Olympian Cathy Freeman has been named Australia's top national treasure by close to 69% of Australians, according to research by Zenith Australia based on a survey of 5,001 people.
The results, drawn from the April 2026 wave of the Zenith Imagine Panel, are nationally representative of Australians 18+ by age, gender and location.
Freeman's recognition was consistent across generations — 61% of Gen Z, 71% of Millennials, 70% of Gen X and 71% of Boomers.
John Farnham (66.8%) and Kylie Minogue (65%) round out the top three.
Farnham ranks highly across Boomers (77%), Gen X (75%) and Millennials (67%).
Minogue's appeal spans generations through different cultural reference points — her role as Charlene in Neighbours for Gen X, her global pop dominance in the 2000s for Millennials, and her hit Padam Padam on TikTok for Gen Z (57%).
Sporting figures feature prominently, with Dawn Fraser (61%), Rod Laver (56%) and Ian Thorpe (55%) all in the top 10.
Among Gen Z, Robert Irwin (71%) and Margot Robbie (70.1%) rank above many legacy figures, pointing to a next generation of cultural anchors.
Politicians rank poorly overall. Anthony Albanese (23%), Paul Keating (28%) and Pauline Hanson (31%) are the highest rated, all outside the top 30.
Zoe Cocker, head of strategy at Zenith Sydney, said Australians did not hand out the title easily.
"It's not for the loudest, the most visible, or the name in your feed this week," she said. “It's for people who've made something that sticks. That's why sporting figures resonate so deeply.
“It's a neat reminder that meaning outlasts fame and the people we treasure most aren't always the ones taking up the most space.”
Cocker said the research pointed to how trust was formed in Australia.
"National treasures are cultural anchors,” she said. “In a world of constant novelty, they provide continuity. This isn't about nostalgia or resisting change. It's about recognising the moments that felt collective, the ones that represented something bigger than individual success.
"This isn't just a story about celebrities or who is currently occupying our fragmented attention. It's a story about trust. In Australia, trust is earned emotionally. It isn't conferred by authority, proximity or constant visibility. It's built through moments people remember and carry with them.”
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