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January 25, 2026 \u2014 8:44pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg has been named the 2026 Australian of the Year for making history as the first Australian to qualify as an astronaut under the country\u2019s space program, and inspiring the next generation to be ambitious about their futures in science and technology.<\/p>\n Bennell-Pegg harboured dreams of travelling to space as a child on Sydney\u2019s northern beaches, but at the time there was no obvious pathway to achieving them. Australia didn\u2019t have a space agency, let alone a training centre, and most of the astronauts who had made it into space were men.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I grew up I was mesmerised by the stars above me, but they felt very far away,\u201d she said in an interview with Nine ahead of Sunday night\u2019s awards ceremony.<\/p>\n \u201cI was inspired by Australians that had been to space before \u2013 Paul Scully-Power and Andy Thomas, incredible astronauts, but [who] went to space representing other nations. There\u2019s never been a path for Australian astronauts before. What I\u2019m doing is opening that door further for more to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n Bennell-Pegg, 41, started her tertiary studies with a degree in aeronautical and space engineering at the University of Sydney, but she then hit a ceiling. \u201cI realised I had to go overseas to pursue a space career. I couldn\u2019t see a pathway to do what I wanted to do in Australia, unfortunately,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I went overseas and lived around the world and worked on some of the most compelling missions I could have ever hoped for. Travelling around the world and doing this work has been an immense privilege because I got to learn things I could bring back to Australia, to help grow our Australian space sector.\u201d<\/p>\n Bennell-Pegg graduated with basic astronaut training<\/a> from the European Astronaut Centre in Germany in 2024. Her training was funded by the Australian Space Agency. She was one in a class of six, chosen from a field of more than 22,500 applicants. It made her the first Australian woman to qualify as an astronaut, and the first person to train as an astronaut<\/a> under the Australian flag. She is also the director of space technology at the Australian Space Agency, which was launched in 2018.<\/p>\n \u201cBecoming an astronaut for me is a childhood dream come true,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it\u2019s still just the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n Bennell-Pegg hasn\u2019t been to space yet. \u201cI\u2019m working to remain ready in case that opportunity should arise,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s pinch-me stuff to be in this position, and I hope by being here and showing what\u2019s possible, I can unlock that path for more to follow in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n She said she wanted to \u201cshow the power of a dream, and backing yourself, no matter what your dream may be\u201d.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s pinch-me stuff to be in this position, and I hope by being here and showing what\u2019s possible, I can unlock that path for more to follow.\u2019<\/p>\n Katherine Bennell-Pegg, 2026 Australian of the Year<\/p>\n \u201cFor many, many years, I was the only woman in the room. And when you\u2019re young, in particular, and you feel like you don\u2019t fit the stereotype, you often are underestimated, and you underestimate yourself,\u201d Bennell-Pegg said.<\/p>\n \u201cFor that reason, we see so many young women backing out of STEM fields [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] when in fact they have so much to offer… I\u2019ve seen the power of space to ignite a spark in young people\u2019s minds. Space is powerful to draw kids through to STEM fields.\u201d<\/p>\n National Australian Day Council chief executive Mark Fraser said Bennell-Pegg had forged new frontiers for Australians in space engineering, research and exploration.<\/p>\n \u201cShe leads by example, openly sharing her story to inspire the next generation and reminding us all of the power of a dream, and where determination can lead,\u201d Fraser said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 2026 Australians of the Year are visionaries. Their motivations and goals go far beyond their own interests and achievements. Rather, they are driven by outcomes which benefit others.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2026 Senior Australian of the Year is Professor Henry Brodaty, who has pioneered treatment for dementia<\/a>. Brodaty was working as a psychiatrist, interested in depression and mood disorders, when his father died, aged 59, with Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n \u201cIt had a big effect on me,\u201d Brodaty, 78, said. Brodaty helped establish the Alzheimer\u2019s Association, now known as Dementia Australia, and in 2012, he co-founded the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing at the University of NSW. What started as an initiative by two people now employs more than 60, all focusing on the treatment, management and prevention of dementia.<\/p>\n \u201cI was a one-year-old, arriving in this wonderful country with my Holocaust survivor parents. This makes this a very poignant and extraordinary award for me, especially in the aftermath of the Bondi massacre. I\u2019m very grateful,\u201d Brodaty said as he accepted the award.<\/p>\n The 2026 Young Australian of the Year is Nedd Brockmann, a 27-year-old electrician from the regional NSW town of Forbes who has run across Australia and helped raise almost $10 million for homelessness.<\/p>\n His major run<\/a> \u2013 from Perth\u2019s Cottesloe Beach to Sydney\u2019s Bondi Beach \u2013 covered almost 4000 kilometres over 46 days, and raised $2.6 million from more than 37,000 people. He then set up \u201cNedd\u2019s Uncomfortable Challenge\u201d, which encourages others<\/a> to complete their own 10-day challenge that raises money for homelessness. More than 20,000 people have since become involved.<\/p>\n \u201cWe should be proud of this amazing country. We are so lucky to call it home. But unfortunately, not everyone feels that way. In a country as prosperous as Australia, why is it that 122,000 Australians sleep rough every night? That number should stop us all in our tracks,\u201d Brockmann said.<\/p>\n Construction industry leader Frank Mitchell, who employs 200 staff across four companies, is Australia\u2019s Local Hero. The Whadjuk-Yued Noongar man, 43, has created 70 upskilling positions for Indigenous Australians in the electrical and construction industry in Western Australia, and awarded more than $11 million to Aboriginal subcontractors.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving lost two friends to drugs and suicide in my teenage years, I was in a bit of a death spiral when I was in my early 20s,\u201d Mitchell said. Then two things happened: he had a son, unplanned, when he was 21, and he was offered an electrical apprenticeship.<\/p>\n \u201cI really wasn\u2019t feeling confident that I could achieve an electrical apprenticeship trade. But this one man believed in me. That was my uncle. Someone\u2019s belief in one person can change someone\u2019s life,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n \u201cI now understand that work and education are not just about income or career progression, they are determinants of health and wellbeing. Completing my electrical apprenticeship gave me pride, hope and stability, gave me the foundation to provide for my family and grow into a leader within my community. I want to pass that opportunity on to other mob.\u201d<\/p>\n Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a special honours list for community heroes who responded to the Bondi attack on December 14 was also being prepared. It will be unveiled later this year.<\/p>\n \u201cAn enduring truth of our national story is that the worst of times reveal the best of the Australian character,\u201d Albanese said at the awards ceremony on Sunday night.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have seen that again this summer, in the bravery of communities battling the devastation of floods and bushfires. People working together and looking after each other. And we saw it, beyond measure, at Bondi.\u201d<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n![\"Astronaut](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0fa3f29a9907b5ce6fc6c90acaac76d5e6370cf9.jpeg\")
Astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg has been named the 2026 Australian of the Year.Alex Ellinghausen<\/p>\n![\"Katherine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/84965d10b8bebe6e0786c1150bfe19e7734c59e8.jpeg\")
Katherine Bennell-Pegg in September, making an audio recording for deep space.Kate Geraghty<\/p>\n![\"Professor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/984caba98b89b992ca6f479bc02ac5b9fbe7cc66.jpeg\")
Professor Henry Brodaty is the Senior Australian of the Year.Alex Ellinghausen<\/p>\n![\"Nedd](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/d85cb841b67e506e2e581350bf717ab6253b5892.jpeg\")
Nedd Brockmann is the 2026 Young Australian of the Year.Alex Ellinghausen<\/p>\n![\"Frank](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/19e29152bad477f9a68ea9dd89d9e25221604b2d.jpeg\")
Frank Mitchell is Australia\u2019s 2026 Local Hero.Alex Ellinghausen<\/p>\n![\"Natassia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769405292_236_0fb5deab2dcc05eb259ce66b5d04bb294f5fea43.png\")
Natassia Chrysanthos<\/a> is Federal Political Correspondent. She has previously reported on immigration, health, social issues and the NDIS from Parliament House in Canberra.Connect via Twitter<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners