Australian Living Treasures

Australian Living Treasures

Australian National Living Treasures are people who have made outstanding contributions to Australian society in any field of human endeavour. In 1997 the National Trust of Australia (NSW) called for nominations from the public for 100 Australian Living Treasures and each nomination was counted as one vote. The nominees had to be living and had to have made a substantial and enduring contribution. There was no request to rank nominations. The choice of those who were named as National Living Treasures was not made by the Board or the Executive of the National Trust of Australia (NSW) and more than 10,000 Australians voted. Their votes determined who was chosen. The first list of 100 Living Treasures was published in 1997.

In 2004 the list was refreshed with 15 names, following the deaths of notable Australians and the exclusion of disgraced former Justice Marcus Einfeld. following an identical process to that used in 1997 – a public nomination and vote.

On 23 January 2012, the National Trust of Australia (NSW) joined with Woman's Day magazine to launch a nationwide search for seven new National Living Treasures. They were announced, amid controversy, on 4 March 2012.