Australian Living Treasures ~ 2004
Source: National Trust of Australia (NSW)
March 14, 2004
The National Trust has announced 15 new "Australian Living Treasures", which were selected by a popular vote conducted over several months.
They replace 15 of the original 100 Living Treasures who have died since the list was first released in 1997.
The new names include last year's Australian of the Year Professor Fiona Stanley; refugee advocate Julian Burnside; Australian Breastfeeding Association founder Mary Paton; actors Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman; and sportsmen Pat Rafter and Steve Waugh.
Living Treasures committee chair Michael Ball says the people chosen are deemed to have added lasting attributes to our culture and heritage.
"Some of them I'd never heard of and obviously some are very famous, but no, some of the scientists and academics and those involved in social service, some of those were very unfamiliar to me and to others," Mr Ball said.
"So it proves the good sense of the Australian people."