33.8678° S, 151.2100° E

SYDNEY

Most Famous People Born in Sydney, Australia

Notable people
4,402
Peak decade
1980s
Median birth year
1962
Most distinctive
Rugby 25.1×

A harbour city that exports athletes by the boatload. Almost a fifth of Sydney's notable births are professional players of one code or another — rugby league, rugby union, cricket, swimming, rowing — at concentrations no other Australian city quite matches. The non-sport half is dominated by actors and an unusually deep bench of the professional class of a city that has always been the New South Wales capital first and a global one second.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Sydney during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1980s with 720 notable births.

What Sydney Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Player is Sydney's biggest profession — 19% of all notables (815).

Sydney over-indexes on rugby25.1× the global rate.

Sydney under-produces painter — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Player815
  2. Actor394
  3. Politician354
  4. Cricket305
  5. Football276
  6. Singer125
  7. Sport98
  8. Writer87
  1. Rugby7625.1×
  2. Player8159.5×
  3. Cricket3055.4×
  4. Swimmer733.4×
  5. Rower553.4×
  6. Actor3941.7×
  1. Painter540.5×
  2. Football2760.6×
  3. Writer870.6×
  4. Politician3540.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Sydney's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

18001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Music
  • Science
  • Other
All4,402
Sort By

4,402 notable people

2701 PLAYER

John Williams (rugby league)

Born 1985

Preview
2702 PLAYER

Johnny Riley

Born 1939

Preview
2703 DIPLOMAT

Geoffrey Knox

1884 - 1958

Preview
2704 MUSIC

Nadje Noordhuis

Born 1980

Preview
2705 POLITICIAN

David Ramsay (Ontario politician)

1948 - 2020

Preview
2706 FOOTBALL

Steven Bozinovski

Born 1981

Preview
2707 POLITICIAN

Mat Davidson

1869 - 1949

Preview
2708 PLAYER

Ned Catic

Born 1978

Preview
2709 MUSIC

Richard Grossman (bassist)

Born 1959

Preview
2710 POLITICIAN

Angela D'Amore

Born 1971

Preview
2711 PHYSICIST

Joan Adler

Born 1950

Preview
2712 PLAYER

Todd Byrne

Born 1978

Preview
2713 WRITER

Christopher Sequeira

-

Preview
2714 PLAYER

Brett Custer

Born 1968

Preview
2715 BUSINESS

Hans Stockmar

1890 - 1961

Preview
2716 ACTOR

Darcey Wilson

Born 2001

Preview
2717 COXSWAIN

Dale Caterson

Born 1961

Preview
2718 PLAYER

Greg Pierce

1950 - 2016

Preview
2719 ACTIVIST

Colin Allen

Born 2011

Preview
2720 LIBERAL

Michael Baume

Born 1930

Preview
2721 ACTOR

Maggie Millar

Born 1941

Preview
2722 POET

Emily Manning

1845 - 1890

Preview
2723 CRICKET

Ian Moran (cricketer)

Born 1979

Preview
2724 CRICKET

Donald Harkness

Born 1931

Preview
2725 JOURNALIST

Sarah Harris (journalist)

Born 1981

Preview
2726 PLAYER

Vic Mauro

Born 1987

Preview
2727 ARCHITECT

James Cowlishaw

1834 - 1929

Preview
2728 FOOTBALL

Michael Trajkovski

Born 1997

Preview
2729 PLAYER

Samu Wara

Born 1986

Preview
2730 ACTOR

Glen Alyn

1913 - 1984

Preview
2731 POLO

Jemma Brownlow

Born 1979

Preview
2732 PHYSICIAN

Katie Ardill

1886 - 1955

Preview
2733 FOOTBALL

Matthew Mayora

Born 1986

Preview
2734 PLAYER

John Ferguson (rugby league)

Born 1954

Preview
2735 PAINTER

Alexander McKenzie (artist)

Born 1971

Preview
2736 POLITICIAN

Peg Putt

Born 1953

Preview
2737 GOLF

Dimitrios Papadatos

Born 1991

Preview
2738 HORSE TRAINER

Lee Freedman

Born 1956

Preview
2739 WRITER

Susanne Gervay

Born 1950

Preview
2740 PLAYER

Darren Senter

Born 1972

Preview
2741 JOURNALIST

Christopher Pearson (journalist)

1951 - 2013

Preview
2742 PLAYER

Bob McCarthy

Born 1944

Preview
2743 ROWER

Bronwyn Roye

Born 1970

Preview
2744 POLITICIAN

John Smith (Victoria politician)

1816 - 1879

Preview
2745 PLAYER

Neville Glover

Born 1955

Preview
2746 ACTOR

Ursula Mills

-

Preview
2747 SPORT

Dean Canto

Born 1980

Preview
2748 BUSINESS

Alex Hartman

1980 - 2019

Preview
2749 PLAYER

Willie Peters

Born 1979

Preview
2750 CRICKET

Debbie Wilson (cricketer)

Born 1961

Preview
2751 ACTOR

Bridgette Sneddon

-

Preview
2752 SPORT

Glenn Doyle

Born 1965

Preview
2753 PLAYER

Lelea Paea

Born 1983

Preview
2754 BOTANIST

Alick William Dockrill

1915 - 2011

Preview
2755 CRICKET

Harry Conway

Born 1992

Preview
2756 PLAYER

Shannon Gallant

Born 1986

Preview
2757 ACTOR

Wendy Playfair

Born 1926

Preview
2758 ACTOR

Kate Hood

-

Preview
2759 MUSIC

Phillip Langshaw

-

Preview
2760 BOXER

Lawrence Tauasa

Born 1979

Preview
2761 POLITICIAN

Sir Robert Lucas-Tooth, 1st Baronet

1844 - 1915

Preview
2762 POLITICIAN

Deirdre Grusovin

Born 1938

Preview
2763 PLAYER

Josh Lewis (rugby league)

Born 1985

Preview
2764 COMPOSER

George Selwyn English

1912 - 1980

Preview
2765 PLAYER

Ray Preston (rugby league)

1927 - 2019

Preview
2766 POLITICIAN

Liz Constable

Born 1943

Preview
2767 BASKET

Scott Fenton

1964 - 1989

Preview
2768 SCULPTOR

Linde Ivimey

Born 1965

Preview
2769 POLITICIAN

John Lawson (Australian politician)

1897 - 1956

Preview
2770 FOOTBALL

Les Pogliacomi

Born 1976

Preview
2771 SINGER

Shimon Moore

Born 1982

Preview
2772 PLAYER

Jim Porter

Born 1949

Preview
2773 PAINTER

Mary Edwell-Burke

1894 - 1988

Preview
2774 PLAYER

Patrick Phibbs

Born 1981

Preview
2775 CONSERVATIONIST

Walter Cresswell O'Reilly

1877 - 1954

Preview
2776 CRICKET

Albert Alloo

1893 - 1955

Preview
2777 FOOTBALL

Chris Triantis

Born 1987

Preview
2778 CRICKET

David Moore (cricket coach)

Born 1964

Preview
2779 POLITICIAN

Stephanie Cox (Politikerin)

Born 1989

Preview
2780 ACTOR

Philippa Baker (actress)

Born 1931

Preview
2781 SINGER

Leeno Dee

-

Preview
2782 POLITICIAN

Peter Knott

1956 - 2015

Preview
2783 DANCER

Michael Dameski

Born 1995

Preview
2784 PLAYER

Ken Wilson (rugby league)

Born 1952

Preview
2785 POLITICIAN

John Bradford (Australian politician)

Born 1946

Preview
2786 SINGER

Jackie Barnes

Born 1986

Preview
2787 POLITICIAN

John Hurley (New South Wales politician born 1844)

1844 - 1911

Preview
2788 PLAYER

Tony Mestrov

Born 1970

Preview
2789 RADIO

Stan Zemanek

1947 - 2007

Preview
2790 PLAYER

Jim Dymock

Born 1972

Preview
2791 ORNITHOLOGIST

Roy Percy Cooper

1907 - 1976

Preview
2792 SINGER

Molly Contogeorge

Born 1990

Preview
2793 LAWYER

Deirdre O'Connor

Born 1941

Preview
2794 FOOTBALL

Leo Carle

Born 1980

Preview
2795 HOCKEY

Noel Derrick

1926 - 2018

Preview
2796 FOOTBALL

Paul Kohler

Born 1979

Preview
2797 POLITICIAN

Ray Sherry

1924 - 1989

Preview
2798 ACTOR

Vivienne Garrett

-

Preview
2799 SWIMMER

Gary Winram

Born 1936

Preview
2800 PLAYER

James Aubusson

Born 1986

Preview
2801 SINGER

Michelle Rounds

Born 1962

Preview
2802 ACTOR

Kylle Hogart

-

Preview
2803 SKIER

Scott Adams (skier)

Born 1971

Preview
2804 FOOTBALL

David D'Apuzzo

Born 1988

Preview
2805 BASKET

Martin Iti

Born 1983

Preview
2806 GOLF

Tim Stewart

Born 1985

Preview
2807 RACER

Ken Le Breton

1924 - 1951

Preview
2808 POLICE

Mick Keelty

Born 1954

Preview
2809 PLAYER

Brian James (rugby league)

1943 - 2020

Preview
2810 PHYSICIAN

Andrew Rochford

Born 1979

Preview
2811 PLAYER

Ferris Ashton

1926 - 2013

Preview
2812 DRIVER

Michael Caruso (racing driver)

Born 1983

Preview
2813 POLITICIAN

Hugh McDermott (politician)

Born 1968

Preview
2814 ROWER

Dominic Grimm

Born 1988

Preview
2815 POLITICIAN

Jann McFarlane

Born 1944

Preview
2816 PLAYER

Brad Arthur

Born 1974

Preview
2817 ACTOR

Kim Lewis

Born 1963

Preview
2818 SCHOLAR

Leslie Zines

1930 - 2014

Preview
2819 RADIO

Tom Williams (presenter)

Born 1970

Preview
2820 PLAYER

Eric Grothe Sr.

Born 1960

Preview
2821 MUSIC

Stella Mozgawa

Born 1986

Preview
2822 ACTOR

Robert McDarra

1931 - 1975

Preview
2823 ECONOMIST

Margaret Gardner

Born 1954

Preview
2824 ACTOR

Patrick Ward (actor)

1950 - 2019

Preview
2825 POLITICIAN

Robert Webster (politician)

Born 1951

Preview
2826 PLAYER

Shannon Donato

Born 1975

Preview
2827 ACTOR

Lesley Anne Mitchell

Born 1988

Preview
2828 POLITICIAN

Natasha Maclaren-Jones

Born 1976

Preview
2829 ROWER

Lionel Robberds

Born 1939

Preview
2830 POLITICIAN

David Shoebridge

-

Preview
2831 PLAYER

Andrew Emelio

Born 1981

Preview
2832 PLAYER

Lance Thompson

1978 - 2018

Preview
2833 ACTOR

Jackson Raine

Born 1974

Preview
2834 RUGBY

Leva Li

Born 1994

Preview
2835 SPORT

James Elias

-

Preview
2836 PLAYER

Nick Graham (rugby league)

Born 1974

Preview
2837 ATHLETIC

Brad Milosevic

Born 1989

Preview
2838 POLITICIAN

James Robert Wilshire

1809 - 1860

Preview
2839 POLITICIAN

Wendy Lovell

Born 1959

Preview
2840 DRIVER

Alan Gurr

Born 1982

Preview
2841 OFFICER

Gus Gilmore

Born 1962

Preview
2842 CINEMA

George Heath (cinematographer)

1901 - 1968

Preview
2843 NURSE

Marjorie Chambers

1906 - 1989

Preview
2844 DRIVER

David Wall (racing driver)

Born 1983

Preview
2845 CINEMA

Peter Hannan (Kameramann)

Born 1941

Preview
2846 RUGBY

Grant Garvey

Born 1996

Preview
2847 ACTOR

Tony Naumovski

Born 1977

Preview
2848 CRICKET

Jason Coleman

Born 1974

Preview
2849 CONDUCTOR

Harold Geller

1916 - 2005

Preview
2850 ACTIVIST

James Aspey

Born 1986

Preview
2851 PLAYER

Kimami Sitauti

Born 1991

Preview
2852 WRITER

Kim Westwood

-

Preview
2853 CRICKET

Gary Goodman

Born 1953

Preview
2854 CRICKET

Ron Moss (cricketer)

1922 - 2004

Preview
2855 ACTOR

John Maxim

1925 - 1990

Preview
2856 PLAYER

Brad Mackay

Born 1969

Preview
2857 WRITER

Judith Clarke

1943 - 2020

Preview
2858 CRICKET

Danny McLauchlan

Born 1977

Preview
2859 JOURNALIST

David Speers

Born 1969

Preview
2860 PLAYER

Robert Brien

Born 1944

Preview
2861 POLITICIAN

Charles Jeanneret (politician)

1834 - 1898

Preview
2862 POLITICIAN

Mark Speakman

Born 1959

Preview
2863 PLAYER

Matt Keating

Born 1986

Preview
2864 PENCILLER

Ron Vivian

1914 - 1973

Preview
2865 CRICKET

Alick Mackenzie

1870 - 1947

Preview
2866 CARDIOLOGIST

David Celermajer

Born 1961

Preview
2867 PLAYER

Jake Foster

Born 1988

Preview
2868 POLITICIAN

Roger Dean (Australian politician)

1913 - 1998

Preview
2869 SWIMMER

Kate Bailey

Born 1982

Preview
2870 CONDUCTOR

Benjamin Bayl

Born 1978

Preview
2871 PLAYER

Luke Stuart

Born 1977

Preview
2872 POLITICIAN

Marie Ficarra

Born 1954

Preview
2873 LAWYER

Michelle Guthrie

Born 1965

Preview
2874 RUGBY

Victor Radley

Born 1998

Preview
2875 FOOTBALL

Adrian Ucchino

Born 1991

Preview
2876 BOXER

Anthony McCracken

Born 1983

Preview
2877 PLAYER

Ray Nasso

Born 1987

Preview
2878 POLITICIAN

Eric Roozendaal

Born 1962

Preview
2879 POLITICIAN

William Wilks (Australian politician)

1863 - 1940

Preview
2880 POLITICIAN

Sydney Burdekin

1839 - 1899

Preview
2881 LAWYER

Tom Pauling

Born 1946

Preview
2882 CRICKET

Mark N. Atkinson

Born 1969

Preview
2883 SINGER

Sonja Tallis

Born 1943

Preview
2884 PLAYER

Jack Danzey

1941 - 2020

Preview
2885 COMEDIAN

Gen Fricker

Born 1989

Preview
2886 DRIVER

Mike Burgmann

1947 - 1986

Preview
2887 PLAYER

Ben Matwijow

Born 1990

Preview
2888 JAVELIN THROWER

Christine Hunt

Born 1950

Preview
2889 POLITICIAN

George Thornton (politician)

1819 - 1901

Preview
2890 SWIMMER

Melanie Dodd

Born 1973

Preview
2891 ACTOR

Fredric Abbott

1928 - 1996

Preview
2892 JOURNALIST

Belinda Luscombe

-

Preview
2893 CRICKET

Roy Levy

1906 - 1965

Preview
2894 MISS

Caroline Pemberton

Born 1986

Preview
2895 PLAYER

Mitch Hardy

Born 1971

Preview
2896 POLITICIAN

Alfred Cadman

1847 - 1905

Preview
2897 BUSINESS

Paul Ramsay

1936 - 2014

Preview
2898 CHURCH

Phillip Jensen

-

Preview
2899 RACER

Gary Guglielmi

Born 1958

Preview
2900 PLAYER

Darren Maroon

Born 1966

Preview
2901 PLAYER

Paul Hayward

1954 - 1992

Preview
2902 FOOTBALL

Murray Barnes

1954 - 2011

Preview
2903 PLAYER

Jamie Holmes (tennis)

Born 1973

Preview
2904 DRIVER

Leanne Tander

Born 1980

Preview
2905 POLITICIAN

Walter Wearne

1867 - 1931

Preview
2906 PLAYER

Arthur Conlin

1883 - 1947

Preview
2907 ROWER

Steve Handley

Born 1956

Preview
2908 ILLUSTRATOR

Peter Schouten

-

Preview
2909 TELEVISION

Marc Saw Nelson

Born 1972

Preview
2910 FOOTBALL

Ryan King

Born 1988

Preview
2911 FOOTBALL

George Shaw (footballer, born 1886)

1886 - 1971

Preview
2912 WRITER

Alex Hood

Born 1935

Preview
2913 PLAYER

Rory Parata

Born 1994

Preview
2914 CHEF

Peter Gilmore (chef)

Born 1968

Preview
2915 BALLET

Alexander Campbell (dancer)

Born 1986

Preview
2916 JUDO

Heidi Burnett

Born 1961

Preview
2917 GUITAR

Bob Spencer

Born 1957

Preview
2918 JOURNALIST

Drew Magary

Born 1976

Preview
2919 TELEVISION

Jim Waley

Born 1948

Preview
2920 RADIO

Ed Doolan

1941 - 2018

Preview
2921 FOOTBALL

Nenad Vekic

Born 1990

Preview
2922 TRADE UNION

Ray Gietzelt

1922 - 2012

Preview
2923 AUDIO

Fritz Langford-Smith

1904 - 1966

Preview
2924 POLITICIAN

Réginald Bernut

Born 1937

Preview
2925 OFFICER

Mark Bonser

Born 1952

Preview
2926 JOURNALIST

Tony Squires

-

Preview
2927 FENCER

Gary Hooper (Paralympian)

Born 1939

Preview
2928 RUGBY

Tyler Cassel

Born 1995

Preview
2929 FOOTBALL

Colin Strang (footballer)

1910 - 1946

Preview
2930 CLARINET

Ray Swinfield

1939 - 2019

Preview
2931 JUDGE

Alan Blow

Born 1949

Preview
2932 DIPLOMAT

Paul O'Sullivan

Born 1948

Preview
2933 ARTIST

Mandy Ord

Born 1974

Preview
2934 PLAYER

Brian Clay

1935 - 1987

Preview
2935 CRICKET

Ian Thomson (umpire)

Born 1963

Preview
2936 WRITER

Jack Ellis (writer)

Born 1978

Preview
2937 TRADER

Jack Buckland

1864 - 1897

Preview
2938 DRIVER

Andrej Pavicevic

Born 1975

Preview
2939 PLAYER

Tim Bennetts

Born 1990

Preview
2940 ARCHITECT

George Allen Mansfield

1834 - 1908

Preview
2941 MILITAR

Sydney Christian

1868 - 1931

Preview
2942 ACTOR

Owen Weingott

1921 - 2002

Preview
2943 SPORT

Peter Milostic

Born 1974

Preview
2944 PLAYER

Mark Shulman (rugby league)

Born 1951

Preview
2945 AUTHOR

Kaye Mortley

Born 1943

Preview
2946 SURGEON

William Paton Cleland

1912 - 2005

Preview
2947 PLAYER

Lachlan MacKay

Born 1982

Preview
2948 OFFICER

Chris Barrie (admiral)

Born 1945

Preview
2949 PLAYER

Denis Lutge

1879 - 1953

Preview
2950 SWIMMER

Trent Steed

Born 1977

Preview
2951 FOOTBALL

Vuko Tomasevic

Born 1980

Preview
2952 FOOTBALL

Tony Brown (rugby league)

Born 1936

Preview
2953 JOURNALIST

Dorothy Gordon (Australian actress)

1891 - 1985

Preview
2954 PLAYER

Bernadette Randall

Born 1965

Preview
2955 PLAYER

Allen Belobrajdic

Born 1976

Preview
2956 DIPLOMAT

Hugh Gilchrist

1916 - 2010

Preview
2957 PLAYER

David Marando

Born 1984

Preview
2958 PLAYER

Harlan Alaalatoa

Born 1988

Preview
2959 PLAYER

Howard Hallett

1880 - 1970

Preview
2960 FILM

Luke Anthony

Born 1976

Preview
2961 BUSINESS

Philip Aiken

Born 1949

Preview
2962 CRICKET

Tom Dent (cricketer)

1879 - 1929

Preview
2963 FOOTBALL

Alec Urosevski

Born 1994

Preview
2964 POLITICIAN

Michael Maher (Australian politician)

1936 - 2013

Preview
2965 BASKET

Rouben Vesmadian

Born 1982

Preview
2966 RUGBY

Geordi Peats

Born 1969

Preview
2967 MAGIC

James Galea

Born 1981

Preview
2968 ACTOR

Gabriel Andrews

-

Preview
2969 JOURNALIST

Peter Stefanovic

Born 1981

Preview
2970 PLAYER

Steve James (rugby)

Born 1960

Preview
2971 NETBALL

Paige Hadley

Born 1992

Preview
2972 POLITICIAN

Lindy Nelson-Carr

Born 1952

Preview
2973 INVENTOR

Ric Richardson

Born 1962

Preview
2974 POLITICIAN

John Campbell (Australian politician)

1802 - 1886

Preview
2975 PLAYER

Pat Weisner

Born 1982

Preview
2976 ACTOR

Tyler De Nawi

Born 1989

Preview
2977 VOCALIST

Flynn Gower

Born 1972

Preview
2978 ORGANIST

David Rumsey (organist)

1939 - 2017

Preview
2979 ACTOR

Mojean Aria

-

Preview
2980 RUGBY

Jarome Luai

Born 1997

Preview
2981 PLAYER

Shannan McPherson

Born 1985

Preview
2982 DRIVER

Gladys Sandford

1891 - 1971

Preview
2983 FILM

John L. Simpson

Born 1963

Preview
2984 POLITICIAN

John Watkins (Australian politician)

Born 1955

Preview
2985 POLITICIAN

Joseph Innes

1834 - 1896

Preview
2986 POLITICIAN

Michael Tate

Born 1945

Preview
2987 PLAYER

Scott Pethybridge

Born 1977

Preview
2988 POLITICIAN

John Fletcher (Queensland politician)

1884 - 1965

Preview
2989 RUGBY

Lachlan Lam

Born 1998

Preview
2990 ACTOR

Will McDonald (actor australiano)

Born 1999

Preview
2991 CRICKET

Christopher Feltham

Born 1972

Preview
2992 POLITICIAN

Grant Woodhams

Born 1952

Preview
2993 CRICKET

Charles Smith (cricketer, born 1864)

1864 - 1920

Preview
2994 PLAYER

Bryan Orrock

1930 - 2019

Preview
2995 JUDGE

Peter McClellan

-

Preview
2996 JOURNALIST

Eileen Louise Soper

1900 - 1989

Preview
2997 POLITICIAN

Geoff Lyons

Born 1953

Preview
2998 PLAYER

Neil Baker

Born 1960

Preview
2999 FREESTYLE

Kylie Gill

Born 1974

Preview
3000 PLAYER

Steve Cummins

Born 1992

Preview