Johnathan Thurston, the talismanic North Queensland Cowboys captain, is in contention to be named Australian of the Year after he collected Queensland’s state award for his services to Indigenous mentorship, youth and education.
At a ceremony in Brisbane on Wednesday, Thurston was recognised for his role as an ambassador for the Queensland Reconciliation Awards, his mentorship, and his work in public health campaigns for Indigenous communities.
This year, Thurston also launched the NRL Cowboys House, a $9.5m home that provides supported accommodation for Indigenous youth from remote communities, allowing them to access improved education in Townsville.
The rugby league star is also an ambassador for Synapse, an organisation that works to address higher rates of acquired brain injury in Indigenous communities, and the Apunipima Cape York Health Council’s anti-ice campaign.
If he is named Australian of the Year, Thurston will become the fifth Indigenous sportsperson to win the honour, after AFL icon Adam Goodes in 2014, Olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman in 1998, tennis champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1971 and boxer Lionel Rose in 1968.
Regarded as one of rugby league’s all-time greatest players, Thurston has won the Dally M medal for the NRL’s best player a record four times, and the Golden Boot award for the world’s best player a record three times.
In 2008 he was named in the Indigenous All-Stars team of the century, and is their current captain.
Thurston said he was “humbled” by the award and took his leadership role in the Indigenous community very seriously.
“I’m in a privileged position playing rugby league and I understand my role within the community that I have and the impact that I can have on the community and I don’t take that lightly,” he said.
“I’m very passionate about my culture and trying to inspire the next generation of my culture and young Australians.”
Dr Dimity Dornan, a hearing and cochlear implant specialist, was named Queensland Senior Australian of the Year, while Phillip Thompson, an advocate for veteran’s health, won the state’s award for Young Australian of the Year.
