Filipino Australians (

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

: ''Mga Australyanong Pilipino'') are

Australians Australians, colloquially known as Aussies, are the citizens, nationals and individuals associated with the country of Australia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or ethno-cultural. For most Australians, several (or all) ...

ancestry. Filipino-Australians are one of the largest groups within the global

Filipino diaspora An overseas Filipino ( fil, Pilipino sa ibayong-dagat) is a person of full or partial Filipino origin—i.e., people who trace back their ancestry to the Philippines but living or residing outside the country. This term generally applies to ...

. At the 2021 census, 408,836 people stated that they had Filipino ancestry (whether alone or in combination with another ancestry), representing 1.6% of the Australian population. In 2021, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were 310,620 Australian residents born in the Philippines.https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/migration-australia/2019-20/34120DO005_201920.xls

Population

Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Inner Sydney by POA - BCP field 1744 Philippines Total

Currently Filipinos are the third largest

Asian Australian Asian Australians refers to Australians of Asian ancestry, whether full or partial, including naturalised Australians who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants. At the 2021 census, the number of ances ...

immigrant group behind

Chinese Australians Chinese Australians () are Australians of Chinese ancestry. Chinese Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Chinese diaspora, and are the largest Asian Australian community. Per capita, Australia has more people of Chines ...

and

Indian Australians all of this entry re immigration is a complete fabrication Indian Australians or Indo-Australians are Australians of Indian ancestry. This includes both those who are Australian by birth, and those born in India or elsewhere in the Indian d ...

.https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/cultural-diversity-census/2021/Cultural%20diversity%20data%20summary.xlsx At the 2021 census, 408,836 people stated that they had Filipino ancestry (whether alone or in combination with another ancestry), representing 1.6% of the Australian population. In 2021, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were 310,620 Australian residents born in the Philippnes.https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/migration-australia/2019-20/34120DO005_201920.xls At the 2021 census, the states with the largest numbers of people reporting Filipino ancestry were: New South Wales (152,804), Victoria (95,186), Queensland (73,805), Western Australia (46,785) and South Australia (21,257). Females account for 61% while males represent 39% of Filipino Australians born in the Philippines.

History

Filipinos were excluded from entering Australia under the

White Australia policy The White Australia policy is a term encapsulating a set of historical policies that aimed to forbid people of non-European ethnic origin, especially Asians (primarily Chinese) and Pacific Islanders, from immigrating to Australia, starting i ...

. As a consequence, their numbers in Australia remained minimal; confined to descendants of those few Filipinos who had migrated to the north west pearling areas of Western Australia and the sugar cane plantations of Queensland prior to 1901; until the abolition of racially selective immigration policies in 1966. The 1901 census had recorded 700 Filipinos in Australia.

Martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

in the Philippines, declared by former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, and the renunciation of the White Australia policy made Australia an attractive destination for Filipino emigrants, particularly skilled workers. Many Filipinos also settled in Australia from the 1970s onward as either migrant workers or the spouses of Australian citizens. Marriages between Filipinos and Australians rose very sharply from 1978, peaked in 1986, and remained high as of 2000, despite a dip in the early 1990s. The 1980s were the period of the greatest Filipino immigration, with 1987-1988 being the peak year.

Notable people

Philippine-born

Aljin Abella Aljin Abella (born 27 July 1985), also known as Alin Abella, is an Australian actor of Filipino descent, who is best known for playing Theo Martin, the Blue Ranger, on ''Power Rangers Jungle Fury'', in all 32 episodes of the show, which aired in ...

, actor from the TV series ''

Power Rangers Jungle Fury ''Power Rangers Jungle Fury'' is the sixteenth season of the American television series '' Power Rangers'', and is an adaptation of '' Juken Sentai Gekiranger'', the thirty-first Japanese ''Super Sentai'' series. The season premiered on Februar ...

'' *

Migo Adecer Migo may refer to: People * Hisao Migo (1900–1985), Japanese botanist * Migo Adecer (born 1999), Filipino-Australian singer Other uses *Mi-Go, a fictional race of extraterrestrials created by H. P. Lovecraft * Migo (company), a Taiwanese company ...

, singer, dancer, model and actor * Jhoanna Aguila, singer and

The Voice Australia ''The Voice'' is an Australian singing competition television series. It premiered on the Nine Network on 14 April 2012, before moving to the Seven Network in 2021. Based on the original ''The Voice of Holland'', and part of ''The Voice '' ...

Season 3 contestant *

Alyssa Alano Alyssa Alano (born Geramie Daud; 11 August 1987) is a Philippine- Australian film and TV actress. She was a former member of the popular Viva Hot Babes franchise. Although she grew up in Tarlac, she was born Geramie Daud in Zamboanga City on 1 ...

, actress and model *

Leila Alcasid Leila Isabel van Eimeren–Alcasid (born 16 October 1997) is a Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter based in the Philippines. She is currently a contract artist under Star Magic and Star Music. Early years Leila Isabel van Eimeren-Alcasid wa ...

, singer and songwriter * Joey Mead King, model, VJ, and TV and events host * Shar Mae Amor, singer and former Paradiso Girls member * Hannah Arnold, model and beauty queen, crowned

Binibining Pilipinas 2021 Binibining Pilipinas 2021 was the 57th edition of Binibining Pilipinas. Originally scheduled to be held in 2020, the coronation night of the pageant was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was rescheduled to July 11, 2021 at the Smart A ...

Mig Ayesa Miguel Alfonso Ramon Legarda "MiG" Ayesa (born 12 January 1970) is a Filipino-Australian singer and actor who was a finalist in the reality television show '' RockStar: INXS'' as well as appearing in stage productions of ''We Will Rock You'' ...

, theatre actor and rock vocalist *

Merlinda Bobis Merlinda Bobis (born 25 November 1959) is a contemporary Filipina-Australian writer and academic. Biography Born in Legazpi City, in the Philippines province of Albay, Merlinda Bobis attended Bicol University High School then completed her B.A. ...

, writer *

Shey Bustamante ''Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Clash 2010'' is the third teen season of the Philippine ABS-CBN reality television series ''Pinoy Big Brother'' and the eighth season overall. It began airing on the night of April 10, 2010 ( PHT) and ended over two mo ...

, reality show contestant * Arianne Caoili, chess player *

Israel Cruz Israel Cruz is an Australian singer-songwriter and record producer. Cruz was born in Quezon City, Philippines and at the age of 3 moved to Melbourne, Australia with his family. He lives in Sydney, Australia with friends and has written and perf ...

, singer *

Kathleen de Leon Jones Kathleen de Leon Jones (born Kathleen de León on 1 September 1977) is a Filipina-born Australian actress, dancer, and singer. She was an original cast member of the ARIA Award winning Australian children's musical group Hi-5. She left Hi-5 ...

, original Hi-5 member *

Felino Dolloso Felino Dolloso (born Manila, 1980) is a Filipino-Australian actor currently based in Sydney, Australia. Early life Dolloso was born in Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), i ...

, theatre actor * Ben Gonzales, rugby league player *

Sef Gonzales Sef Gonzales (born 16 September 1980) is a Filipino Australian man who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the July 2001 murders of his father Teodoro "Teddy" Gonzales (46), his mother Mary Loiva Gonzales (43), and his sister C ...

, convicted murderer *

Nathalie Hart Princess Tinkerbell Cristina Marjorie Pedere Snell (born 14 April 1992), later known by her stage name Nathalie Hart, is an Australian-Filipino actress who was one of the finalists in the fifth season of '' StarStruck''. Career Before audit ...

, actress *

Fely Irvine Fely Irvine (born 1988/1989) is an Australian actress, singer and dancer. She was a former member of Hi-5 and became a contestant in ''The Voice''. She left Hi-5 in 2011 after three years with the group. Irvine went on the live in the U.S whe ...

, former Hi-5 member * Jal Joshua, singer, dancer and Australia's Got Talent Season 3 1st runner-up * Alfred Nicdao, actor * Yshrael Pascual, singer and

Season 1 contestant * Jim Paredes, singer, songwriter, member of APO Hiking Society trio * Rose Porteous, socialite * RJ Rosales, actor and musical theatre *

Claire Ruiz Claire Ruiz Hartell (born 28 November 1997) also known for her screen name Claire Ruiz is a Filipino Australian actress, singer, dancer and model, best known for her roles in the television series ''Be Careful with my Heart'' as Joey Acosta, '' ...

, actress, singer, dancer and model *

Jerson Trinidad Jerson is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Jerson Cabral (born 1991), Dutch footballer * Jerson Monteiro (born 1985), professional soccer player * Jerson Ravelo (born 1977), boxer from the Dominican Republic * Jerson Ribeiro (b ...

, singer and

Season 1 contestant

Filipino ancestry

* Abigail Adriano, singer and The Voice Kids Australia contestant * Chelsea Castillo, singer and Australia's Got Talent Season 3 finalist * Chris Cayzer, actor and singer *

Kate Ceberano Catherine Yvette Ceberano ( or , born 17 November 1966) is an Australian singer and actress who performs in the soul, jazz, and pop genres, as well as in film and musicals such as ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. Her song "Pash" received a gold sa ...

, singer * Genesis Cerezo, beatboxer and Australia's Got Talent Season 6 finalist * Sarah Christophers, former actress * Elizabeth Clenci, model and beauty queen, Miss Grand International 2017 2nd runner-up *

Jessica Connelly ''Pinoy Big Brother'', more popularly known by its abbreviated title ''PBB'', is the Philippine version of the ''Big Brother (TV series), Big Brother'' reality game show franchise. The word ''Pinoy'' in the title is a colloquial term for the Fi ...

, singer and former reality show contestant *

Anne Curtis Anne Curtis-Smith(; born 17 February 1985) is a Filipino-Australian actress, model, television host, entrepreneur and recording artist. She is dubbed as the "''Multimedia Superstar''" for her talent and influence. Curtis has received numerou ...

, actress, model and singer * Jasmine Curtis-Smith, actress and model * Rod Davies, wing for

Queensland Reds The Queensland Reds is the rugby union team for the Australian state of Queensland that competes in the Southern Hemisphere's Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996, they were a representative team selected from the rugby union club competitions ...

Super Rugby team *

Jason Day Jason Day (born 12 November 1987) is an Australian professional golfer, PGA Tour member and winner of the 2015 PGA Championship. He is a former world number one in the World Golf Ranking, having first achieved the ranking in September 2015. ...

, golfer * Ashley del Mundo, actress and former reality show contestant * Ezekiel Dimaguila, reality show contestant * Stef Draper, reality show contestant * Kai Espenido, reality show contestant * Alyssa Exala, reality show contestant *

Karen Gallman Karen Juanita Boyonas Gallman-Garton (born September 27, 1992) is a Filipino-Australian beauty pageant titleholder who was the first Filipina to win the Miss Intercontinental pageant in 2018. Early life and education Karen Juanita Boyonas G ...

, model and beauty queen crowned Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2018 and Miss Intercontinental 2018 *

Ylona Garcia Ylona Jade Garcia(; born 28 February 2002) is a Filipino-Australian singer, songwriter and actress. Garcia made her breakthrough in the Philippines in 2015 when she became a part of the television series Pinoy Big Brother where she finished a ...

, singer *

Kevin Gordon Kevin Sysu Gordon (born 26 December 1989) is a former Philippines international rugby league footballer. A New South Wales Country and Prime Minister's XIII representative, he played as a er and for the Gold Coast Titans in the National Ru ...

, Gold Coast Titans Rugby League player *

Maxwell Gratton Maxwell Gratton is chief executive officer (CEO) of the Australian Flying Disc Association (AFDA). Education Gratton completed a Bachelor of Arts in sports administration at Victoria University in 2004. In 2012, he completed a Master of Busin ...

- CEO, Flying Disc Australia *

Catriona Gray Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray (; born 6 January 1994) is a Filipino-Australian model, singer, beauty queen, television personality, youth advocate and arts ambassador best known for having been crowned Miss Universe 2018. She is the fourth Fi ...

, singer and model crowned Miss World Philippines 2016, Miss Universe Philippines 2018 and

Miss Universe 2018 Miss Universe 2018 was the 67th Miss Universe pageant, held at the IMPACT Arena, Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi Province, Thailand on December 17, 2018. At the end of the event, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa crowned Catriona Gray of ...

Payne Haas Payne Haas (born 2 December 1999) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australia at international level. He has played for the New South Wales in ...

, Brisbane Broncos Rugby League player * Sheralyn Hill, singer,

The X Factor Australia ''The X Factor'' is an Australian television reality music competition, based on the original UK series, to find new singing talent. The first season of the show premiered on Network Ten on 6 February 2005. Ten dropped ''The X Factor'' after ...

Season 6 finalist and former TRILL member * Jessica Jade, singer,

Season 6 finalist and former TRILL member *

Mojo Juju Mojo Ruiz de Luzuriaga, known professionally as Mo'Ju and previously as Mojo Juju, is an ARIA Award-nominated Australian musician, best known for their 2018 album ''Native Tongue'' and the lead single of the same title. The single won the Best ...

, musician * Clinton Kane, singer * Kelebek, rapper,

Season 5 finalist and former Third Degree member * Stephanie Lacerna, singer and Idol Philippines contestant * Philip Lampart, reality show contestant * Michael Letts, rugby player * Vanessa Librea, singer and

Season 11 contestant * Jericho Malabonga, winner of the fourth series of Australian Survivor *

Reyanna Maria Reyanna Maria Cuevas (born June 3, 2001), is a Filipino-Australian singer, rapper, and songwriter. She is best known for her 2021 single, "So Pretty", and it's remix featuring American rapper Tyga. Career After covering some of her favorite a ...

, singer and rapper *

Janette McBride Janette Heather McBride, known professionally as Janet McBride (born 6 November 1983 in Queensland, Australia), is a Filipino-Australian former actress and television host. Early life Born in Queensland, Australia, Janette Heather McBride is th ...

, former actress * Michael McCoy, reality show contestant *

Reef McInnes Reef McInnes (born 12 December 2002) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). State Football McInnes played for Surrey Park Football Club. In 2019 Reef pl ...

, Australian rules footballer *

Natalie Mendoza Natalie Jackson Mendoza (born 12 August 1976) is an Australian actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for her roles as one of the main characters, Jackie Clunes, in the British drama series '' Hotel Babylon'' (2006–2008) and as Juno i ...

, actress ('' Hotel Babylon'') * Rebecca Jackson Mendoza, actress, singer and dancer * Paul Merciadez, singer, dancer and member of dance group Justice Crew * Bella Micucci, singer and The Voice Teens Philippines Season 2 contestant * Patrick Miller,

Married at First Sight Australia ''Married At First Sight '' is an Australian reality television adaptation of the Danish series of the same name. The show features a group of strangers who participate in a social experiment and are paired together by experts. Legal restricti ...

Season 5 star * Montaigne, singer *

Seann Miley Moore Seann Miley Moore is an Indonesian-Australian singer, known for competing in season 12 of the X-Factor UK and in season 10 of The Voice Australia. Career In 2015, Moore competed in season 12 of the X-Factor UK at the age of 25 and made it to th ...

, singer, The X Factor U.K. Season 12 finalist and

Season 10 contestant *

Bobby Morley Robert Alfred Morley (born 20 December 1984) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Bellamy Blake in The CW's '' The 100'' (2014–2020). After appearing in school plays, Morley was cast as Drew Curtis in the Australian soa ...

, actor from '' Home and Away'' and ''

The 100 The 100 may refer to: Arts and entertainment * 100 (DC Comics), fictional organized crime groups appearing in DC Comics * ''The 100'' (novel series), a 2013–2016 science fiction novel series written by Kass Morgan * ''The 100'' (TV series), 20 ...

'' TV series *

Charlotte Nicdao Charlotte Nicdao (born 14 August 1991) is an Australian actress and composer. She is known for her roles as Jackie Lee in the Nine Network series '' A gURLs wURLd'' (2010–2011) and Poppy Li in the Apple TV+ comedy ''Mythic Quest'' (2020–). ...

, actress * Cyrell Paule,

Season 6 star * John Pearce, singer, dancer, member of Justice Crew and member of children's music group

The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, ...

* Lenny Pearce, singer, dancer and member of Justice Crew *

Mick Pennisi Michael Alfio Pennisi (born March 13, 1975) is an Australian-Filipino former professional basketball player. He last played for the GlobalPort Batang Pier of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was automatically hired by Red Bull in 2 ...

, basketball player *

Chad Peralta Richard Edward Peralta,Chad Peralta, Birth Name: Richard Peralta, Nickname: ...

, singer * Marlisa Punzalan, winner of the sixth series of

* Iain Ramsay, professional

football (soccer) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player. Has chosen to represent the

Philippines national football team The Philippines national football team ( Filipino/ tl, Pambansang koponan ng futbol ng Pilipinas, lit=) represents the Philippines in international football, governed by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and has been playing internatio ...

at International level. * James Reid, actor, singer and dancer * Lauren Reid, model, actress, events and television host, and blogger *

Sheldon Riley Sheldon Riley Hernandez (born 14 March 1999) is an Australian singer. He represented Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with his song " Not the Same". He first appeared as a contestant on the eighth season of The X Factor Australia. ...

, singer,

Season 7 2nd runner-up,

Season 8 finalist and former Time and Place member * Marcus Rivera, ''

Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed roma ...

'' theatre, film actor, and vocal coach. *

Nina Robertson Nina Josie Robertson (born 21 October 1996) is an Australian beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Earth Australia, Miss Earth Australia 2017. She represented Australia at the Miss Earth 2017 pageant in the Philippines. Life and career Early ...

, beauty queen crowned Miss Earth Australia 2017 * Marissa Saroca, singer and

The Voice of the Philippines ''The Voice of the Philippines'' is a Philippine reality television singing competition on ABS-CBN. It is based on the reality singing competition ''The Voice of Holland'', which was originally created by Dutch television producer John de Mol ...

Season 1 contestant * Nicole Schmitz, beauty queen and model crowned Binibining Pilipinas 2012,

Miss International 2012 Miss International 2012, the 52nd Miss International pageant, was held on October 21, 2012 at Okinawa Prefectural Budokan Arena Building in Okinawa, Japan. Fernanda Cornejo from Ecuador crowned her successor Ikumi Yoshimatsu from Japan at the ...

Top 15 finalist *

Naomi Sequeira Naomi Sequeira (born 29 December 1994) is an Australian actress, singer and songwriter of Portuguese descent. She was the co-host of Disney Channel Australia's '' Hanging with Adam & Naomi'' with Adam Roberts and was nominated for a 2015 Astra ...

, actress and singer, Hanging with Adam & Naomi, The Evermoor Chronicles * Monique Shippen, model, singer and beauty queen crowned Miss Earth Australia 2018 and Miss International Australia 2019 * Flip Simmons, theatre actor and musician * Starley, singer * Calmell Teagle, singer,

Season 8 finalist and former AYA member * Melanie Vallejo, actress from the TV series '' Power Rangers: Mystic Force'' *

Michelle Vergara Moore Michelle Vergara Moore is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Ella/Lily in the NBC TV series '' La Brea'', Roxanne Waters in the Special Broadcasting Service television series '' The Unusual Suspects'', Chai Li Tivoli in '' The Time ...

, actress from the TV series '' The Time of Our Lives'' * Matthew Victor Pastor, film director *

Iya Villania Raelene Elaine Villania(born June 29, 1986), known professionally as Iya Villania-Arellano (), is a Filipino-Australian singer, television presenter, and actress. She has been widely known for her work as a VJ in the music channel MYX. Early a ...

, singer, actress and model *

Cyrus Villanueva Cyrus Villanueva (born 20 June 1996), also known mononymously as Cyrus, is an Australian singer from Wollongong, New South Wales. He is best known for winning the seventh season of ''The X Factor Australia'' in 2015. His debut studio album ''C ...

, winner of the seventh series of

* Craig Wing, Australian Rugby League player (

South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a professional Australian rugby league club based in Redfern, a suburb of inner-southern Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership and are one of nine existing tea ...

) *

Gwen Zamora Gwenaelle Tasha Mae Agnese-Semerád better known as Gwen Zamora (born 10 August 1990) is a Filipina-French actress, model and former dancer in the Philippines. She was previously under GMA Network for six years until switching management to Viva ...

, actress and model

References

External links

The Philippine Consulate General in SydneyEmbassy of the Philippines in CanberraPinoy Australia Information ForumBayanihan The Community Newspaper of AustraliaAng Kalatas NewspaperFilipin-Oz News of Filipino's in Australia and Business DirectoryPhiltimes.com.au Australia's Filipino newspaper
{{Overseas Filipinos Asian Australian Immigration to Australia Australia