University Of New South Wales Notable Alumni
Discover the notable alumni of University Of New South Wales. The list includes people like Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Baz Luhrmann, Peter Garrett & Toni Collette. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as film & theater personalities, leaders, singers, fashion and scientists etc.
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Birthdate: November 1, 1972
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Glebe, New South Wales, Australia
Toni Collette is an Australian actress, singer, producer, and songwriter. A critically acclaimed actress, Collette is known for her work in feature films as well as in independent films. Collette has won several prestigious awards, such as a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Critics' Choice Awards. Collette also supports many charitable organizations like Feeding America and Amnesty International.
Birthdate: December 16, 1967
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Brisbane
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Birthdate: March 2, 1980
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Australian actress, Rebel Wilson, started her acting career with television in Australia and then gained wider recognition after appearing in Hollywood films. Struck by Lightning, Bachelorette, Isn't It Romantic, The Hustle, Cats and Jojo Rabbit are some of the notable films she has acted in. She received critical appreciation for the 2012 film, Pitch Perfect, and subsequently acted in its two sequels.
4
Rod Taylor(Australian Actor Known for His Films: ‘The Time Machine’, ‘One Hundred and One Dalmatians’ and ‘Inglourious Basterds’)
Birthdate: January 11, 1930
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lidcombe, Australia
Died: January 7, 2015
Australian actor Rod Taylor is best remembered for his roles in films such as Time Machine, The Birds, and Zabriskie Point. He also voiced Pongo in the 1961 film One Hundred and One Dalmatians and appeared on stage, too. His final film role was as Winston Churchill in Inglourious Basterds.
Birthdate: May 13, 1968
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sydney
Scott Morrison served as the 30th prime minister of Australia between 2018 and 2022. He led his coalition to an unexpected victory in the 2019 election. Morrison's term witnessed increased tension between China and Australia. He was criticised for failure to adequately address climate change in Australia. His coalition was defeated in 2022 election and subsequently he resigned as the leader of the Liberal Party.
Birthdate: March 3, 1985
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Lima
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Birthdate: April 16, 1953
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Wahroonga, Australia
Peter Garrett is an Australian musician, activist, environmentalist, and former politician. Renowned for his eccentric dance style and signature bald head, Garrett is best known for his association with the popular rock band Midnight Oil where he performs as the lead singer. A football fan, Peter Garrett supports the Essendon Bombers of the AFL.
Birthdate: December 18, 1986
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Islamabad, Pakistan
Usman Khawaja is an Australian professional cricket player who has represented the Australian men's cricket team in Test, One Day International, and Twenty20 cricket. In 2011, he became the first Pakistani-born player and the first Muslim to play for the Australian Test team. He went on to represent Australia at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
9
Markus Zusak
(Australian Writer Known for His Bestselling Novels 'The Messenger' and 'The Book Thief')
Birthdate: June 23, 1975
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Markus Zusak is an Australian writer best known for his novels The Book Thief and The Messenger, which became international bestsellers. His mother is originally from Germany, while his father hails from Austria. Zusak was born and raised in Australia. He received the Kathleen Mitchell Award in 2006 and the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 2014.
Birthdate: April 23, 1955
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Perth, Australia
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
11
George Miller(Australian Filmmaker Best Known for His 'Mad Max' Film Franchise and 'Happy Feet')
Birthdate: March 3, 1945
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Brisbane, Australia
A filmmaker who was catapulted to fame with his Mad Max franchise, George Miller has exhibited his diversity, too, with projects such as Happy Feet. The Academy Award-winning director-producer was a practicing physician before stepping into films. He is all set to shoot his next venture, Furiosa, in post-COVID Australia.
12
Marta Dusseldorp
(Actress)
Birthdate: February 1, 1973
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Australia
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
13
Colin Friels
(Stage actor, Film actor)
Birthdate: September 25, 1952
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kilwinning
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: July 28, 1952
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bangkok, Thailand
Vajiralongkorn became the king of Thailand at age 64, following his father Bhumibol Adulyadej’s death, becoming the oldest to ascend to the throne. He was once seen dressed in a crop top, with his mistress, in a viral video. He sparked protests after moving to Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic.
15
Matthew Reilly
(Australian Writer Known for His Bestselling Jack West and Shane Schofield Series)
Birthdate: July 2, 1974
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Matthew Reilly is an Australian writer who specializes in the action thriller genre. He enjoyed writing from a young age and started his literary career by self-publishing his debut novel. After a few years of struggle, he caught the notice of reputed publishers and has since built a successful writing career. He hopes to direct a movie in the future.
16
Rebecca Breeds(Australian Actress Known for Her Roles in the TV Series ‘Blue Water High’ and ‘Home and Away’)
Birthdate: June 17, 1987
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Rebecca Breeds is best known as Cassie Cometti from Blue Water High and as Ruby Buckton from the soap Home and Away. Fans also loved her in The Originals and in Pretty Little Liars. She has also appeared in the Hindi biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, starring Farhan Akhtar.
17
Tupou VI
(13th Prime Minister of Tonga)
Birthdate: July 12, 1959
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Royal Palace, Nukuʻalofa, Kingdom of Tonga
18
Mike Cannon-Brookes
(Chief Executive Officer)
Birthdate: November 17, 1979
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut, United States
19
Sam Chui
(Aviation travel vlogger)
Birthdate: November 7, 1980
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
Birthdate: September 22, 1970
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Manly, Australia
Former premier of New South Wales, the biggest state economy of Australia, Gladys Berejiklian was born to Armenian immigrants in Sydney. She made headlines when she resigned from her premiership in October 2021, amid investigations on corruption and the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a regular at the Armenian Apostolic Church.
21
Jessica Falkholt
(Australian Actress)
Birthdate: May 15, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Died: January 17, 2018
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
22
Mark Bouris
(Australian Businessman Best Known as the Founder and Chairman of 'Wizard Home Loans')
Birthplace: Punchbowl, Australia
Mark Bouris is an Australian businessman, media personality, and author. He is best known for founding Wizard Home Loans, one of the most popular non-bank mortgage lenders in Australia. He also serves as the chairman of Yellow Brick Road, which he founded in 2007. Mark Bouris has also hosted TV shows like The Apprentice Australia and The Celebrity Apprentice Australia.
23
Pamela Stephenson
(New Zealander Actress)
Birthdate: December 4, 1949
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand
Pamela Stephenson is a New Zealand-born writer, psychologist, and performer. Stephenson is best known as a comedienne who achieved immense popularity during the 1980s when she appeared in comedy films and shows like History of the World, Part I and Not the Nine O'Clock News. As a writer, Pamela Stephenson has been contributing to publications like Psychologies and The Guardian.
24
Richard Farleigh
(Australian Private Investor and Reality Television Personality)
Birthdate: November 9, 1960
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Richard Bruce Farleigh
Richard Farleigh is an Australian reality television personality and private investor. Apart from investing in major companies like Wolfson Microelectronics and Evolution Group, Farleigh is also credited with setting up an advisory firm called H2O Markets which he launched in 2010. A former chess player, Richard Farleigh has represented Bermuda and Monaco in the 31st and 34th Chess Olympiad respectively.
Birthdate: 1979
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
26
Natalie Tran
(Australian Vlogger & YouTuber Best Known for Her Comedy Videos)
Birthdate: July 24, 1986
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Auburn, Australia
Australian YouTuber, vlogger, actor, and comedian Natalie Tran shot to fame with her YouTube channel, communitychannel. A digital media graduate from the University of New South Wales, she soon became Australia’s highest-subscribed-to YouTuber. She has also appeared in movies and series such as Goddess and Mr. Inbetween.
27
Phil Kearns
(Australian Former Rugby Union Player)
Birthdate: June 27, 1967
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Birthdate: July 29, 1964
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sydney
29
Sussan Ley
(Australian Politician and Liberal Party MP)
Birthdate: December 14, 1961
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kano
British-origin Australian politician Sussan Ley was born in Nigeria and raised in the UAE and England, before moving to Australia in her teens. The Liberal Party deputy leader went on to represent Farrer in the Australian Parliament after managing ministries such as health, aged care, environment, and sport.
30
Campbell Newman
(38th Premier of Queensland From 2012 to 2015)
Birthdate: August 12, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Canberra, Australia
Liberal National Party leader and former Premier of Queensland Campbell Newman was born into a family of politicians and senators from Tasmania. After serving the Australian Army for 13 years, he bagged civil engineering and MBA degrees. As the mayor of Brisbane, he was named the world’s fifth-best mayor.
31
Nick Littlemore
(Australian Singer, Record Producer, Musician, and Songwriter)
Birthdate: May 6, 1978
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sydney
32
Chris McCormack
(Australian Triathlete)
Birthdate: April 4, 1973
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
33
Bob Carr
(Politician, Diplomat)
Birthdate: September 28, 1947
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Matraville
34
Charlie Teo
(Neurosurgery)
Birthdate: December 24, 1957
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
One of Australia’s best-known brain surgeons, Charlie Teo has been known for conducting operations that other surgeons would avoid for being too risky. Known for his excessively high fees, which have prompted patients to crowdfund operations, he later faced restrictions imposed by the Medical Council of NSW.
35
Tim Flannery
(Biologist, Paleontologist, Zoologist, Environmentalist)
Birthdate: January 28, 1956
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Melbourne
Tim Flannery is an Australian paleontologist, mammalogist, environmentalist, explorer, conservationist, and public scientist. Tim Flannery is credited with discovering over 30 mammal species. He is also credited with co-founding Climate Council, a non-profit organization that aims at providing accurate information on climate change to the Australian public. In 2007, Tim Flannery was named Australian of the Year.
36
David Gonski
(Entrepreneur)
Birthdate: October 7, 1953
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cape Town
Birthdate: December 16, 1941
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Died: September 4, 2016
Birthdate: February 12, 1946
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Australian geologist Ian Plimer taught mining geology and earth sciences at institutes such as the University of Adelaide. Apart from publishing over 120 research papers, he has also been a co-editor of the five-volume Encyclopedia of Geology and has penned the award-winning A Short History of Planet Earth.
39
Mehreen Faruqi
(Senator for New South Wales)
Birthdate: July 8, 1963
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Lahore, Pakistan
Birthdate: December 31, 1983
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
41
Pat Dodson
(Senator for Western Australia)
Birthdate: January 29, 1948
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Broome, Australia
Patrick Dodson is an Australian politician who has been serving as the Senator for Western Australia since 2016. A Yawuru man, Dodson is best known for his association with the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, where he has served as chairman. In 2008, he was honored with the prestigious Sydney Peace Prize. In 2009, he was awarded the John Curtin Medal.
42
David Kilcullen
(Australian Author, Strategist, and Counterinsurgency Expert)
Birthdate: 1967 AD
Birthplace: Australia
43
Raj Reddy
(Computer scientist, University teacher)
Birthdate: June 13, 1937
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Andhra Pradesh
Raj Reddy is an Indian-American computer scientist. One of the pioneers of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Reddy was honored with the prestigious Turing Award in 1994 for his contribution to the field of artificial intelligence. He is the first computer scientist of Asian descent to win the award, which is often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Computer Science.
44
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
(33rd Attorney General of Fiji)
Birthdate: September 24, 1965
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Suva, Fiji
45
Glenn Murcutt
(Australian Architect)
Birthdate: July 25, 1936
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: London, England
Pritzker Prize-winning architect Glenn Murcutt is known for his economical structures that he builds in harmony with the Australian landscape, going with his motto, “Touch the earth lightly.” He mostly works on independent projects and private residences in Australia. He lost his son, also an architect, to lung cancer.
46
Renee Lim
(Actress known for her roles as Constable Jung Lim in East West 101, Mae in Please Like Me, Vivienne Hart in The Secret Daughter)
Birthdate: 1978 AD
Birthplace: Perth, Australia
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
47
Jane Saville
(Australian Race Walker)
Birthdate: November 5, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Jane Saville is an Australian retired athlete best known for her bronze medal-winning performance in the women's 20 kilometers race walk event at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Saville has represented Australia at four Olympic Games. She also won three gold medals at 1998, 2002, and 2006 Commonwealth Games. She was the flag bearer for Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
48
Michael Wenden
(Australian Competitive Swimmer Who Won Two Gold Medals at the 1968 Olympics)
Birthdate: November 17, 1949
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Michael Wenden is an Australian swimmer best known for winning two gold medals, a silver, and a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. He also won nine gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. In 1979, Michael Wenden was made an inductee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
49
Dr. Karl
(Who is known as an author, and as a science commentator)
Birthdate: March 20, 1948
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Helsingborg, Sweden
50
Naomi Milgrom
(Businesswoman, Philanthropist)
Birthdate: 1952 AD
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia
University of New South Wales is the hot favorite among students wanting to pursue their higher studies in Australia. If sources of contemporary history are to be believed, the Australians craved for industrialization after the end of World War II. This led to the establishment of University Of New South Wales, in a bid to produce more engineers and qualified individuals. Thus, the University of New South Wales is According to the ‘QS World University Rankings’ list published in 2016, the ‘University of New South Wales’ was ranked the 49th best university in the world. It also secured the 16th position in the list of reputed universities which offered courses in finance. Apart from its impressive infrastructure and high quality of education, the University is also famous for its alumni association which includes several notable personalities. Businessman and philanthropist David Gonski, politician and judge of the Australian family court Robert McClelland and politician Bob Carr are a few eminent personalities who studied at the famous University of New South Wales. Robert MClelland’s contribution to the Australian society as a politician and a member of the judiciary has been praised by the nation’s citizens immensely. Apart from politicians, the university has produced many talented individuals who have been quite successful in their endeavors. Here’s a list of famous celebrities who studied at the acclaimed University of New South Wales. We bet you didn’t know some of these facts.