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The richest Australians have been revealed for 2026, with Gina Rinehart's AUD$39.01 billion net worth sitting at the top of the list once again. These entrepreneurs, businessmen and women, and tech founders control billions between them, according to The AFR Rich List for 2026. Mining still does the heavy lifting at the top, though the likes of Canva and Chemist Warehouse show how software and retail scale now sit beside the resources fortunes. I doubt you're here to read about market conditions though, so let's check out the 10 richest Australians.
Richest Australians at a Glance
- Highest fortune: Gina Rinehart (AUD$39.01 billion)
- Property benchmark: Harry Triguboff (AUD$32.29 billion)
- Global packaging power: Anthony Pratt and family (AUD$25.19 billion)
- Technology wealth story: Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht (AUD$17.56 billion)
- Retail pharmacy scale: Mario, Marcello and Adrian Verrocchi (AUD$12.76 billion)
The 10 Richest Australians
1. Gina Rinehart: AUD$39.01 billion
Gina Rinehart remains the defining figure of Australian private wealth, with Hancock Prospecting sitting at the centre of her iron ore empire. Her place on the Rich List stretches back to 1992, a marker of both longevity and control in a sector where scale, access to deposits and commodity cycles determine fortunes. At 72, she continues to represent the clearest link between Australian resources and generational capital.
- Source of wealth: Mining (iron ore; Hancock Prospecting)
- Age: 72
- Industry: Mining
- Company: Hancock Prospecting
- Years on the Rich List: since 1992
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
2. Harry Triguboff: AUD$32.29 billion
Harry Triguboff is the apartment king of Australian property, best known for building Meriton into one of the country’s most recognisable residential development groups. His wealth reflects decades of exposure to urban housing demand, particularly the enduring appetite for apartments in major cities. At 93, his position speaks to the power of long-term land acquisition, development discipline and privately held scale.
- Source of wealth: Property (Meriton apartment development)
- Age: 93
- Industry: Property
- Company: Meriton
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
3. Anthony Pratt and family: AUD$25.19 billion
Anthony Pratt and family sit near the top through manufacturing, packaging and recycling, anchored by Visy and Pratt Industries. It is a fortune built on industrial necessity rather than consumer fashion, with cardboard, logistics and recycling infrastructure tied closely to the modern economy. At 66, Pratt represents one of Australia’s strongest global business stories, with operations spanning domestic and international markets.
- Source of wealth: Manufacturing (packaging and recycling; Visy / Pratt Industries)
- Age: 66
- Industry: Manufacturing
- Company: Visy / Pratt Industries
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
4. Ivan Glasenberg: AUD$22.38 billion
Ivan Glasenberg brings a global commodities profile to the Australian rich list through his association with Glencore. His wealth is tied to mining and commodities trading, a field where timing, supply chains and market access can be as important as the assets themselves. At 69, he stands apart from pure mine owners because his fortune reflects both resource exposure and trading expertise.
- Source of wealth: Mining and commodities trading (Glencore)
- Age: 69
- Industry: Mining and commodities
- Company: Glencore
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
5. Clive Palmer: AUD$19.56 billion
Clive Palmer’s wealth is rooted in mining, particularly iron ore royalties through Mineralogy. Rather than relying solely on operating mines, his position shows how ownership rights and royalty streams can carry immense value when tied to major resource projects. At 72, Palmer remains one of Australia’s most recognisable business figures, with a fortune closely linked to the economics of iron ore.
- Source of wealth: Mining (iron ore royalties; Mineralogy)
- Age: 72
- Industry: Mining
- Company: Mineralogy
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
6. Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht: AUD$17.56 billion
Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht are the clearest technology counterpoint to the mining and property names above them. Their wealth comes from Canva, the design software company that turned a simple visual creation tool into a global platform used by businesses, creators and teams. At 39, Perkins is also one of the youngest names in this group, showing how software scale can now compete with Australia’s traditional wealth engines.
- Source of wealth: Technology (Canva design software)
- Age: 39
- Industry: Technology
- Company: Canva
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
7. Nicola Forrest: AUD$17.32 billion
Nicola Forrest’s wealth is connected to a Fortescue stake and sits alongside her public profile in philanthropy through the Minderoo Foundation. Her position reflects the value of long-term exposure to iron ore and the wider Forrest business ecosystem, including Tattarang. At 65, she is one of the most prominent examples of Australian resources wealth being paired with large-scale philanthropic activity.
- Source of wealth: Mining (Fortescue stake) and philanthropy (Minderoo Foundation)
- Age: 65
- Industry: Mining
- Company: Tattarang
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
8. Andrew Forrest: AUD$15.93 billion
Andrew Forrest built his standing through Fortescue Metals Group, one of the central names in Australia’s iron ore story. His Rich List presence dates back to the 2000s, aligning with the rise of Fortescue as a major force in the Pilbara. At 64, Forrest’s wealth is driven by mining scale, commodity exposure and the strategic value of iron ore in global supply chains.
- Source of wealth: Mining (iron ore; Fortescue Metals Group)
- Age: 64
- Industry: Mining
- Company: Fortescue
- Years on the Rich List: since the 2000s
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
9. Michael Dorrell: AUD$13.82 billion
Michael Dorrell is the infrastructure investment name in the top 10, with Stonepeak placing him in a different lane to the miners, developers and retailers around him. Infrastructure capital commands serious value because it targets assets that economies continue to rely on, from transport and energy to digital networks. At 52, Dorrell’s position reflects the growing weight of private capital in essential assets.
- Source of wealth: Investment / infrastructure (Stonepeak)
- Age: 52
- Industry: Infrastructure investment
- Company: Stonepeak
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
10. Mario, Marcello and Adrian Verrocchi: AUD$12.76 billion
Mario, Marcello and Adrian Verrocchi round out the top 10 through Chemist Warehouse, one of Australia’s best-known retail pharmacy chains. Their wealth reflects category dominance, high consumer frequency and the ability to turn pharmacy into a national retail proposition. In a list heavy with resources and property, Chemist Warehouse shows the power of scale, price positioning and brand familiarity in everyday retail.
- Source of wealth: Retail (Chemist Warehouse pharmacy chain)
- Industry: Retail pharmacy
- Company: Chemist Warehouse
- Salary source: AFR Rich List
Australia’s Two Rich Lists
There is no single official ranking of Australia’s wealthiest, and two surveys dominate. This list follows the Financial Review (AFR) Rich List, now in its 42nd year, which ranks the 200 wealthiest residents by net worth in Australian dollars. In 2025 the combined fortune of its top 200 reached AUD$667.8 billion, led by Gina Rinehart on AUD$38.11 billion.
Forbes Australia publishes a separate ranking, a real-time list of the country’s billionaires that revalues their listed shareholdings through the trading day and reports in a narrower field. Because the two use different methods, currencies, cut-offs and timing, names and figures can differ between them, so where a person lands depends on which list you read.
Australia’s Wealth, Compared
The gap between the very top and the rest of the list is enormous. Here is how the fortunes compare.
Richest Australians Compared
| Rank | Name | Source of wealth | Net worth |
| 1 | Gina Rinehart | Mining (iron ore; Hancock Prospecting) | AUD$39.01 billion |
| 2 | Harry Triguboff | Property (Meriton apartment development) | AUD$32.29 billion |
| 3 | Anthony Pratt and family | Manufacturing (packaging and recycling; Visy / Pratt Industries) | AUD$25.19 billion |
| 4 | Ivan Glasenberg | Mining and commodities trading (Glencore) | AUD$22.38 billion |
| 5 | Clive Palmer | Mining (iron ore royalties; Mineralogy) | AUD$19.56 billion |
| 6 | Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht | Technology (Canva design software) | AUD$17.56 billion |
| 7 | Nicola Forrest | Mining (Fortescue stake) and philanthropy (Minderoo Foundation) | AUD$17.32 billion |
| 8 | Andrew Forrest | Mining (iron ore; Fortescue Metals Group) | AUD$15.93 billion |
| 9 | Michael Dorrell | Investment / infrastructure (Stonepeak) | AUD$13.82 billion |
| 10 | Mario, Marcello and Adrian Verrocchi | Retail (Chemist Warehouse pharmacy chain) | AUD$12.76 billion |
How This List Was Compiled
This ranking is based on the supplied AFR Rich List 2026 data from the Australian Financial Review Rich 200, published on 28 May 2026. The figures represent estimated personal or family wealth connected to company stakes, assets, royalties and private business interests, rather than annual income or salary. All monetary figures used here come only from the supplied Rich List data.
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Richest Australians FAQs
Gina Rinehart is listed first, with AUD$39.01 billion in the supplied AFR Rich List 2026 data. Her wealth is tied to Hancock Prospecting and iron ore, making her the clearest example of how Australian mining assets continue to dominate the very top of the country’s wealth rankings.
The list is based on the AFR Rich List 2026, also known as the Australian Financial Review Rich 200, published on 28 May 2026. The figures are treated as estimates of wealth at that point in time and are not presented as salaries, dividends or annual earnings.
Mining is the strongest theme, led by iron ore fortunes linked to Hancock Prospecting, Mineralogy and Fortescue. Property, manufacturing, technology, infrastructure investment and retail pharmacy also feature prominently, showing that Australia’s largest fortunes still lean heavily on assets, scale and privately controlled businesses.
Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht stand out because their wealth comes from Canva, a technology company, rather than mining, property or manufacturing. Their position shows how software platforms can now sit alongside traditional Australian wealth engines when they achieve global reach, strong brand recognition and durable business demand.
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