PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Indigenous Australians have achieved local and international fame for a range of achievements in just about every area of human endeavor.

The list below includes some of the Indigenous people who have broken world records and new ground by their exceptional achievements in their chosen vocations or areas of talent.

‘First’ indicates that the achievement is a first for an Australian Indigenous person.
Others have been the top achiever in their field, locally, nationally or internationally.

Sport
Athletics
– first Olympic gold medallist: Cathy Freeman
– Patrick Johnson, first man not of West African ancestry to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 metres

Boxing
– first world champion boxer: Lionel Rose

Tennis
– first Wimbledon winner; won seven Grand Slams: Yvonne Goolagong-Cawley

Cricket
– first Australian Test team member: Jason Gillespie

Australian Football
– Australian Football League’s highest individual honour, the Brownlow medal, won by Gavin Wanganeen and Adam Goodes (2003)
– WA Football League: Graham “Polly” Farmer, a Nyoongar man regarded by many as the greatest ever player of Australian Rules football.

Arts
Painting
– first internationally recognised painter: Albert Namatjira (dec)
– first internationally known WA artist: Jimmy Pike (dec)

Literature
– first Miles Franklin award winner and Booker Prize finalist – Kim Scott, Benang
– turning point for Australian literature, Sally Morgan’s My Place (1987) was a best seller locally (more than 500,000) and overseas (11 countries). Won the 1987 Australian Human Rights Award for Literature and the 1990 Order of Australia Book Prize

Poetry
– first prominent poet: Oodgeroo (Kath Walker) (dec)

Music
– first internationally recognised band: Yothu Yindi
– first Aria winner: Archie Roach

Film
– first starring film actor: David Gulpilil
Theatre
– first WA theatre company: Yirra Yaakin

Media
– first well-known television personality and actor: Ernie Dingo.

Politics
 – First Australian politician at state or federal level: Senator Neville Bonner (dec)
– First WA politician and Cabinet Minister: Ernie Bridge
– First state Governor: former SA Governor Sir Douglas Nicholls
– First female WA politician: Carol Martin.

Law
 – First magistrate: NSW Magistrate Pat O’Shane.

Education
 – First Aboriginal university graduate: Charles Perkins, who later became a public servant.