Victoria Cross recipients overview

Victoria Cross Rest Areas and Memorial Parks dedicated to Australian Victoria Cross recipients from World War Two, the Vietnam war and subsequent conflicts have been established along the Remembrance Driveway.

Because of their acts of valour and extraordinary personal courage they have been selected by name to represent all the servicemen and women commemorated.

The Victoria Cross is the pre-eminent award for acts of bravery in wartime and Australia's highest military honour. It is awarded to persons who, in the presence of the enemy; display the most conspicuous gallantry, or daring or pre-eminent act of valour, or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty.

The Imperial Victoria Cross was created by The Queen in 1856 and made retrospective to 1854 to cover the period of the Crimean War. The Victoria Cross for Australia was introduced as part of the Australian honours system in 1991. Prior to this, Australians were eligible for the Victoria Cross under the Imperial system of honours and it has been awarded to 96 Australians. 

Five Australians have been awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia bringing the total to 101.

Trooper Mark Donaldson VC was the first Australian to be honoured with the Victoria Cross for Australia on Friday 16 January 2009, followed by Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith VC MG on 23 January 2011 and Corporal Daniel Keighran VC on 1 November 2012.

The fourth recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia and the first to be awarded posthumously was Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird VC MG on 18 February 2014.

The fifth recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, and the first awarded to a Royal Australian Navy crew member, was Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean, on 1 December 2020, also posthumously.

Recipients