Australian of the Year 2024, Australian Open Results
by Reshwanth A | Updated Jan 25, 2024
Australian of the Year 2024
In 2024, Prof Georgina Long and Prof Richard Scolyer, researchers from Sydney, have been named Australians of the Year for their important work in treating melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Their use of immunotherapy has saved many lives, making a once deadly disease mostly curable. Yalmay Yunupiŋu, from Yirrkala, Northern Territory, has been named Senior Australian of the Year for her work in teaching two languages, preserving the Yolŋu Matha language and culture, and bringing people together.
Swimmer Emma McKeon is the Young Australian of the Year for breaking records and inspiring others with her hard work and passion for swimming. Lastly, David Elliott from Winton, Queensland, is the Local Hero for co-founding the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum of natural history and working hard to preserve Australia's rich heritage.
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Australian Open Results
Senior Australian of the Year: Yalmay Yunupingu
Yalmay Yunupingu, an elder and advocate for Indigenous education, has been awarded the Senior Australian of the Year. She works hard to teach the Yolngu Matha language and English at the Yirrkala Bilingual School.
Her work helps keep Indigenous languages alive and promotes different cultures in schools. She started by translating Dr. Seuss books into her Indigenous language, showing her strong commitment to helping kids learn.
Young Australian of the Year: Emma McKeon
Emma McKeon, a very successful Olympian swimmer, has been named the Young Australian of the Year. Her hard work and success make her a role model for young athletes and dreamers. She went from dreaming about swimming to breaking records at the Olympics.
McKeon loves swimming and wants to inspire others to follow their dreams.
Local Hero of the Year: David Elliott
David Elliott has won the Local Hero of the Year award for his work in palaeontology and northern Queensland's cultural landscape. He found dinosaur bones by chance, and that led to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History. His passion has brought attention to the area's history and natural beauty, and he's helped the local community.
Australian of the Year
The Australian of the Year is a prestigious national award given to an Australian citizen by the National Australia Day Council, which is a not-for-profit organization owned by the Australian Government.
This social enterprise also bestows similar awards at the state and territory level, recognizing outstanding individuals across the country for their contributions and achievements. These awards serve to celebrate and honor those who have made significant and positive impacts on the nation, embodying the values and spirit of Australia.
Australian of the Year History
The Australian of the Year award has been an important part of the Australia Day celebrations, becoming more and more significant as one of the nation's top honors. The announcement of the Australian of the Year has become a big part of the annual Australia Day events, turning into a public event with the Canberra ceremony shown all over the country.
This award helps people understand what it means to be Australian by showing how the country is changing in relation to the world, the importance of sports in Australian culture, the impact of having many different cultures, and the special place of Indigenous Australians. It has also led to lively discussions about which areas of work deserve the most recognition.
The program wants to encourage people to be active citizens and to make certain people into role models. To do this, three more awards have been added, recognizing both Young and Senior Australians, and honoring the work of those who are making a difference in their local communities through the "Australia's Local Hero" award.
Australian of the Year Overview
Awarded for
Contributing to positive change in Australia
Sponsored by
Australia Post
Date
25 January
Country
Australia
Presented by
National Australia Day Council
Motto
Reflect. Respect. Celebrate.
First awarded
1960; 64 years ago
Network
ABC TV
Australian of the Year 2024 - FAQs
Prof Georgina Long and Prof Richard Scolyer, researchers from Sydney, were named Australians of the Year for their groundbreaking work in treating melanoma, a type of skin cancer, using immunotherapy to make it mostly curable.
Yalmay Yunupiŋu, from Yirrkala, Northern Territory, has been named Senior Australian of the Year for her exceptional work in teaching two languages, preserving the Yolŋu Matha language and culture, and promoting cultural diversity.
Swimmer Emma McKeon has been named the Young Australian of the Year for her record-breaking achievements and inspiring dedication to swimming, serving as a role model for young athletes and dreamers.
David Elliott from Winton, Queensland, is the Local Hero for co-founding the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum of natural history and working tirelessly to preserve Australia's rich heritage.
The Australian of the Year award is a prestigious national honor given to an Australian citizen by the National Australia Day Council, recognizing outstanding individuals for their contributions and achievements, embodying the values and spirit of Australia.