List of people from Brisbane

This listing includes notable people who were born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia — as well as notable people who are working in Brisbane, or who began their careers in Brisbane (please see the individual articles for references).

Brisbane and the Story Bridge

People from Brisbane are either referred to as Brisbanites or Brisbanian.

Artists

• Olive Ashworth (1915–2000), textile designer
• Clark Beaumont, video, performance art
• Irene Chou, long-term Brisbane resident
• Jon Molvig

Aviators

 

The Southern Cross landing in Brisbane in 1928

 

The Kingsford Smith Memorial, housing the Southern Cross

Notable Brisbane-born aviators include:

• Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, pioneer aviator, who, with his crew, made the first flight across the Pacific in his aircraft, the "Southern Cross", from San Francisco, California, United States to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in 1928. The 1928 trans-Pacific flight was the first flight from one side of the ocean to the other.

The aircraft is currently preserved and on display in the Kingsford Smith Memorial, a special a climate-controlled sealed glass building near the International terminal at Brisbane Airport

Government, politics and law

Notable Brisbane-born people in this section include:

• Lord Atkin, judge of the English High Court
• Quentin Bryce AD , former Governor-General of Australia
• Bill Hayden, former Governor-General of Australia
• Emma Miller, pioneer labour activist and suffragist
• Sir William Webb, High Court of Australia Judge and President of the Military Tribunal in the Far East (which tried Japanese war criminals)

Medical doctors

Noteworthy medics from Brisbane include:

• Raphael Cilento, public health physician and eminent medical administrator
• Ian Frazer AC, immunologist and co-inventor of Gardasil
• John Kerr, pathologist and first to describe apoptosis
• Jeannette Young AC, former Chief Health Officer of Queensland and Governor of Queensland

Researchers

Notable Brisbane-born people in research include:

• Peter C. Doherty, medical researcher and Nobel Prize winner

Sculptors

 

Daphne Mayo's tympanum at the Brisbane City Hall

 

Christopher Trotter's City Roo sculpture

 

Two more City Roo sculptures

 

Leonard and Kathleen Shillam's
Pelican sculptures at the Queensland Art Gallery

• Daphne Mayo, sculptures include the tympanum above the King George Square entrance to Brisbane City Hall, sculptures at the Queensland Art Gallery
• Leonard and Kathleen Shillam, sculptures include the Pelican sculptures at the Queensland Art Gallery
• Christopher Trotter, sculptures include the Brisbane City Roos, kangaroo sculptures in George Street, Brisbane

Singers, dancers, musicians and composers

Notable Brisbane-born people

• Courtney Act, singer and popular drag performer
• Bowen Yang, comedian, actor
• Jason Barry-Smith, opera singer
• Jeffrey Black, opera singer
• Judi Connelli, singer and actress
• Diana Doherty, classical musician
• Lisa Gasteen, opera singer and winner of Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 1991
• Darren Hayes, lead (Vocalist) singer of Savage Garden 1993–2001 (currently solo artist)
• Kate Miller-Heidke, classically trained opera singer
• Mirusia, soprano, lead vocalist with André Rieu, winner of the Dame Joan Sutherland Opera Award 2006
• Patricia Petersen, singer, pianist and actress
• S3RL, DJ, record producer
• Amber Scott, ballet dancer
• Donald Shanks, opera singer
• Bart Stenhouse, jazz fusion musician
• Patrick Thomas, conductor, poet, author
• Garth Welch, principal dancer
• Christopher Wrench, organist

Notable residents

• Li Cunxin, ballet dancer, subject of Mao's Last Dancer
• Robert Davidson, composer
• Edward Guglielmino, composer, researcher
• Gordon Hamilton, composer
• Luke Kennedy, singer
• Stephen Leek, composer
• Liza Lim, composer
• Mungo McKay, actor
• Alexander Voltz, composer
• Brandon Woods, violinist

Music groups with Brisbane origins

• Bee Gees, music group
• Butterfingers, music group
• Cub Sport, music group
• The Goon Sax, music group
• Ball Park Music, music group
• Dune Rats, music group
• DZ Deathrays, music group
• Odd Mob, music group, EDM duo
• The Go-Betweens, music group
• The Grates, music group
• Hatchie, dream pop band
• Indecent Obsession, music group
• The Jungle Giants, music group
• Last Dinosaurs, music group
• Powderfinger, music group
• Regurgitator, music group
• The Riptides, music group
• The Saints, music group
• Savage Garden, music group
• The Screaming Tribesmen, music group
• Brad Shepherd, musician, Hoodoo Gurus
• Sheppard, music group
• Billo Smith, musician and Cloudland band leader
• TwoSet Violin, classical musicians and internet musical comedy duo, composed of violinists Eddy Chen and Brett Yang.
• The Veronicas, music group, twin duo
• Violent Soho, music group

Sports teams

Brisbane is home to multiple sports teams such as the Brisbane Broncos, who currently play in the NRL. Rugby League teams: Brisbane Broncos, Brisbane Tigers. Football teams: Brisbane Roar, Brisbane Strikers, Queensland Lions. AFL Teams: Brisbane Lions. Rugby Union Teams: Queensland Reds, Queensland Country. Cricket Teams: Brisbane Heat, Brisbane Lions. Other Sports: Brisbane Bullets (Basketball), Brisbane Bandits (Baseball), Queensland Firebirds (Netball).

Athletics

Brisbane is also the home of:

• Scott Dixon, Brisbane born New Zealander, Indycar driver
• Roy Emerson, one of the most successful tennis players in the history
• Erika Geisen, German-born, IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Darren Lockyer, rugby league footballer
• Johnathan Thurston, rugby league footballer
• Pat Orreal, Australian darts player
• Samantha Stosur, a Grand Slam champion
• Laura Taylor, swimmer
• Jeff Horn, (lightweight world champion Boxer)
• Cameron Smith, professional golfer
• Clare Polkinghorne, soccer player for Australia^[1]
• Katrina Gorry, soccer player for Australia^[2]
• Hayley Raso, soccer player for Australia^[3]

Stage and screen

Brisbane-born actors, actresses, producers, playwrights and comedians include:

• Jacob Elordi, actor
• Jacinda Barrett, actress
• Ray Barrett, actor
• Diane Cilento, actress
• Barry Creyton, actor
• Janet Fielding, actress
• Claire Holt, actress
• Lincoln Lewis, actor
• George Miller, director
• Levi Miller, actor
• Matt Okine, comedian, actor, musician
• Barry Otto, actor
• Miranda Otto, actress
• Patricia Petersen, actress, playwright, director, producer
• John Stanton, actor
• Leonard Teale, actor
• Josh Thomas, comedian
• Rowena Wallace, actress

Actors, actresses and playwrights who began their careers in Brisbane, or live in Brisbane, include:

• Bille Brown, actor, studio named after him at the home of the Queensland Theatre Company
• Carol Burns, actress
• Diane Cilento, actress
• Penny Downie
• Judith McGrath
• Geoffrey Rush, actor
• Sigrid Thornton, actress

Writers and journalists

Writers and journalists who live in Brisbane include:

• Thea Astley
• Leigh Diffey
• Chris Dore
• Melissa Downes
• Nick Earls
• Benjamin Law
• Michelle Law
• Andrew Lofthouse
• Hugh Lunn
• David Malouf
• Andrew McGahan
• George Negus, journalist, television presenter and radio host
• Oodgeroo Noonuccal
• Judith Wright

Other

• Bree Warren, model
• Elise Barney, postmistress
• Dane Beesley, photographer

See also

• Arts and culture in Brisbane
• Popular entertainment in Brisbane

References

1. Bella, Patty La (8 January 2020). "Clare Polkinghorne: The Power of Influence". Beyond 90. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
2. "Australia - K. Gorry - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
3. "Hayley Raso Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more". FBref.com. Retrieved 21 June 2023.