Advertising agency, Zenith Australia, has released research revealing that moments define culture more than visibility.
The results, nationally representative of Australians 18+ based on age, gender and location, reveal nearly seven in 10 Australians (68.7 per cent) identify Cathy Freeman is a national treasure, the highest recognition of any figure measured.
Freeman’s recognition is also unusually even across age groups, with 61 per cent of Gen Z, 71 per cent of Millennials, 70 per cent of Gen X and 71 per cent of Boomers agreeing.
With Freeman having largely stepped away from public life following her gold medal run at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the results show national treasure status has little to do with constant exposure. It’s about the cultural imprint someone leaves behind.
Zenith Sydney head of strategy Zoe Cocker, said: “Australians don’t hand out the title of ‘national treasure’ easily. It’s not for the loudest, the most visible, or the name in your feed this week. 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.”
Further insights from the research included that national treasures share one thing in common. They are defined by moments that became part of the national story:
Alongside Freeman, figures like John Farnham (66.8 per cent) and Kylie Minogue (65 per cent) sat at the top of the list.
Both men and women agreed that Freeman and Farnham are the two most recognised national treasures, reflecting a shared sense of resilience, humility and emotional impact.
Sport also played an outsized role in national treasure status. Sporting moments were found to be some of Australia’s most powerful shared experiences.
Among Gen Z, recognition of Robert Irwin as a national treasure sits at 71.0 per cent and Margot Robbie at 70.1 per cent, both higher than many legacy figures.
This suggest younger cohorts are already naming their own cultural anchors. Those who carry that recognition forward, generation to generation, may become the next national treasures.
Cocker said: “National treasures are cultural anchors. 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.” Cocker added.
