By Jack O’Shea-Ayres
Craigieburn’s Dr Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch has been named a finalist for the 2026 Young Australian of the Year for Victoria.
He is being recognised for his ground-breaking research which blends Indigenous knowledge with modern science.
Dr Kilmartin-Lynch is a proud Wiradjuri man and innovative civil engineer changing the way Australia thinks about scientific research and sustainability.
His work explores how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge can inform new materials and construction technologies, including his breakthrough use of Xanthorrhoea resin, a traditional material, as a natural crack repair agent in concrete.
The 29-year-old researcher is also a leader in culturally-informed science, working to ensure research projects are conducted in collaboration with Traditional Owners and Indigenous voices are central to scientific innovation.
Dr Kilmartin-Lynch joins 11 other remarkable Victorians nominated across four award categories, including journalist Carrie Bickmore, mental health advocate Hugh van Cuylenburg, and wildlife rescuer Susan Moore.
National Australia Day Council chief executive Mark Fraser said the Victorian nominees reflected the power of an individual to make a positive impact.
“The nominees for the Victorian awards share a sense of passion and purpose,” Fraser said.
The Victorian recipients will be announced at a ceremony at Arts Centre Melbourne on November 6, with winners progressing to the national Australian of the Year awards in Canberra on January 25, 2026.
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