List of people from Wagga Wagga explained

This article is a list of notable people from the Australian regional city of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

Arts, literature

• Patricia Carlon (crime writer, born in Wagga Wagga)^[1]
• Flora Eldershaw (novelist and critic, educated and died in Wagga Wagga)
• Dame Edna Everage (fictional character)
• Billy Field (singer and songwriter)^[2]
• Dame Mary Gilmore (socialist, poet and journalist)
• Andrew Mueller (journalist, author)
• Nina Las Vegas (Nina Agzarian) (DJ and radio presenter)
• George Moore (radio presenter)

Business

• Geoff Dixon (Qantas CEO)
• Allan Fife (founder of Fife Capital)
• Don Kendell (founder of Kendell Airlines)
• Raelene Castle (Rugby Australia CEO) (2017-2020)

Crime

• Janine Balding (born and raised in Wagga Wagga, raped and murdered in Sydney in 1988)^[3]
• Andrew John Harper (the "Heartbreak Bandit" - defrauded and deceived women and business people)
• Arthur Orton (famous imposter claiming to be the Tichborne heir in late 19th century)^[4]

Film, television, and theatre

• Louise Alston (film director and producer)
• Sharna Burgess (professional ballroom dancer on Dancing with the Stars)
• Bill Kerr (actor)
• Lex Marinos (actor)
• Wayne Pygram (actor)
• Geraldine Quinn (performer)
• Kerry Casey (actor)

Military and policing

• Henry Baylis (first police magistrate of the area)
• Sir Thomas Blamey (World War II general and Australia's first and only Field-Marshal)
• John Hurst Edmondson (Australia's first World War II Victoria Cross recipient)

Music

• Carmel Kaine (Classical violinist)
• Sam Moran (former member of the children's musical group The Wiggles)

Politics and government

• Helen Coonan (former Liberal party senator for New South Wales 1996-2011)
• Charles Hardy (politician)
• Michael McCormack (Member for the Riverina and former Deputy Prime Minister)

Sport

• George P. Anderson (Australian rules footballer)
• David Barnhill (Rugby League footballer)^[5]
• Alex Blackwell (cricketer)
• Kate Blackwell (cricketer)
• Scobie Breasley (jockey)^[6]
• Greg Brentnall (Rugby League footballer)^[6]
• Wayne Carey (Australian rules footballer)^[6]
• Wayne Carroll (Australian rules footballer)
• Ben Cross (Rugby League footballer; played for Canberra, Melbourne and Newcastle)
• Neale Daniher (Australian rules footballer)
• Terry Daniher (Australian rules footballer)^[6]
• Patrick Dwyer (Olympic athlete)
• Steve Elkington (golfer)^[6]
• Marc Glanville (Rugby League footballer)
• Paul Hawke (Australian rules footballer)
• Elliott Himmelberg (Australian rules footballer)
• Harrison Himmelberg (Australian rules footballer)
• Nathan Hines (Rugby Union footballer)
• Brad Kahlefeldt (2006 Commonwealth Games Triathlon gold medallist)^[6]
• Paul Kelly (Australian rules footballer)^[6]
• Geoff Lawson (cricketer)^[6]
• Jim Lenehan (Rugby Union footballer)
• Jack Littlejohn (Rugby League footballer)
• Steve Martin (Australian Rugby League Team)
• Bill Mohr (Australian rules footballer)
• Cameron Mooney (Australian rules footballer)
• Chris Mortimer (Rugby League footballer)^[6]
• Peter Mortimer (Rugby League footballer)
• Steve Mortimer (Rugby League footballer)^[6]
• Nigel Plum (Rugby League footballer)
• Alicia Quirk (Australian Women's Rugby sevens player and 2016 Summer Olympics gold medal winner)
• Tony Roche (tennis player)^[6]
• Adam Schneider (Australian rules footballer)
• Nathan Sharpe (Rugby Union footballer)
• Nick Skinner (Rugby League footballer)
• Michael Slater (cricketer)^[6]
• Jamie Soward (Rugby League footballer and coach)
• Peter Sterling (Rugby League footballer and TV presenter/sports commentator)^[6]
• Mark Taylor (cricketer)^[6]

Other

• William Monks (architect)
• Thomas Smith Bellair (actor and Wagga Wagga publican)

Notes and References

1. News: Susan . Wyndham . Stranger than fiction . The Age . 20 October 2002 . 2018-11-30.
2. Encyclopedia: Billy Field . . Third Stone Press . . 2017 . Jenkins, Jeff (Foreword) . 2nd . 168 . 978-0-9953856-0-3 . McFarlane, Ian . Ian McFarlane.
3. News: Allard . Tom . Teen killers of Janine Balding have received 'cruel, inhumane and degrading' punishment: UN . 2018-11-30 . The Sydney Morning Herald . 21 November 2014 .
4. Book: Twain, Mark . Mark Twain . . 1897 . literaturecollection.com . Chapter XV . http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/twain/following-equator/16/.
5. Web site: David Barnhill - Playing Career - Summary . 2023-05-15 . www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
6. Web site: Sporting Hall of Fame . https://web.archive.org/web/20180620072400/https://museumriverina.com.au/exhibitions/sporting-hall-of-fame . 2018-06-20 . 2016-01-20 . Museum of the Riverina.