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Bodybuilding in Australia has been in existence since the 1940s. The first significant national bodybuilding contest was held in Australia in 1947. And ever since then, bodybuilding has continued to thrive. Over the years, bodybuilding in Australia has evolved from being dominated by men to being open to female bodybuilders too.
Australia has been able to produce bodybuilders that can carve a name for themselves and their country in their niche for example Lee Priest.
Australia has also hosted some historically prestigious bodybuilding events like the IFBB Mr Olympia with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the winner.
Today, Australia has various governing bodies that promote and oversee competitions. Some of their contributions to the bodybuilding industry includes testing athletes for drugs and enforcing bans for anti-doping violations. And ever since, they've been doing tremendously well at it.
The first large-scale bodybuilding competition in Australia was the national bodybuilding competition. Promoters like Fred Vella played a high role in the introduction of annual events which would prompt the development of competitive bodybuilding in Australia.
During the early times of bodybuilding in Australia, only men dominated the bodybuilding scene however, not long after, females started to enter the bodybuilding scene, especially during the 1970s and 1980s. That was around the time that female bodybuilding became full-blown all over the world. Women then had greater appearances than men in bodybuilding competitions in Australia.
Male Australian bodybuilders notwithstanding, are performing excellently in the international space such as the NABBA Mr Universe. In 2013, Lee Priest, an Australian, won the overall Mr Universe title.
Female bodybuilders are also doing their best in the international space. However, due to the nature of female bodybuilding, not too much is known or said about Australian female bodybuilders.
But there was one Australian female bodybuilder whose accomplishment cannot be easily forgotten. Her name is Bev Francis and she participated in Ms Olympia during the 1980s and early 1990s. She was not allowed to display her full potential because the judges considered her too muscular. The story was explained in detail in the movie, Pumping Iron II: The Women.
In 1980, the IFBB Mr Olympia competition was held in Sydney at the Sydney Opera House. The competition was hosted by Paul Graham and it was won by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The advent of Australian bodybuilding saw individual promoters produce events. Individual promoters will go out of their way to organize and produce bodybuilding events.
However, over time, these promoters came together to form alliances and affiliations with each other to create associations. An example of such alliances is the United Bodybuilders of Australia and Rocco Oppedisano's Pacific Bodybuilding. In Australia, different governing bodies are promoting competitions. Check them out below:
The Mr Australia contest started in 1947. From that time till 1958, it was organised by different promoters so it wasn't yet a regular event. However, it became a regular event in 1958. There were different promoters in each state and they were all mindful not to host more than one contest every year so that others can promote theirs too.
He had a good life before his death. He had already published a book on bodybuilding, he owned a protein label called protein of the gods.
Although he didn't enter any bodybuilding competition, he's still regarded as one of the bodybuilders in Australia. He died due to a heart attack
Lee Priest is an Australian bodybuilder born on the 6th of July 1972. He is also known as the blond myth. He is the first man to host the Lee Priest Classic Australia in 2015. He competed and won in the Mr Australia competition at ages 16, 17,18 and 19.
Lee Priest was able to get his Pro Card at age 20 which made him one of the youngest bodybuilders to get a pro card. Also, he won the NABBA Mr Universe Title in 2013.
Lee has had so much achievement in the bodybuilding industry that you'd think impossible because of his height. Lee Priest's height is 5ft 4in. He is one of the shortest bodybuilders in the bodybuilding industry worldwide.
Harry competed in both local and international competitions. He won many competitions during his lifetime including the Mr Universe and Mr Olympia competitions. Harry is a six-time Olympia champion, four-time Mr universe, and two Mr World titles. He achieved all this just within a period of 15 years(1999-2013).
On top of all his awards, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in bodybuilding. Harry was the first competitor to compete in international bodybuilding shows for 15 years
Harry retired from bodybuilding in 2013 after he shifted his passion to powerlifting which was introduced to him by his old students.
Billy Simmonds is an Australian bodybuilder who is the winner of the 2009 INBBA Mr Universe title.
Going contrary to the popular belief that a bodybuilder has to eat more meat and dairy, Billy has proven that Vegan bodybuilding is possible.
In 2014, Billy Simmonds was classified among the natural bodybuilders in Australia, he was tested by the World Anti-Doping Authority.
Australia has been able to produce fine bodybuilders that made a mark in both local and international bodybuilding spaces. Australian bodybuilders have a lot of potential and the world is awaiting more contributions and impact from them.
Australia has been able to produce bodybuilders that can carve a name for themselves and their country in their niche for example Lee Priest.
Australia has also hosted some historically prestigious bodybuilding events like the IFBB Mr Olympia with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the winner.
Today, Australia has various governing bodies that promote and oversee competitions. Some of their contributions to the bodybuilding industry includes testing athletes for drugs and enforcing bans for anti-doping violations. And ever since, they've been doing tremendously well at it.
The first large-scale bodybuilding competition in Australia was the national bodybuilding competition. Promoters like Fred Vella played a high role in the introduction of annual events which would prompt the development of competitive bodybuilding in Australia.
During the early times of bodybuilding in Australia, only men dominated the bodybuilding scene however, not long after, females started to enter the bodybuilding scene, especially during the 1970s and 1980s. That was around the time that female bodybuilding became full-blown all over the world. Women then had greater appearances than men in bodybuilding competitions in Australia.
Male Australian bodybuilders notwithstanding, are performing excellently in the international space such as the NABBA Mr Universe. In 2013, Lee Priest, an Australian, won the overall Mr Universe title.
Female bodybuilders are also doing their best in the international space. However, due to the nature of female bodybuilding, not too much is known or said about Australian female bodybuilders.
But there was one Australian female bodybuilder whose accomplishment cannot be easily forgotten. Her name is Bev Francis and she participated in Ms Olympia during the 1980s and early 1990s. She was not allowed to display her full potential because the judges considered her too muscular. The story was explained in detail in the movie, Pumping Iron II: The Women.
In 1980, the IFBB Mr Olympia competition was held in Sydney at the Sydney Opera House. The competition was hosted by Paul Graham and it was won by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Bodybuilding Governance in Australia
Different competing organisations in Australia govern bodybuilding events. Some of them are closely related to a bigger International organisation.The advent of Australian bodybuilding saw individual promoters produce events. Individual promoters will go out of their way to organize and produce bodybuilding events.
However, over time, these promoters came together to form alliances and affiliations with each other to create associations. An example of such alliances is the United Bodybuilders of Australia and Rocco Oppedisano's Pacific Bodybuilding. In Australia, different governing bodies are promoting competitions. Check them out below:
- AND
- IFBB
- INBA
- Musclemania
- NABBA
- WBFF
- WFF
- WNBF
The Mr Australia Contest
The Australian Championships formerly known as the Mr Australia contest is a bodybuilding event that was organised for men and women by the World fitness federation of Australia(WFF). It includes different activities like fitness, bikini, figure and sports model competitions. The Australian championships serve as a qualifier for international bodybuilding events.The Mr Australia contest started in 1947. From that time till 1958, it was organised by different promoters so it wasn't yet a regular event. However, it became a regular event in 1958. There were different promoters in each state and they were all mindful not to host more than one contest every year so that others can promote theirs too.
AMATEUR MR AUSTRALIA | |
Year, Overall Winner | State or Territory |
1947, Bob Human | South Australia |
1951, Gordon Nutter | Victoria |
1953, Edward Eric Merta | Victoria |
1954, John Penman | New South Wales |
1955, Les Griffiths | New South Wales |
1956, Charlie Sharhan | New South Wales |
1958, Joseph Ceasar | Victoria |
1959, Tom Lardner | South Australia |
1960, Victor Vella | New South Wales |
1961, Victor Vella | New South Wales |
1962, Victor Vella | New South Wales |
1963, Les Griffiths | New South Wales |
1964, Chim Leong | Victoria |
1965, Les Spendlove | New South Wales |
1966, Carlo Zumbo | New South Wales |
1967, Victor Vella | New South Wales |
1968, Carlo Zumbo | New South Wales |
1969, Carlo Zumbo | New South Wales |
1970, Carlo Zumbo | New South Wales |
1971, Peter McCarthy | Victoria |
1972, Frank Colombera | Western Australia |
1973, Roger Walker | New South Wales |
1974, Ted Matoush | New South Wales |
1975, Roger Walker | New South Wales |
1976, Billy Robertson | Western Australia |
1977, Ivan Djirlic | New South Wales |
1978, Graeme Lancefield | Victoria |
1979, Peter Lindsay | Victoria |
1980, Richard Jonker | Queensland |
1981, Billy Knight | New South Wales |
1982, Billy Knight | New South Wales |
1983, Klem Ziegler | Tasmania |
1984, Richard Hargreaves | New South Wales |
1985, Gary Lewer | Victoria |
1986, Sammy Ioannidis | Victoria |
1987, Gary Lewer | Victoria |
1988, Gary Lewer | Victoria |
1989, Gary Lewer | Victoria |
1990, Bruce Leong | Northern Territory |
1991, Gary Tchernakoff | Western Australia |
1992, Kevin O'Grady | New South Wales |
1993, Grant Clemasha | Western Australia |
1994, Grant Clemasha | Western Australia |
1995, Grant Clemasha | Western Australia |
1996, Colin Murphy | New South Wales |
1997, Grant Mayo | New South Wales |
1998, Charles Duca | New South Wales |
1999, Tony Loiacono | Western Australia |
2000, Nick Jones | Southern Australia |
2001, Lee Newman | Queensland |
2002, Nick Jones | South Australia |
2003, Mark McEntyre | New South Wales |
2004, Scott Burgess | Queensland |
2005, Adam Fell | South Australia |
2006, Charles Duca | New South Wales |
2007, Darren Smith | Tasmania |
2008, Justin Wessels | New South Wales |
2009, Justin Wessells | New South Wales |
2010, Justin Wessells | New South Wales |
2011, Abraham Elzaibak | Victoria |
2012, Frank Ciampino | Victoria |
2013, Matt Smedly | South Australia |
2014, Michael Dittmann | Victoria |
2015, David Cutler | Queensland |
2016, Milton DeFreitas | Western Australia |
2017, Justin Wessells | New South Wales |
2018, Paul Jayilan | Victoria |
2019, Al pope | Victoria |
2020, | |
2021, | |
2022, Cameron George | Queensland |
Prominent Australian Bodybuilders
Australia has been able to produce many amazing bodybuilders that have made a name for themselves both locally and internationally. Check out some of them below:Aziz Shavershian
He had a good life before his death. He had already published a book on bodybuilding, he owned a protein label called protein of the gods.
Although he didn't enter any bodybuilding competition, he's still regarded as one of the bodybuilders in Australia. He died due to a heart attack
Lee Priest is an Australian bodybuilder born on the 6th of July 1972. He is also known as the blond myth. He is the first man to host the Lee Priest Classic Australia in 2015. He competed and won in the Mr Australia competition at ages 16, 17,18 and 19.
Lee Priest was able to get his Pro Card at age 20 which made him one of the youngest bodybuilders to get a pro card. Also, he won the NABBA Mr Universe Title in 2013.
Lee has had so much achievement in the bodybuilding industry that you'd think impossible because of his height. Lee Priest's height is 5ft 4in. He is one of the shortest bodybuilders in the bodybuilding industry worldwide.
Harry Haureliuk
Harry competed in both local and international competitions. He won many competitions during his lifetime including the Mr Universe and Mr Olympia competitions. Harry is a six-time Olympia champion, four-time Mr universe, and two Mr World titles. He achieved all this just within a period of 15 years(1999-2013).
On top of all his awards, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in bodybuilding. Harry was the first competitor to compete in international bodybuilding shows for 15 years
Harry retired from bodybuilding in 2013 after he shifted his passion to powerlifting which was introduced to him by his old students.
Billy Simmonds
Billy Simmonds is an Australian bodybuilder who is the winner of the 2009 INBBA Mr Universe title.
Going contrary to the popular belief that a bodybuilder has to eat more meat and dairy, Billy has proven that Vegan bodybuilding is possible.
In 2014, Billy Simmonds was classified among the natural bodybuilders in Australia, he was tested by the World Anti-Doping Authority.
On a final note;
This article has explored information about bodybuilders in Australia, the history of bodybuilding, the amateur Australia competition and their winners.Australia has been able to produce fine bodybuilders that made a mark in both local and international bodybuilding spaces. Australian bodybuilders have a lot of potential and the world is awaiting more contributions and impact from them.