Our past, our present, our future – 30^th anniversary celebration of Australia’s sporting glory

Australia’s most prestigious sporting awards ceremony, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Annual Induction and Awards Gala Dinner will celebrate its 30^th edition on Thursday, 9 October 2014 at Palladium at Crown, Melbourne.

Presented by Etihad Airways, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame annual dinner brings together the who’s who of Australian sporting royalty in the one room for one night each year, to celebrate our nation’s sporting successes, and inspire our nation’s sporting future.

The 30^th anniversary milestone occasion will celebrate the 525 Australian sporting greats who are the members of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Members who represent the pinnacle of 160 years of sporting excellence including Sir Donald Bradman AC, Dawn Fraser AO MBE, Betty Cuthbert AM MBE, Rod Laver MBE, Leigh Matthews, Wally Lewis AM, John Eales AM, Mick Doohan AM, Greg Norman AC, Catherine Freeman OAM, John Coates AC and Bruce McAvaney OAM.

In addition, eight of the nation’s greatest champions will be inducted into the coveted Sport Australia Hall of Fame at Australian sport’s ‘night of nights’ this year, and one current member will be elevated to legend status, becoming the “36th legend of Australian sport”. Plus the athlete whose achievements have most inspired the nation through his or her example in the past twelve months will be celebrated via the highly esteemed “The Don” Award, named after inaugural inductee and legend Sir Donald Bradman.

The Sport Australia Hall of Fame chairman John Bertrand AM, and the 2013 legend of Australian sport recipient, said the night is a great celebration of Australian sporting achievement.

“These awards represent the highest national sporting honours that can be bestowed upon an individual or team, and this year, our 30^th edition, will showcase the quality of the Inductees and Australian sporting achievement over the years,” Bertrand said.

“Importantly, the night is about celebrating past achievement, but also looking forward to inspire and excite the next generation of Australians. Young children can look at world beaters like Adam Scott, Sally Pearson and Anna Meares and believe that could be them one day,” continued Bertrand.

Established in 1985, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame plays a very important role in preserving and perpetuating our rich sporting heritage, whilst promoting the values of courage, sportsmanship, integrity, mateship, persistence, excellence, underpinned by generosity, modesty, pride and ambition.