The first Australian to qualify as an astronaut under the country’s space program – Katherine Bennell-Pegg – has been named as the 2026 Australian of the Year.
Other award winners, announced on the weekend, were Professor Henry Brodaty as Senior Australian of the Year, Nedd Brockmann as Young Australian of the Year and Frank Mitchell as Australia’s Local Hero.
Ms Bennell-Pegg, 41, graduated from Basic Astronaut Training in 2024 as part of a class of six trained by the European Astronaut Centre in Germany, the first international candidate to do so.
The space engineer was chosen for the program from a field of more than 22,500 applicants.
The award judges described Ms Bennell-Pegg as an “energetic champion for Australia’s space program”.
Professor Brodaty, 78, was recognized for his work “transforming the diagnosis, care and prevention of dementia – improving countless lives, both in Australia and around the world”.
In 2012, he co-founded the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing and led research that enhanced the world’s understanding of dementia risk and prevention.
Mr Brockmann, from Forbes in NSW, ran across Australia to inspire people to do more for themselves and the homeless.
“Nedd’s concern for homelessness was sparked by his journey into TAFE every week where he saw too many people sleeping rough on Sydney’s Eddy Avenue,” the judges said.
“He wanted to do something to highlight homelessness, its complexities and prove that it’s solvable.”
In 2022, when he was 23, Mr Brockmann ran from Perth’s Cottesloe Beach to Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
The 3952km run took 46 days and raised over $2.6 million from over 37,000 individual contributors.
Since then Mr Brockmann has started Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge in 2024 and his team has raised over $8 million to support the homeless.
Frank Mitchell, 43, is co-director of Wilco Electrical and co-founder/director of Kardan, Baldja and Bilyaa in the trades and construction industry.
The organisations have created more than 70 Aboriginal upskilling positions in the electrical and construction industry, including 30 electrical apprenticeships and awarded more than $11 million to Aboriginal subcontractors.
The following people were also named as 2026 Australians of the Year for Queensland in the various categories.
2026 Australian of the Year for Queensland – Dr Rolf Gomes
When Dr Rolf Gomes, 52, he realised how differently cardiac patients were treated in rural and remote Australia and he decided to do something about it. He designed and launched the first Heart of Australia mobile “Heart Trucks” to visit remote communities.
Today the Heart Trucks bring regular specialist clinics to over 30 towns in rural Australia, providing early diagnostic services that would otherwise be out of reach.
2026 Senior Australian of the Year for Queensland – Cheryl Harris
Cheryl Harris has been instrumental in driving volunteer engagement and championing the important work that volunteers perform on the Sunshine Coast.
As former CEO at Volunteering Sunshine Coast, Ms Harris and her team collaborated with her community networks to initiate the innovative Pathways to Employment program, which helps people seeking paid employment to update their skills and build self-esteem through volunteering.
2026 Young Australian of the Year for Queensland – Jarib Branfield-Bradshaw.
Jarib Branfield-Bradshaw has made a huge difference to the town of Cunnamulla by opening a youth neighbourhood centre. Since Jarib founded the centre two years ago, almost every young person in town has come through its doors seeking support, food and connection.
2026 Local Hero for Queensland Ian Gay
Ian Gay has dedicated more than 20 years to helping people with disabilities enjoy the surf in a fun, safe way. As a volunteer with the Disabled Surfers Association Gold Coast (DSAGC), Ian has held many roles and was branch vice president until 2015 and then branch president from 2015 to present.
More details on the awards are here.
Details of Australia Day 2026 Honours announced by Governor General Sam Mostyn are here.
