 2017 Alan Mackay - Sim 2018 Michelle Simmons Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Australian_of_the_Year_Award_recipients&oldid=822615717 '' Categories : Lists of award winners Australian of the Year Award winners Hidden categories : Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages Articles with hCards Talk View source About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 27 January 2018, at 13 : 13. 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Question: who won the australian of the year in 1998
Answer: Cathy Freeman