An acclaimed author, a concert pianist and an arts patron and philanthropist are among the 949 Australians recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours list.
2026 Kings Birthday Honours – quick links
2026 King’s Birthday Honours: eminent service to the arts
Mrs Elisabeth Janet Calvert-Jones from Victoria was one of just five Australians awarded the highest honour, the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), for eminent service to philanthropy, the arts, medical research organisations, the community and children and youth.
Calvert-Jones has been an Emeritus Trustee of the Tapestry Foundation of Australia since 2023. She is also a benefactor of the National Portrait Gallery, a Maestro Patron & Member of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s Europe Circle, a financial supporter (Soloist Patron) of The Australian Ballet, a donor to Rock Art Australia and a donor to the National Gallery of Victoria.
Acclaimed Victorian novelist Gerald Murnane was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to literature as an author and novelist, and to tertiary education.
His books include the novels The Plains (1982), Inland (1988), Barley Patch (2009) A Season on Earth (2019) and Border Districts (2017), the poetry collection Green Shadows and Other Poems (2019) and the essay collection Last Letter to a Reader (2021).
Murnane has previously received the 2016 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for Fiction, the Patrick White Award and the Melbourne Prize for Literature, among other accolades.
ArtsHub: In the limelight – latest arts prize winners and career milestones
2026 King’s Birthday Honours: additional honourees
Simon Tedeschi, who has been performing as a concert pianist since 1990, was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to music as a concert pianist.
Tedeschi has performed nationally and internationally, including notable performances with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and at Abu Dhabi International Arts Festival. He has also staged concerts with the progressive grassroots movement Standing Together, which supports Jewish and Palestinian voices against the occupation and for peace, equality, and social justice.
‘I think music can even bring people, who would otherwise regard themselves committed enemies, together into a room,’ Tedeschi told the ABC.
‘At a time when we’re not quite sure in Australia how to really look at ourselves and what it is to be Australian, I think music and the arts can really help to reflect and tell a story to ourselves about ourselves.’
Tedeschi is also a writer, publishing his first book Fugitive in 2022.
The Honourable David Templeman, Deputy Chair and Patron of Barking Gecko Arts, was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the arts, and to the people and Parliament of Western Australia.
A Barking Gecko Arts spokesperson said: ‘This prestigious recognition is awarded to individuals for outstanding service or exceptional achievement. For David, it marks a lifetime of profound dedication to community leadership, local government, and his tireless advocacy for the arts and culture sector.
‘We are incredibly fortunate to have David’s guidance, passion and vision helping to shape our future. This national honour is a well-deserved reflection of the immense dedication he brings to his public and community work.’
Melbourne-based visual artist Sally Smart was also named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), in recognition of her significant service to the arts as an administrator, educator and visual artist.
Working since the 1990s, Smart is recognised internationally for her painting, collage, sculpture and large-scale cut-out assemblage installations. Her practice often engages with textiles, dance and performance, along with the lineage of avant-garde modernist women artists.
Smart has previously served as a National Gallery of Australia council member, and has received numerous fellowships and residencies throughout her career, including the Mordant Family and Australia Council Affiliated Fellowship to the American Academy in Rome and the Agnes Goodsir Traveling Scholarship.
Tasmanian Frances Mary Underwood was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to music education, to the arts and to the community of Tasmania.
Underwood has served as President of the City of Hobart Eisteddfod Society since 2015, as the inaugural patron of the Tasmanian Music Teachers Association since 2012, and as an Early Childhood and Music Specialist at The Friends School, Tasmania for over 24 years, among many other services.
2026 King’s Birthday Honours: media figures also recognised
A number of prominent media figures were also recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours list, including television presenter and comedian Rove McManus, who becomes a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to broadcast media, entertainment and the community, and senior ABC broadcaster Fran Kelly, who was made an Officer of the Order (AO) for distinguished service to broadcast journalism, the advancement of social justice, equality, and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community.
The late James Valentine, a much-loved ABC broadcaster, musician and author, received a posthumous AM for significant service to the media as a radio presenter and television host, to music, and to children’s literature.
