2025 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS NOMINEES FOR QUEENSLAND ANNOUNCED

Posted
Image
Faces of QLD nominees on a tile

2025 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS NOMINEES FOR QUEENSLAND ANNOUNCED

Community leaders, charity founders, a Paralympian, health advocates and a wildlife rescuer are just some of the nominees for the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards for Queensland.

The 2025 award nominees are:

2025 Australian of the Year for Queensland
Roby Curtis - Founder, Emmanuel City Mission (Karalee)
Mirusia Louwerse - Musician and ambassador (Cleveland)
Geoffrey Smith - Co-founder, Australian Spatial Analytics (Yeronga)
Dr Leon Stensholm - Mental health advocate and founder, Lookout 07 (Mountain Creek)

2025 Senior Australian of the Year for Queensland
Jill Costello OAM - Co-founder, ManUp! Australia (Kholo)
Dr Bronwyn Herbert - Social worker and scholar (Wynnum North)
Uncle Glen Miller - Founder, Butchulla Men’s Business Aboriginal Association (Maryborough)
Wayne Sticher - Founder, Cycling Without Age, Gold Coast (Hope Island)

2025 Young Australian of the Year for Queensland
Dylan Conway - Founder, Brothers and Books (Chermside West)
Alexa Leary - Paralympian (Gold Coast)
James Peterson - Founder, breakingFree (Wellington Point)
Dr Katrina Wruck - Scientist (Logan)

2025 Local Hero for Queensland
Elizabeth Gough - Lifeline volunteer (Silkstone)
Paula Pool & Demelza Gardem - Founders, Fuel for Schools (Townsville)
Claire Smith - Founder, Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast (Nambour)
Sue & Jasmine Tasker - Driving force behind Angels Community Group (Bundaberg)

The nominees for Queensland are among 137 people being recognised across all states and territories.

The award recipients for Queensland will be announced on the evening of Monday 18 November 2024 at a ceremony in Brisbane, which will also be available to watch online at australianoftheyear.org.au.

They will then join the other state and territory recipients as national finalists for the national awards announcement on 25 January 2025 in Canberra.

National Australia Day Council CEO Mark Fraser AO CVO congratulated the nominees for Queensland.

“The Queensland nominees for 2025 inspire us through their achievements and contributions,” said Mark.

“They remind us of the importance of resilience, of taking a leadership role and thinking out of the box, along with the power of simply extending care.”

ENDS.

Nominee bios on the pdf below and can also be viewed from australianoftheyear.org.au.

Nominee photos can be downloaded from this link (note – all photos have been supplied by nominees):
QLD Nominee Photos

MEDIA CONTACT: Nicole Browne 0414 673 762 or nicole@mediaopps.com.au