Australia Day Ambassadors
Up to 100 inspirational Australians speak about what it truly means to be Australian at community events across NSW each year.
Each year, up to 100 remarkable Australia Day Ambassadors participate in Australia Day activities around NSW, inspiring communities, sharing knowledge and insights from their extraordinary and diverse backgrounds and stories of what it means to be Australian.
From celebrity chefs, elite athletes, mathematicians, world renown academics, environmentalists and farmers to creative arts advocates and local heroes, these high-achieving individuals will head to all corners of NSW on 26 January, volunteering their time and energy to support local festivities, and connect with communities encouraged to come together this Australia Day to Reflect, Respect and Celebrate the Australian spirit and our diversity.
Roles and responsibilities
The activities of the Ambassadors on Australia Day are as diverse as the communities and events themselves.
For over three decades, Ambassadors have generously volunteered their time and energy through the Ambassador Program to celebrate community spirit, inspire national pride in local communities and share their uplifting stories in celebrating our diverse culture.
Out in their communities, they participate in all manner of activities like hand out Australia Day community awards, judge lamington competitions, preside over thong-throwing challenges, help cook sausage sizzles and mingle with locals over a cup of tea. To visiting local libraries to do a special reading, join local community Australia Day sports matches or head to the community Australia Day pool party.
Ambassadors may also give an address that captures the spirit of being Australian and present certificates at awards ceremonies.
2024 Ambassadors
A full list of 2024 NSW Australia Day Ambassadors and the communities they will visit;
Please note this information was current at the date of publishing but may change due to unforeseen circumstances. Local towns who are hosts to Ambassadors are notified separately of any changes to their assigned Ambassador.
|
LGA |
Ambassador |
Ambassador Credential |
|
Armidale Regional Council - Armidale |
Mr Michael James Crossland |
Motivational Speaker, Humanitarian, International Best-selling Author |
|
Balranald Shire Council |
Mr Eren Incekara |
Pilot – Little Wings |
|
Bathurst Regional Council
|
Miss Lottie Dalziel
|
2023 NSW Young Australian of the Year/ Founder of Banish
|
|
Bega Valley Shire Council |
Mr Warwick Nowland |
World Superbike Champion |
|
Blacktown City Council |
Mr Brad Farmer AM |
Australia’s Official Beach Ambassador |
|
Bland Shire Council |
Mrs Robyn Moore AM |
Voice of Blinky Bill, Keynote Speaker & Voice Over Artist |
|
Blayney Shire Council |
Mr Ron Delezio |
Co-Founder & Co-Director of Day of Difference Foundation |
|
Bogan Shire Council |
Mr Peter Wilkins |
Former TV Presenter & Sports Commentator |
|
Bourke Shire Council |
Mr Andrew Lock OAM |
Mountaineer |
|
Brewarrina Shire Council |
Mr Ronald Simpson |
Jockey |
|
Broken Hill City Council |
Ms Catriona Rowntree |
TV Presenter |
|
Burwood Council |
Ms Kath Koschel |
Former Cricket Player and Founder of the Kindness Factory |
|
Cabonne Council |
Mr Keith Potger AO |
Founding member of The Seekers |
|
Camden Council |
Ms Amar Hadid |
Professional Skateboarder |
|
Campbelltown City Council |
Mr Bryce Collins |
Junior International Athletics Champion - Hurdles |
|
Canterbury - Bankstown Council |
Mr Bob Turner |
Sports & Business Executive |
|
Carrathool Shire Council |
Ms Debbie Watson OAM OLY |
Olympic Medallist - Water Polo, Sydney 2000 |
|
Cessnock City Council |
Mr & Mrs Roger & Lana Borg |
Founders of Mama Lana’s Community Foundation, 2015 NSW Australia's Local Hero finalist |
|
City Of Canada Bay Council |
Mrs Samantha Hollier |
Co-Founder, Tour de Cure |
|
City of Parramatta |
Professor Veena Sahajwalla FAA FTSE HonFIEAust CPEng |
Inventor |
|
City Of Ryde Council |
Mr Christopher Cheng |
Author |
|
Cobar Shire Council |
Ms Emma Rossi |
Media Executive and Former TV Presenter |
|
Coolamon Shire Council |
Mrs Sandra Ireson |
2017 NSW-ACT Rural Women’s Award Winner |
|
Coonamble Shire Council - Coonamble
|
Ms Carolyn Mee |
Founder of Sound Scouts |
|
Coonamble Shire Council - Gulargambone |
Mr Michael Tomalaris |
SBS Journalist |
|
Cootamundra Gundagai Council - Cootamundra |
Mr Ethan Butson |
Scientist and Inventor |
|
Cootamundra Gundagai Council - Gundagai |
Mr Mark Warren |
Commentator |
|
Cowra Shire Council |
Ms Viv Kartsounis |
Founder of Shoes for Planet Earth |
|
Cumberland Council |
Ms Amelia Farrugia |
Opera Singer |
|
Dubbo Regional Council - Dubbo |
Mr Sam Cawthorn |
Motivational Speaker - Empowering Enterprises |
|
Dubbo Regional Council - Wellington |
Mr Rhys Muldoon |
Actor |
|
Dungog Shire Council |
Mr David Hall OAM |
Wheelchair Tennis Player |
|
Fairfield City Council |
Ms Kumud Merani |
Former Producer SBS Radio, Premier's Multicultural Media Award Winner 2013, Freelancer Actor |
|
Federation Council - Corowa |
Mr Anupam Sharma |
Film Director |
|
Forbes Shire Council |
Mr Paul Featherstone BM ASM |
Senior Instructor For NSW Ambulance Scat Team |
|
Georges River Council |
Ms Amanda Rose |
Founder - Business Women Media, Trainer, Business consultant & Keynote speaker. |
|
Gilgandra Shire Council |
Mr James Pittar |
Endurance Swimmer |
|
Glen Innes Severn Council |
Mr Corey Payne |
NSW Young Australian of the Year 2013 & Former NRL Player |
|
Greater Hume Shire Council |
Mr Allan Sparkes CV OAM VA FRSN |
Former Deputy Commissioner of the Mental Health Commission of NSW / Author / Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Advocate |
|
Griffith City Council |
Ms Susanne Gervay OAM |
Childrens Author |
|
Gunnedah Shire Council |
Mr Todd Mckenney |
Singer/Dancer/'dancing With The Stars Judge' |
|
Gwydir Council - Warialda |
Ms Isabella Bain |
Nominee 2021 Young Australian of the Year, Co-Founder of Ambient and Co and World Champion Athlete |
|
Hawkesbury City Council |
Mr Ricardo Goncalves |
Journalist and SBS News Presenter |
|
Hay Shire Council |
Mr Andy Paschalidis |
Sports Presenter & Soccer Commentator |
|
Hilltops Council - Boorowa |
Mr Greg Donovan |
Founder of Born to Run, Motivational Speaker |
|
Hilltops Council - Harden |
Ms Promilla Gupta OAM |
Premier's 2018 Multicultural Regional Community Medal Winner |
|
Hilltops Council - Young
|
Mr Peter Cousens AM |
Actor / Singer
|
|
Hunters Hill Council |
Ms Ange Clarke |
Founder of Where there's a Will ltd, Fred Hollows Humanitarian recipient |
|
Inverell Shire Council |
Mr John Wearne AM |
Bingara Community Leader |
|
Junee Shire Council |
Ms Sonia Gandhi |
Director, Gandhi Creations, Board Member of Multicultural NSW |
|
Kempsey Shire Council |
Mr Philip Lee OAM |
Writer / Historian |
|
Ku-ring-gai Council |
Mr Nic Newling |
Motivational Speaker and Mental Health Advocate |
|
Kyogle Council - Kyogle |
Ms Mel Thomas |
Journalist, Author & Founder of the KYUP! Project |
|
Kyogle Council - Woodenbong |
Mr Joe Snell |
Architect and TV Personality |
|
Lachlan Shire Council |
Mr Khushaal Vyas |
Multicultural NSW Youth Medal Winner/ Solicitor and Youth Advocate |
|
Lane Cove Municipal Council |
Mr Jason Sotiris |
Founder - Super Tee |
|
Leeton Shire Council |
Ms Lyndey Milan OAM |
Celebrity Chef |
|
Lismore City Council |
Dr Clio Cresswell |
Mathematician/Writer/Media Personality |
|
Lithgow City Council |
Mr Bruno Efoti |
Founder of Tradies in Sight |
|
Liverpool City Council |
Mr Terrence O'Connell OAM |
2016 NSW Senior Australian of the Year Finalist |
|
Liverpool Plains Shire Council |
Mr Gary Dawson OAM |
Keynote Speaker and Golfer |
|
Lockhart Shire Council |
Mr Craig Goozee OAM |
Ultra Marathoner |
|
Mid-Western Regional Council |
Professor Ronald McCallum AO |
Professor In Industrial Law |
|
Mosman City Council |
Mr Warren Kermond OAM |
Entertainer |
|
Murray River Council |
Dr Cindy Pan |
Media Doctor, Author, Columnist & Radio Presenter |
|
Murrumbidgee Council |
Mr John Harper |
Founder of Mate Helping Mate (Mental Wellbeing Awareness) |
|
Nambucca Valley Council |
Mr Rob Caslick |
Social Entrepreneur & Founder of Two Good Co |
|
Narrabri Shire Council |
Mr Clyde Campbell AM |
Founder, Shake It Up Foundation |
|
Narrandera Shire Council |
Mr Doug Hawkins |
2020 NSW Local Hero Nominee |
|
Narromine Shire Council |
Ms Michelle Leonard OAM |
Founder and Artistic Director of the not-for-profit, Moorambilla Voices |
|
Oberon Council |
Mr Peter McLean |
Executive Officer of the Australian Organics Recycling Association. Former NSW CEO of Keep Australia Beautiful |
|
Orange City Council |
Ms Joanne (Jo) Taranto |
Director and Co-founder of Good for the Hood. Sustainability Engagement Consultant and Speaker. |
|
Parkes Shire Council |
Mr Graham Ross AM VMM |
TV Presenter - Better Homes & Gardens
|
|
Parkes Shire Council |
Mrs Liz Deep - Jones
|
TV Presenter, Journalist & Author, Product of the We Bleed the same Anti – Racism Exhibition |
|
Port Stephens Council |
Mrs Cheryl Koenig OAM |
Author, Motivational Speaker and 2009 NSW Woman of the Year |
|
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council |
Mr Ben Farinazzo |
Veteran, Gold Medallist and Mental Health Advocate |
|
Randwick City Council |
Ms Anneke Van Den Broek |
Businesswoman and entrepreneur / Winner 2020 NSW Business Woman of the Year Award |
|
Shellharbour City Council |
Mr Steve Widders |
Motivational Speaker |
|
Shoalhaven City Council |
Mr Kumar Pereira |
Celebrity Chef |
|
Snowy Monaro Regional Council - Bombala |
Ms Linda Sparrow |
2024 Australia's Local Hero Finalist / Bangalow Koalas |
|
Snowy Monaro Regional Council - Cooma |
Mr Geoffrey Coombes OAM |
Founder STRYDE4 | Co-Founder Tour de Cure |
|
Strathfield Municipal Council |
Mr Col Hardy OAM
|
Musician / Country Music Award Winner
|
|
Strathfield Municipal Council |
Ms Maria Venuti AM |
Entertainer |
|
Tamworth Regional Council - Barraba |
Mr John Lee OAM, PHF, BSocSci |
Founder - You Have a Friend charity |
|
Tamworth Regional Council - Manilla |
Mr John Lee OAM, PHF, BSocSci |
Founder - You Have a Friend charity |
|
The Hills Shire Council |
Ms Jo Brigden-Jones |
Olympian - Sprint Kayaker / Motivational Speaker |
|
Ulladulla Milton Lions Club |
Mr Peter Herbert |
Screenwriter & Producer (Acropolous Now, Skirts) |
|
United Australian Lebanese Movement |
Ms Amar Hadid |
Professional Skateboarder |
|
Upper Hunter Shire Council - Merriwa |
Ms Christine Mastello |
NSW 2022 Local Hero Nominee, Founder of Southlakes Inc and the Community Hair Project, 2023 NSW Local Hero |
|
Upper Lachlan Shire Council |
Mr Jay Allen OAM |
Melanoma Crusader, 2018 NSW Australia's Local Hero Finalist, founder of Australian Skin Cancer Foundation |
|
Uralla Shire Council |
Ms Susie Elelman AM |
Author, TV & Radio Broadcaster |
|
Wagga Wagga City Council |
Mr Alan Pottie |
Wagga Wagga 2023 Citizen of the Year |
|
Walcha Council |
Mr Nicholas Gleeson |
Adventurer / Motivational Speaker / Paralympian - Athletics |
|
Walgett Shire Council |
|
|
|
Warren Shire Council |
Mr Tasman Cassim |
Head of Partnerships at Black Dog Institute, Founder of the Superhero Walk |
|
Warrumbungle Shire Council - Coolah Community |
Mr George Ellis |
Conductor, Composer & Musical Arranger |
|
Warrumbungle Shire Council - Coonabarabran |
Mr Warren Potent OLY |
Olympian - Shooting, Rio 2016 |
|
Weddin Shire Council |
Ms Jane Rutter |
Flautist |
|
Wentworth Shire Council |
Mr Michael Goldman |
TV Presenter |
|
Willoughby City Council |
The StarAbility Dance Performance Group (formerly Special Olympic Dance Performance Group) |
The StarAbility Dance Performance Group |
|
Wingecarribee Shire Council |
Ms Robina Beard OAM |
Entertainer/ Dancer /Actor |
|
Wollondilly Shire Council |
Mr Yianni Johns BFA, MA. |
Artist |
|
Yass Valley Council |
Ms Tiffany Thomas Kane OAM |
Paralympic Medallist - Swimming |
