Authors recognised in Australian of the Year awards

Ultramarathon runner Nedd Brockmann and tour guide Sita Sargeant, both published authors, have been named in this year’s Australian of the Year awards.

Brockmann is the recipient of the Young Australian of the Year award after being announced as NSW Young Australian of the Year in November.

The author of Showing Up and Fire Up! (both S&S), Brockmann ran from Perth’s Cottesloe Beach to Sydney’s Bondi Beach in 2022 “to inspire people to do more for themselves and the homeless,” said the announcement. The 3952km journey, completed in 46 days, raised more than $2.6 million from some 37,000 donors.

Brockmann later launched Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge, and also raises funds for his charity partner, Mobilise, to finance “innovative programs to reduce the number of people sleeping rough”, said the announcement.

Sargeant was announced as ACT Young Australian of the Year in November and a finalist in the overall awards. She founded She Shapes History, a historical tourism company and social enterprise “dedicated to uncovering the often-overlooked stories of women who have shaped Australia in ways that receive little or no recognition”. 

In the book She Shapes History (Hardie Grant), Sargeant surveys more than 250 women who have shaped history in 31 towns and cities across Australia.

The National Australia Day Council is a not-for-profit, government-owned company based in Canberra. It presents the Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Local Hero awards each year.

Further details about are on the award website.

Category: Awards Local news