This is an incomplete list of Australians who have been appointed a knight or a dame, being entitled to be known as "sir" or "dame" respectively. It includes living Australian knights and dames as well as dead appointees. The list excludes Australian baronets; they have the title sir, but are not knights per se.

Criteria

For the purposes of this list, an Australian is either: an Australian citizen (Australian citizenship did not exist prior to 26 January 1949), or a British subject who was born in or whose primary domicile was in Australia (1 January 1901 – 25 January 1949), or in the Australian colonies (26 January 1788 – 31 December 1900).

Hence, the list does not include most knighted British governors-general or colonial or state governors. Their primary domicile was, generally, in the United Kingdom, and they were only temporarily based in Australia. Those who chose to remain in Australia in retirement are listed below.

These appointments were made under: the British Imperial honours system. These were recommended by the Australian Government until 1982 and state governments until 1989 (in some cases, recommendations were made by other governments of the Commonwealth of Nations, principally the United Kingdom); and the Australian Honours System established in 1975. The categories of Knight and Dame of the Order of Australia were created by the Queen on advice from the Fraser Liberal-National coalition government in 1976, and discontinued by her on advice from the Hawke Labor government in 1986. During that period, twelve Knights and two Dames of the Order of Australia were appointed. On 25 March 2014 Tony Abbott announced the reintroduction of Knights and Dames to the Australian Honours System. Two more Knights and two more Dames were created. On 2 November 2015, they were once again removed from the constitution of the Order of Australia on the advice of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Appointments as knight or dame under the orders of foreign countries are not included, with the exception of British Imperial honours awarded to Australians by the UK and PNG Governments after 5 October 1992. Unlike other foreign citizens, citizens of Commonwealth realms appointed knight or dame of a British order are entitled to use the titles "Sir" or "Dame", and use the relevant post nominal. The UK government does not recognize Australian knighthoods as giving entitlement to use these titles in the UK, however.

Many of the people shown had other honours, such as AC, OBE, CMG, VC, etc. These details are not relevant to this list, and are not shown.

Most of the details were sourced from It's an Honour, the Australian Government database of honours and awards. All names of those who were appointed to orders of chivalry (Order of Australia, Order of the British Empire, etc.) that appear in It's an Honour are listed. Not all awards appear in It's an Honour, as awardees may elect not to have their awards included in the database. The list of knights bachelor is also incomplete.

Order of the Garter

Knights Companion of the Order of the Garter:

Knights Companion (KG) Name Born Awarded Died Citation Reference and comments 1890 1969 1976 Governor-general of Australia 1965–1969 ; also GCMG 1965 and a life peer 1905 1979 1993 Governor-general of Australia 1969–1974 ; also GCMG 1969 and GCVO 1970 1923 1994 2017 Governor-general of Australia 1982–1989 ; also AK 1982 , GCMG 1982 , GCVO 1982 and KBE 1972

Order of the Thistle

Knights of the Order of the Thistle:

Knights (KT) Name Born Awarded Died Citation Reference and comments 1894 1963 1978 Prime Minister of Australia 1939-41, 1949–66 Note: Sir Robert Menzies is the only Australian ever appointed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle (Appointment made for his Scottish ancestry). The award was made in 1963, during his tenure as Prime Minister of Australia. He was also appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) in 1976.

Order of the Bath

Knights of the Order of the Bath:

Knights Grand Cross (GCB) Name Born Awarded Died Citation Reference and comments 1910 1967 1997 Australian-born British General also KCB 1962 1930 1990 2026 First Australian-born Private Secretary to the Sovereign (1986–1990), last Australian honoured of any Knight Grand Cross grade. This award does not appear in It's an Honour. also 1855 1937 1948 Governor-general 1931–1936 ; also 1910 1966 1988 Governor of Western Australia also KCB, KCVO 1845 1916 1918 Prime Minister 1904–1905 ; also

Knights Commander (KCB) Name Born Awarded Died Citation Reference and comments 1884 1942 1951 Commander-in-Chief of the AMF ; also Knight Bachelor, 1861 1915 1915 Australian Imperial Force ; King George V granted the award on 17 May 1915, and Bridges died on 18 May; however, the award was not formally gazetted until 22 May 1865 1918 1945 AIF – for the capture of Jerusalem ; also 1892 1943 1971 Vice-Chief of the Air Staff (RAF) Also GBE (1946). Australian-born British airman. 1872 1919 1945 AIF – France & Flanders 1876 1919 1955 AIF – France & Flanders 1910 1962 1997 Australian-born British soldier; also GCB 1930 1986 2026 Upgraded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1990. also 1864 1918 1938 Australian Imperial Force ; also 1863 1917 1930 AIF – (Surgeon-General AAMC during WW2) ; also 1877 1934 1937 RAN – Chief of the Naval Staff from 1931 to 1935 1910 1960 1988 Governor of Western Australia; also GCB, KCVO 1865 1918 1931 Australian Imperial Force ; also 1889 1942 1959 AMF – Commanded at siege of Tobruk ; also 1875 1919 1954 AIF – France & Flanders 1876 1927 1940 Commonwealth Director of 1927 Royal Visit ; also

Order of Australia

Knights and Dames of the Order of Australia:

Knights (AK) Name Born Awarded Died Citation Reference and comments 1981 1987 In recognition of service to the Australian Parliament, government and the law ; also Knight Bachelor, 1978 1985 For extraordinary and meritorious service to medicine and to science particularly in the fields of microbiology and immunology ; also Knight Bachelor, 2014 living Governor-general 2014–2019 Cosgrove was appointed AK upon his appointment as Governor-General 1982 2007 In recognition of service to politics and local government ; also Knight Bachelor, 1977 2011 – ; Cowen was appointed AK upon his appointment as Governor-General; also Knight Bachelor, 1981 2002 In recognition of service to the Crown ; also 2015 living For extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement and merit in service to Australia 1983 1991 For service to industry and to the community 1976 1991 n/a ; Kerr was the governor-general and, as Principal Knight of the Order of Australia, his AK took effect immediately the category of Knight was established on 24 May 1976; also 1976 1978 For extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement and merit in the field of government ; also 1982 2017 Governor-general 1982–89 ; Stephen was appointed AK upon his appointment as governor-general; also 1977 1986 For extraordinary and meritorious service to industry, particularly in the fields of research and technology; also Knight Bachelor

Note: This is a complete list of the Australians who were or are Knights of the Order of Australia. Charles, Prince of Wales, heir to the Australian throne but not himself an Australian, was also appointed AK, by amendment to the Constitution of the Order of Australia in 1981. His father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was also made a Knight of the Order of Australia in 2015.

Dames (AD) Name Born Awarded Died Citation Reference and comments 1930 2014 2026 Governor of New South Wales 2001–2014 1942 2014 living Governor-general 2008–2014 1908 1978 1993 For pre-eminent achievement in the fields of literature and history and for extraordinary and meritorious public service to Australia 1897 1980 1981 For public and parliamentary service to Australia over many years ; also

Order of St Michael and St George

Knights of the Order of St Michael and St George:

Knights Grand Cross (GCMG) Name Date Citation Reference and comments 1975 Premier of New South Wales ; also KCMG 1894 Premier of South Australia also KCMG 1902 Prime Minister of Australia 1965 Chief Justice of the High Court ; also Knight Bachelor, AK 1980 Governor-General also GCVO 1972 Premier of Victoria ; also KCMG 1965 Governor-General-designate ; also KG and a life peer 1919 AIF – for military services in Egypt ; also KCB, KCMG 1945 Governor of Trinidad and Tobago also KCMG, CB and MVO 1918 Prime Minister of Australia 1977 Governor-General of Australia ; also Knight Bachelor, GCVO, AK 1901 Chief Justice of New South Wales ; also Knight Bachelor, KCMG 1954 Chief Justice of the High Court ; also KCMG 1958 Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister ; also KCMG 1901 Premier of Western Australia 1937 In recognition of service to the Commonwealth ; also Knight Bachelor, KCMG 1981 Chief Justice of the High Court ; also KBE 1977 In recognition of service as Prime Minister of Australia 1969 Governor-general-designate ; also KG, GCVO 1934 Services to the Commonwealth ; also KCMG 1936 Chief Justice of Victoria ; also KCMG 1932 Governor-general of Australia ; also KCMG, GCB 1976 (Governor-general of Australia) ; also AK, GCVO, KCMG 1935 Attorney-general and minister for external affairs 1906 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria ; also Knight Bachelor, KCMG 1971 Services to the Commonwealth 1951 Governor-general of Australia 1977 Prime Minister of Australia 1947 Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia ; also KCMG 1919 AIF – For military services in France & Flanders ; also KCB 1938 Deputy Prime Minister of Australia 1957 Premier of South Australia since 1938 1911 Australian High Commissioner in London ; also KCMG, GCB 1982 Governor-general of Australia ; also AK, KG, GCVO, KBE 1884 Premier of South Australia also KCMG

Knights Commander (KCMG)