FROM FARM GIRL TO WHALE WHISPERER: VANESSA PIROTTA NAMED NSW AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Some childhood dreams really do come true, and Vanessa Pirotta is living proof.
The Sydney marine scientist, who fell in love with the ocean as a girl watching Free Willy and David Attenborough documentaries, has been named the 2027 NSW Australian of the Year.
The announcement was made this week in Sydney, as reported by the ABC.
She will now represent the state at the national awards in Canberra on 25 January 2027.
Who Is Vanessa Pirotta?
Vanessa grew up on a farm near Murrumbateman, not far from Canberra, a long way from the sea.
Yet that early fascination with whales never left her, and she went on to become one of the country's best-known voices in marine science.
She is perhaps best known for a clever, gentle way of checking on whale health.
When a whale surfaces and breathes out through its blowhole, a drone flies through the spray and collects a sample.
Scientists can then study that sample to learn about the animal's health, without needing to touch or stress it.
It is the kind of brilliant, simple idea that makes you wonder why nobody thought of it sooner.
Vanessa Pirotta's Gift To Sydney Harbour
Five years ago she founded Wild Sydney Harbour, a citizen science project that invites everyday people to report the marine life they spot.
Every sighting helps build a picture of the creatures that share the harbour with millions of Sydneysiders.
She says she wants people to feel empowered and to better understand their "blue backyard".
She also works alongside the Gamay Rangers, an Indigenous ranger group in Botany Bay, to monitor marine populations.
National Australia Day Council chief executive Carrie Leeson praised her work for combining innovation and traditional knowledge to help protect marine life.
And she is a passionate champion for getting more women and girls into science, technology, engineering, arts and maths careers.
The Other Inspiring NSW Winners
Vanessa is in very good company this year.
The NSW Senior Australian of the Year is Dr David Cooke OAM, an 84-year-old doctor who has spent more than six decades caring for patients in remote areas.
His work has included the Royal Flying Doctor Service in the Northern Territory and north Queensland, and he even learned to parachute to reach hard-to-access places.
According to the Newcastle Herald, he calls himself a "pilot who practises medicine", and he still works as a GP around Port Macquarie and South West Rocks.
The NSW Young Australian of the Year is 30-year-old Bonny Hills teacher Danny Schouten, who created Community Shark Bite Kits.
The bleeding-control stations, stocked with tourniquets and bandages, are now at more than 330 beaches around Australia.
He came up with the idea after a friend survived a shark attack, helped by a makeshift tourniquet.
The NSW Local Hero award went to Jill Ashley and Paul "Fatty" Ireland, who founded ShoreTrack in the Nambucca Valley in 2020.
Their charity helps young people who have drifted away from school through mentoring, training and job pathways, and it has supported more than 750 of them.
What We Can All Take From Their Stories
None of these winners set out to collect an award.
They simply saw a problem, whether it was sick whales, lonely outback patients, unsafe beaches or young people losing their way, and decided to help.
If Vanessa Pirotta's story has inspired you, there are easy ways to start.
Next time you are at the beach or on a ferry, keep an eye out for dolphins, seals or whales and consider logging what you see with a citizen science project.
You could also encourage a curious daughter, niece or granddaughter who loves animals to explore a career in science.
And if there is someone in your community quietly making a difference, the Australian of the Year Awards accept nominations every year.
Looking Ahead To January
The national winners will be revealed on the evening of 25 January 2027, the eve of Australia Day.
Whoever takes home the top honour, Vanessa Pirotta has already shown how one farm girl's love of whales can ripple out to inspire a whole state.
