Name |
Born - Died |
Notable for |
Connection with Australia |
Connection with Scotland
|
John Mackay |
1839–1914 |
Explorer, blackbirder, harbourmaster |
Came to Australia in 1854 |
Born Inverness, Scotland
|
Jimmy Chi |
1948–2017 |
Australian composer, musician and playwright |
Born in Australia |
Ancestor were Scottish.
|
Isla Fisher |
1976– |
Hollywood actress |
Emigrated to Australia from Scotland in 1982 with her family and was raised in Perth, Western Australia |
Born to Scottish parents in Muscat, Oman and spent her early childhood years in Bathgate, Scotland.
|
Jordan Smith |
1989– |
Actor |
Arrived in 2003 |
Born and raised in Fife, Scotland. He emigrated to Australia from Scotland at age 14 with his family, where he later became an actor, best known for playing Andrew Robinson in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.
|
Captain James Cook |
1728–1779 |
Cartographer, navigator and Captain of the Endeavour who made first landfall at Botany Bay and named New South Wales. |
Arrived on the Endeavour in 1770 |
Son of a Scottish ploughman
|
Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston, AC, AFC |
1947– |
Retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Air Force.
|
He served as Chief of Air Force (CAF) from 20 June 2001 and then as the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) from 4 July 2005. He retired from the military on 3 July 2011. Since then Houston has been appointed to a number of positions, including chairman of Airservices Australia. In March 2014 he was appointed to head the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) during the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
|
Houston was born on 9 June 1947 in Ayrshire, Scotland and educated at Strathallan School in Forgandenny, Perthshire, Scotland. He emigrated to Australia in 1968 at age 21.
|
James Boag I |
1804–1890 |
Founder of Boag's Brewery in Tasmania |
Emigrated 1853, settled in Tasmania after some time on the Victorian Gold Fields. Founder and proprietor of J. Boag & Sons, owner of the Boag's Brewery in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. |
Born Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
|
Robert McCracken |
1813–1885 |
Brewer and founder of the Essendon Football Club in 1873 |
Emigrated from Ardwell Farm near Girvan in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1840. The Essendon Club was formed at a meeting at his family home "Ailsa" at Ascot Vale. |
Born Ayrshire, Scotland.
|
Keith Ross Miller |
1919–2004 |
Legendary Australian Test cricketer and St Kilda and Victoria, Australian Rules Footballer |
Member of Bradmans 1948 Australian cricket 'Invincibles' touring team to England |
His paternal and maternal grandparents were Scottish.
|
Dave Bryden |
1928–2013 |
Australian Rules Footballer |
Member of the 1954 Footscray now Western Bulldogs premiership team |
His father was Scottish.
|
Roy Cazaly |
1893–1963 |
Australian Rules Footballer |
Roy Cazaly was a champion ruckman who played for St Kilda (1909–1920) and then South Melbourne (1921–1926). His teammate's constant cry of 'Up there Cazaly' entered the Australian idiom and became part of folk-lore'. |
His mother was Elizabeth Jemima, née McNee from Scotland.
|
Thomas Brisbane |
1773–1860 |
Sixth governor of New South Wales |
Appointed governor in 1821 |
Born near Largs in Ayrshire; educated at University of Edinburgh
|
John Hunter |
1737–1821 |
Second governor of New South Wales |
Arrived with the First Fleet in 1788 |
born in Leith
|
Rt Hon. Andrew Fisher |
1862–1928 |
Prime Minister three times, the most successful of Australia's early politicians and started the Commonwealth Bank. |
Arrived in Queensland 1885 |
Born at Crosshouse, Ayrshire, Scotland.
|
Right Honourable John Malcolm Fraser |
1930–2015 |
Prime Minister. |
Born Australia |
Father was Scottish
|
Forby Sutherland |
c. 1741–1770 |
First British born national to be buried in Australia by Captain Cook on his voyage on the Endeavour. |
arrived on the Endeavour in 1770 |
Born Orkney Islands Scotland
|
James Busby |
1801–1871 |
Grew up in Australia and was key to the peace treaty and negotiations between the British and the united tribes of the Maori in New Zealand. |
Arrived in 1824 |
Born Edinburgh
|
James Grant |
1772–1833 |
British Royal Navy officer who was the first to sail through Bass Strait from west to east, charting the then unknown coastline and the first European to land on Phillip Island where the south west point is named after him, and Churchill Island. |
Arrived in Australia 1800 |
Born Morayshire Scotland
|
William Balmain |
1762–1803 |
Naval surgeon who sailed as an assistant surgeon with the First Fleet to establish the first European settlement in Australia, and later became its principal surgeon. |
Arrived Port Jackson in January 1788 |
From Rhynd Perthshire Scotland
|
Peter Miller Cunningham |
1789–1864 |
Scottish naval surgeon and pioneer in Australia. |
Arrived in 1819 |
From Dumfriesshire Scotland
|
Robert Campbell |
1982– |
Australian Rules footballer. |
Born in Australia |
Ancestors were Scottish.
|
Elle Macpherson |
1964– |
Australian supermodel, actress and business woman. |
Born in Australia |
Ancestors from Scotland.
|
Sir Francis Forbes |
1784–1841 |
First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. |
Arrived 1820 |
Parents were Scottish
|
John Murray |
1827–1876 |
Lieutenant in the Native Police force. |
Arrived in Australia 1843 |
Born Langholm, Scotland
|
William Lithgow |
1784–1864 |
Auditor General of the colony of Sydney in Australia. The city of Lithgow in New South Wales was named in honour. |
Arrived in Sydney 1824 |
Born Scotland
|
Colonel William Paterson |
1755–1810 |
Scottish soldier, explorer, and botanist best known for leading early settlement in Tasmania. |
Arrived to Australia 1789 |
Born Montrose Scotland
|
Charles Frazer |
1788–1831 |
Colonial botanist of New South Wales who collected and catalogued numerous Australian plant species, and participated in a number of exploring expeditions. |
Arrived in 1815 |
From Blair Atholl Perthshire Scotland
|
Andrew McDougall |
1983– |
Australian Rules footballer. |
Born Australia |
Ancestors were Scottish
|
Rod Wishart |
1968– |
Australian former rugby league footballer who played for Illawarra Steelers, St. George Illawarra Dragons, New South Wales and Australia. |
Born Australia |
Ancestors were Scottish
|
James Alpin McPherson |
1842–1895 |
Explorer and bush ranger, best known as the 'Wild Scotchman'. |
Arrived in 1855 |
Born Inverness-shire Scotland
|
Paul McGregor |
1967– |
Australian rugby league footballer, he played for the Illawarra Steelers and, St George Illawarra Dragons and has represented New South Wales in the State of Origin and the Australian national rugby league team. |
Born Australia |
Ancestors were Scottish
|
George Reid |
1845–1918 |
Prime Minister of Australia |
Arrived Victoria 1852 |
Born Renfrewshire
|
Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell |
1792–1855 |
Surveyor-General and explorer. |
Arrived 1811 |
From Stirlingshire Scotland
|
Andrew Petrie |
1798–1872 |
Engineer who made important contributions as a private builder and was the first white Australian to climb Mount Beerwah. |
Arrived 1831 |
Born Fife Scotland
|
Alexander McLeay |
1767–1848 |
Appointed Colonial Secretary for New South Wales and was the foundation president of the Australian Club. |
Arrived with family in 1826 |
Born Ross-shire Scotland
|
Margie Abbott |
1958– |
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Australia and wife of Tony Abbott. |
Born in New Zealand and emigrated to Australia |
Scottish ancestry from both her parents
|
Campbell Drummond Riddell |
1796–1858 |
Public servant who served as Colonial Treasurer. |
Arrived Sydney 1830 |
Born Argyllshire, Scotland
|
John Murray |
1775–1807 |
Scottish naval officer, seaman and explorer, who also made a marked contribution to medicine. |
Arrived 1800 |
Born Edinburgh
|
Sir Charles Menzies |
1783–1866 |
Officer of marines who became the first commandant at Newcastle secondary Penal establishment. |
Arrived 1810 |
Born at Bal Freike, Perthshire, Scotland
|
Patrick Logan |
1791–1830 |
Arrived Sydney 1825 |
From Berwickshire Scotland
|
John Stephen |
1771–1833 |
First Puisne Judge of New South Wales who also became the first Solicitor-General. |
Arrived 1824 |
Born Aberdeen Scotland
|
Robert Brown |
1773–1858 |
Botanist who made extensive collections during Flinders' coastal surveys. Held in high regard by his contemporaries, he received numerous academic honours and made several major discoveries in his subject, including molecular agitation now called 'Brownian movement'. |
Arrived 1800 |
From Aberdeen Scotland
|
Francis Melville |
1822–1857 |
Francis McCallum, calling himself Captain Francis Melville and posing as a gentleman, he reached Victoria about October 1851. He became a bushranger and claimed leadership of the Mount Macedon gang. |
Arrived in the 1830s |
Born Inverness-shire
|
James Macpherson Grant |
1822–1885 |
Politician and prosperous Melbourne solicitor, who became vice-president of the land and works board and commissioner of railways and roads in 1864. |
Arrived 1850 |
Born Scotland
|
John Flynn (minister) |
1880–1951 |
Presbyterian minister and aviator who founded the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the world's first air ambulance. Appears on the Australian $20 dollar note |
Born Melbourne, Victoria. |
Minister of the Church of Scotland
|
Catherine Helen Spence |
1825–1910 |
Author, teacher, journalist, politician (Australia's first female political candidate) and leading suffragette. Appears on the Australian $5 dollar note |
Emigrated to South Australia in 1839 |
Born Melrose Scotland
|
John Dunmore Lang |
1799–1878 |
Presbyterian clergyman, writer, politician and activist |
Arrived Australia 1823 and lived there since that time |
Born Scotland
|
Mary Gilmore |
1865–1962 |
Prominent Australian socialist, poet and journalist. Appears on the Australian $10 dollar note |
Born New South Wales |
Family were from Scotland
|
Andrew Barton Paterson |
1864–1941 |
Composer of Australia's most widely known country folk song, Waltzing Matilda features on the Australian $10 dollar note |
Born Orange, New South Wales |
Father was Andrew Bogle Paterson, a Scottish immigrant from Lanarkshire.
|
Lachlan Macquarie |
1762–1824 |
Fifth governor of New South Wales |
Appointed governor in 1809 (often referred to as the Father of Australia) |
Born on the island of Ulva off the coast of the Isle of Mull; buried on the Isle of Mull
|
Thomas Mitchell |
1792–1855 |
Surveyor and explorer |
Arrived Australia 1827 |
Born Scotland
|
Nellie Melba |
1861–1931 |
Legendary Australian opera soprano and one of the most famous sopranos, and the first Australian to achieve international recognition in the form. Appears on the Australian $100 dollar note |
Born in Melbourne Victoria |
Father was a Scottish building contractor
|
John McDouall Stuart |
1815–1866 |
Surveyor and the most accomplished and most famous of all Australia's inland explorers |
Born Dysart, Fife Scotland
|
David Lennox |
1788–1873 |
Australian bridge builder, responsible for the construction of historic Lansdowne Bridge over Prospect Creek, Lennox Bridge over the Parramatta River and Lennox Bridge over Brookside Creek at Lapstone as well as a further fifty-three bridges in Victoria. |
Arrived 1832 in New South Wales |
Born Ayr Scotland
|
Peter Dodds McCormick |
1834?–1916 |
Composer of the Australian national anthem Advance Australia Fair |
Arrived Australia 1855 |
Born Port Glasgow
|
Bill Dundee |
1943– |
Professional wrestler |
Arrived Australia 1959 |
Born Dundee
|
Bon Scott |
1946–1980 |
AC/DC vocalist |
Arrived Australia 1952 |
Born Forfar and lived in Kirriemuir until the age of 6
|
Angus Young |
1955– |
AC/DC guitarist |
Arrived Australia 1963 |
Born Glasgow
|
Malcolm Young |
1953–2017 |
AC/DC guitarist |
Arrived Australia 1963 |
Born Glasgow
|
George Young (rock musician) |
1946–2017 |
Easybeats guitarist |
Arrived Australia 1963 |
Born Glasgow
|
Colin Hay |
1953– |
Men at Work vocalist |
Arrived Australia 1967 |
Born North Ayrshire
|
Fely Irvine |
1989– |
Member of Hi-5 from 2009–11 and successor to Kathleen de Leon Jones and Sun Park |
Born in Aberdeen, Scotland |
Of half-Filipino and half-Scottish ancestry
|
Sean Wight |
1964–2011 |
Australian rules footballer |
Arrived Australia mid-1980s |
Born in Scotland
|
Roseanna Cunningham |
1951– |
Scottish National Party politician serving as a Member of the Scottish Parliament |
Raised in Perth, Australia |
Born in Glasgow
|
Mary MacKillop |
1842–1909 |
Roman Catholic nun only Australian to be beatified |
Born Fitzroy, Victoria |
Daughter of Scottish immigrants
|
Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark |
1972– |
Crown Princess of Denmark |
Born Hobart, Tasmania |
Father is Scottish-born John Dalgleish Donaldson. Née Mary Donaldson.
|
Robert Menzies |
1894–1978 |
Prime Minister of Australia |
Born Jeparit, Victoria |
Scottish grandparents.
|
Ralph Abercrombie |
1881–1957 |
Public servant who became auditor-general for the Commonwealth. |
Born Mount Duneed Victoria |
Father was Scottish
|
Doug Cameron |
1951– |
Australian Labor Party politician who served as Senator for New South Wales 2008-2019 |
Arrived in 1973 |
Born Bellshill, Scotland
|
Kaiya Jones |
1996– |
Actress |
Arrived in 2004 |
Born Glasgow, Scotland
|
Jamie Young |
1985– |
Footballer |
Born in Brisbane |
Of Scottish descent[34]
|
Jackson Irvine |
1993– |
Footballer |
Born in Melbourne. Began career with Scottish-Australian club Frankston Pines and plays for the Australian national football team |
Father is Scottish. Played for Celtic F.C. in the Scottish Premiership
|
Miranda Kerr |
1983– |
Model |
Born in Sydney. Victoria's Secret Angel from 2007 to 2012. |
Kerr stated that her ancestry is mostly English, with smaller amounts of Scottish and French.
|
Calum Hood |
1996– |
Bassist |
Born in Sydney. Bassist and backing singer in Australian band 5 Seconds Of Summer. |
Hood has stated that his dad is of Scottish descent.
|
Catriona Gray |
1994– |
Model, beauty pageant titleholder represented the Philippines including Miss Universe 2018 |
Born in Cairns |
Father is of Scottish descent.
|
Steven M. Smith |
1951- |
Biologist |
Worked at CSIRO Canberra 1980-82, Migrated in 2005 as an Australian Research Council Federation Fellow. Australian citizen 2007. Employed at the University of Western Australia and subsequently at the University of Tasmania. |
Mother born in Paisley, wife born in Falkirk, daughter born in Edinburgh. Employed at the University of Edinburgh 1983-2004. Married in Glasgow 1997. Drummer in the City of Hobart Highland Pipe Band.
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