Ambassadors

Australia Day Ambassadors

The Australia Day Ambassador Program, sponsored by Woolworths, sends high achieving Australians to community Australia Day celebrations all over NSW.

Australia Day Ambassadors are invited as guests of honour at celebrations around the state and are often part of the activities and events on the day. As part of the celebrations, Ambassadors are asked to deliver the keynote address which captures the true spirit of being Australian.

The Program commenced in 1990 with 9 Ambassadors which has steadily grown over the years. Each year, more than 170 Ambassadors take part in celebrations across the state from Auburn and Albury to Burwood and Broken Hill to Wyong, Yass and Young.

Australia Day Ambassadors come from a wide range of fields and include: sports heroes, celebrities, writers, artists, business people, environmentalists, scientists, and community workers.

The one thing that Ambassadors have in common is their love for Australia Day and their generosity in giving up their time. As Australia Day Ambassadors they get to experience the warmth and charm of communities across NSW as they celebrate Australia Day.

The Ambassador Program is proudly sponsored by:


Ambassador Credentials Council
Alan Whelpton AO President, International Life saving Federation Inverell Shire Council
Allanah Zitserman AFI Best Original Screen Play Award Winner Albury City Council
Amber Lawrence Country Singer Newcastle City Council
Amelia Farrugia Opera Singer Manly Council
Andrew Dunkley ABC Radio Host - Dubbo Gilgandra Shire Council
Andrew Lock Mountaineer Warringah Council - Forestville
Andrew Penfold Indigenous Education Advocate - NSW Young Australian of the Year Finalist (2010) Warringah Council - Dee Why
Andy Paschalidis Sports Presenter / Commentator Bogan Shire Council
Ann Snell Director - Ann Snell Gallery Byron Shire Council
Anna Rose Co-Director Australia Youth Climate Coalition Gunnedah Shire Council
Barbra Holborow OAM Children's advocate and former Magistrate Dubbo City Council
Barclay Wade Olympian - Rowing, Tokyo 1964 / S.O.C.O.G Balranald Shire Council
Benita Collings Actor Parramatta City Council
Bernard Salt Business Advisor, Author, Speaker, Columnist Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council
Bob Hughes 2BL Radio Announcer Rockdale City Council
Brenda Edbrooke Community Leader Bega Valley Shire Council - Merimbula
Brian McGuigan AM McGuigan's Wines Owner Gloucester Shire Council
Brielle Davis Singer Blayney Shire Council
Bruce Elder Writer / Music Journalist Gosford City Council
Bruce Venables Actor / Author Carrathool Shire Council
Bunny Gibson Actor Coonamble Shire Council - Gulargambone
Carmel Travers TV Presenter Narromine Shire Council
Catherine De Vrye Author Palerang Shire Council – Bungendore
Catherine De Vrye Author Palerang Shire Council – Captains Flat Community
Craig Foster Sports Journalist / Former Socceroos Player Lismore City Council
Craig Goozee OAM Ultra-Marathoner Warrumbungle Shire Council – Coolah
Damian Rice Actor Eurobodalla Shire Council - Batemans Bay
Darren Coggan Singer / Actor Shellharbour City Council
David Hall OAM Wheelchair Tennis Liverpool City Council
Debbie Watson OAM Olympic Medallist - Water Polo, Sydney 2000 Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council
Denise Beckwith Paralympic Medallist - Swimming, Sydney 2000 Harden Shire Council
Diana Fisher OAM Radio / TV Personality Yass Valley Council
Dianna Hammond Singer / TV Personality Hornsby Shire Council
Dick Smith Entrepreneur Wollongong City Council
Digby Moran Artist / Painter Mid-Western Regional Council
Don Burke TV Presenter Marrickville Council
Don Hazelwood AO Concert Master / Violinist Boorowa Council
Don Spencer Children's Entertainer and Founder Australian Children's Music Foundation North Sydney Council
Donnie Sutherland OAM Radio Presenter Cessnock City Council
Donny Galella Fashion designer and stylist Randwick City Council
Dr Anthony Pun OAM Community Leader Cootamundra Shire Council
Dr Clio Cresswell Mathematician / Writer / Media Personality Bombala Shire Council
Dr David Butcher CEO Greening Australia Eurobodalla Shire Council – Narooma and Moruya
Dr Maurice Saxby AM Author Walcha Council
Dr Peter Spitzer The Humour Foundation Co-Founder / Chairman / Medical Director Bellingen Shire Council
Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM Former Human Rights Commissioner Goulburn Mulwaree Shire Council – Marulan
Dr Steve Graham Associate Professor of International Child Health Gundagai Shire Council
Dr Tu'uhevaha Kaitu'u-Lino Monash Institute of Medical Research Hunters Hill Council
Elaine Henry OAM CEO, The Smith Family Pittwater Council
Elma Fleming Community Service / NSW Local Hero 2006 City of Canada Bay Council
Esther McKay Author Hawkesbury City Council
Fr Chris Riley AM Founder & CEO, Youth Off The Streets Deniliquin Sun Festival
Gabrielle Clark Special Olympian - Swimming / Golfer Cowra Shire Council
Gareth McCray Radio Presenter - Macquarie Radio United Australian Lebanese Movement Inc.
Gary Dawson OAM Golfer / Keynote Speaker Cobar Shire Council
Gary O'Callaghan MBE Radio Presenter Muswellbrook Shire Council
Gerry Tatrai Ultra Marathon Cyclist  
Glenn A Baker Rock Music Historian Lithgow City Council
Glenn Sargeant Finalist - 2005 NSW AOTY - Local Hero Tweed Shire Council
Glenn Wheeler TV & Radio Presenter Junee Shire Council
Graham Annesley Former NRL Referee / NRL Executive Member Warren Shire Council
Graham Ross TV Presenter Penrith Council
Grahame Bond TV Presenter Ulladulla Milton Lions Club
Grahame Murphy Adventurer Temora Shire Council
Guy Cooper Former Director and CEO Taronga Conservation society of Australia Bland Shire Council
Ian Rogerson Radio Presenter Mosman City Council
Iris Wallis 'Grandfriends' Founder Uralla Australia Day Committee
Iva Davies Singer / Composer Campbelltown City Council
James Pittar Endurance Swimmer Dungog Shire Council
Jan Strom Community Leader Coffs Harbour City Council
Jeffrey Candiloro Scientist/ Space Advocate Glen Innes Severn Council
Jeremy Kewley Actor Coonamble Shire Council - Coonamble
Jeremy Roff Ausralian Athletics Representative / Junior Coach Parramatta City Council
Jill B Bruce Author and Educator Wollondilly Shire Council
Jimmy Little AO Country Music Entertainer Tamworth Regional Council – Barraba
John Harper Founder, Mate-Helping-Mate Wakool Shire Council
John Stanley Radio Presenter - 2UE Bankstown City Council
John Wall World Masters Athlete Bourke Shire Council
Jonathan Coleman Comedian / Radio Personality Mosman City Council
Jonathan King Historical Author and Public Speaker for Australian History Brewarrina Shire Council
Judy Nunn Actor / Author Carrathool Shire Council
Judy Stone AM Entertainer Woollahra Municipal Council
Julie Higgins OAM Paralympic Medallist - Equestrian, Sydney 2000 Warringah Council - Narrabeen
Julie Iles Paralympian - Discuss, Shotput, Javlin - Athens 2004 Waverley Council
Karen Banton CEO, Bernie Banton Foundation Walcha Council
Karen Hughes Celebrity Chef Port Stephens Council
Krystel Keller Singer Kyogle Shire Council – East
Lauchlan McIntosh AM Advocate and Senior Executive Snowy River Shire Council
Lauren Djamirze World Sport Aerobic Champion Canterbury City Council
Libby Hathorn Author Richmond Valley Council
Linda Emery Historical Researcher and Author Wingecarribee Shire Council
Lindsay Fox AC Founder Linfox Transport Kogarah Council
Lindy Hou OAM Paralympic Medallist - Cycling, Athens 2004 Tamworth Regional Council – Manilla
Little Pattie OAM Entertainer Moree Plains Shire
Lorrae Desmond MBE Actor Murray Shire Council
Lyndey Milan Celebrity Chef Port Macquarie Hastings Council
Margy Osmond CEO of Australian National Retailers Association Fairfield City Council
Marie Kay World Masters Athlete Upper Lachlan Shire Council
Mark Tonelli Olympic Swimmer / Journalist / TV Presenter Tamworth Regional Council – Nundle
Mary McLaren Community Service / NSW Local Hero 2006 Murrumbidgee Shire Council
Mary Moody Gardening Expert / Author / TV Presenter / Journalist Liverpool Plains Shire Council
Mary-Ruth Mendel Speech & Language Pathologist Clarence Valley Council
Matt McFadyen Adventurer and Motivational Speaker Yass Valley Council
Matthew Levy Paralympian - Swimming, Athens 2004 Trangie Action Group
Meaghan Starr Paralympian - Athletics, Sydney 2000 Auburn Council & Sydney Olympic Park Authority
Melissa Medlicott Olympian - Athletics, Sydney 2000 Tumut Shire Council
Michael West Scientist / YAOTY 2006 Finalist Wentworth Shire Council
Mike Bailey Journalist / Broadcaster / Weather Presenter Wellington Council
Mike Conway Managing Director, The Wiggles The HIlls Shire Council
Nathan Wilmot Olympic Yachter Penrith Council
Neville Roach AO Emeritus Chairman, Australia-India Business Council Willoughby City Council
Nicholas Gleeson Adventurer / Paralympian - Athletics Ryde City Council
Nina Funnell NSW Young Australian of the Year - Finalist Armidale Dumaresq Council
Noel Cleal Former Rugby League Player Narrabri Shire Council
Noeline Brown Entertainer Urana Shire Council
Norma Roach Community Leader Queanbeyan City Council
Norman May AM Sports Commentator Nambucca Shire Council
Olya Booyar Deputy Director, Classification Board Upper Hunter Shire Council – Merriwa
Paul Featherstone BM NSW Ambulance SCAT Team - Senior Instructor Kempsey Shire Council
Paula Duncan AM Actor Cabonne Shire Council
Penny Cook TV Presenter / Actor Coolamon Shire Council
Peter Brooks Paralympic Medallist - Cycling, Athens 2004 Central Darling Shire Council
Peter Hadfield Olympian - Track & Field Sydney Harbour
Peter Herbert Screenwriter / Producer Oberon Council
Peter Wilkins TV Presenter / Sports Commentator Bathurst Regional Council
Peter Wynn Rugby League Legend Botany Bay Regatta
Petria Thomas Olympic Medallist - Swimming Palerang Shire Council – Braidwood
Prashanth Shanmugan Humanitarian & Human Rights Advocate Narrandera Shire Council
Prof Ronald McCallum AO Professor of Industrial Law Greater Hume Shire Council
Prudence Watt Paralympic Medallist - Swimming, Athens 2004 Broken Hill Council
Prue MacSween TV & radio presenter  
Rachel Coxon Biomedical Engineer / 2008 NSW YAOTY Finalist Lockhart Shire Council
Ray Price OAM Former Rugby League Player Forbes Shire Council
Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas AM CSC RAN Deputy Chief of Navy Hay Shire Council
Rick Timperi Olympian - Boxing, Atlanta 1992 & 1996  
Robyn Moore Voice of Blinky Bill / Key Note Speaker Blue Mountains City Council
Ron Delezio Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Day of Difference Foundation Parkes Shire Council
Roxanne Minchin Artist Greater Taree City Council
Ryan Clark Lifeguard, Bondi Rescue - Channel 10 Orange City Council
Sandra Morgan-Beavis Olympic Medallist - Swimming, Melbourne 1956 Warrumbungle Shire Council – Coonabarabran
Sarah Garnett Founder, Footpath Library Shoalhaven City Council
Scott Brockenshire Paralympic Medallist - Swimming, Sydney 2000 Guyra Shire Council
Scott McGregor TV Presenter Gwydir Shire Council – Warialda
Shane Gould Olympian - Swimmer Ballina Shire Council
Shannon Nott Rural Health Crusader: NSW Young Australian of the Year Finalist (2010) Burwood Council
Special Olympics Dance Group Dance Group of Special Olympic Athletes Newcastle City Council
Stepan Kerkyasharian AM HON DLITT Chairperson, Community Relations Commission Blacktown City Council
Sue Ismiel Creator of 'Nads' Hurstville City Council
Sue-Ellen Lovett Paralympian - Equestrian, Sydney 2000 Young Shire Council
Susie Elelman Media Personality / TV Presenter Tamworth Regional Council – Tamworth
Susie Maroney OAM Ultra-marathon Swimmer Kiama Municipal Council
The Hon. Milton Morris AO Community Leader Maitland City Council
Tim Shaw Media Personality Griffith City Council
Toireasa Gallagher Paralympian - Cycling, Athens 2004 Tenterfield Shire Council
Tony Hasham AM Businessman / Philanthropist Great Lakes Council
Tony Trimmingham Senior Australian of the Year - Finalist Weddin Shire Council
Valerie Parv Author Cooma-Monaro Shire Council
Vanessa Crisp Artist / Designer Goulburn Mulwaree Shire Council
Warren Mundine Former ALP President / Indigenous Businessman Ashfield Municipal Council
Warren Potent Olympian - Shooting, Athens 2004 Gwydir Shire Council – Bingara
Warwick Nowland World Superbike Champion Corowa Shire Council
Wayne Scott Kermond Actor / Dancer Strathfield Municipal Council
Wayne Sharpe Paralympian - Powerlifting, Athens 2004 Lachlan Shire Council
Yeojin Bae Fashion Designer The HIlls Shire Council
Yianni Johns Artist Wyong Shire Council