The Australian has released the 2026 edition of The List – Australia’s Richest 250, with Gina Rinehart once again ranked as the country’s wealthiest individual.
Rinehart leads the annual list with an estimated fortune of $41.66 billion, ahead of Harry Triguboff at $34.10 billion and Anthony Pratt and family at $30.05 billion.
The list, curated by wealth editor John Stensholt and a team of researchers and journalists, shows that while billionaire numbers have grown, the combined wealth of Australia’s richest has declined from $689 billion in 2025 to $664 billion this year.
More billionaires, but fortunes soften
This year’s list includes 188 billionaires, up from 170 last year, alongside 29 newcomers and 17 members aged 40 or under.
Female wealth representation also hit a record high, with 37 female billionaires included, compared with 29 in the previous edition.
Stensholt said several shifts were driving changes in wealth creation across the country.
“For the first time in eight years, the total fortune of the Richest 250 is down overall – falling $25 billion this year compared to last year. Our wealthiest 250 individuals are still worth a combined $664 billion – a huge number, but a few interesting trends are emerging among our rich elite,” he said.
“One is that AI has cut a swathe through the market this year; another is that some old ways of making money are suddenly very much back in fashion. Industries like mining, property and retail are suddenly surging.”
Old industries return to the front
Mining, property and retail remain dominant wealth sectors across the list.
Property accounts for the largest share, with 49 fortunes built in the sector, followed by retail with 40, investment with 32, technology with 29 and mining with 22.
The top 10 also includes Clive Palmer, Cliff Obrecht, Melanie Perkins, Nicola Forrest, Andrew Forrest, Michael Dorrell and Kerry Stokes.
At age 30, Ed Craven, co-founder of Stake and Kick, remains the youngest person on the list.
The 2026 edition is available online and in a glossy print insert distributed with The Australian today.
Top Image: The Australian