Yarrawonga

Distinguished and Famous people from Yarrawonga

🏉 Tom Lonergan

Tom Lonergan grew up in Yarrawonga before attending Assumption College and playing with the Calder Cannons. His Geelong career became a remarkable recovery story after a serious on-field injury in 2006 cost him a kidney. He returned to football, established himself as a dependable key defender and became a member of Geelong’s 2011 AFL premiership team. By his retirement in 2017 he had built a long senior career with the Cats. His early local football connection is part of that progression: the player who became a reassuring presence in Geelong’s defence had started out in the Yarrawonga district.

🎬 Anne Curtis

Filipino Australian actress Anne Curtis was born in Yarrawonga before building her entertainment career in the Philippines. In an interview preserved by SBS Filipino, she recalled being approached by a talent scout while eating at a fast-food restaurant during a visit to Manila. Commercial modelling came first, followed by auditions for film roles. It is an unusually effective lunch break in the history of career changes. Her Yarrawonga birthplace connects the Murray River town with a performer whose screen career developed overseas; the restaurant encounter belongs to Manila, where that move into entertainment began.

🏐 Annalise Grinter

Annalise Grinter combined a long playing career with enduring service to Yarrawonga Football Netball Club. The club records her as a life member, and local coverage celebrated her 250th A Grade game with a victory over Corowa. Reaching that milestone involves far more than one standout season: it means returning to the court through changing teams, opponents and circumstances. Her contribution is part of Yarrawonga’s netball story, alongside the football achievements that often dominate attention. The record of matches and club recognition gives her a clear place among the people who have helped sustain the town’s sporting life.