Nedd Brockman pictured with Australian Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP who presented Nedd with the prestigious award. Photo credit to NADC/Salty Dingo.
“A young man inspiring millions through ultra marathon running to help solve homelessness” is how they describe Nedd Brockman. The Prime Minister announced Nedd Brockaman as the 2026 Young Australian of the Year in a ceremony at the National Arboretum in Canberra.
At the 66th Australian of the Year Awards announcement, the award recipients were presented with a handcrafted glass trophy, a traditional Indigenous coolamon and clap sticks.
Nedd Brockmann had a goal – to run across Australia and inspire people to do more for themselves and the homeless. He wanted to do something to highlight homelessness, its complexities and prove that it’s solvable.
So, in 2022, he ran from Perth’s Cottesloe Beach to Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, completing a 3,952km journey over 46 days, and becoming the fastest ever Australian to do so. Nedd, now 27, raised over $2.6 million from over 37,000 individual contributors.
He went on to start Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge in 2024, and with his team, has raised over $8 million for those experiencing homelessness.
He also raises funds for his charity partner, Mobilise, to change lives through innovative programs to reduce the number of people sleeping rough. Find more info here https://wearemobilise.org.au/
Public nominations for the Australian of the Year Awards close on 31 July. If there’s someone you think should be considered for the 2027 Australian of the Year Awards, you can nominate them now at australianoftheyear.org.au.