List of ambassadors of Australia to Nepal

The ambassador of Australia to Nepal is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The ambassador resides in Kathmandu. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by Leann Johnston since 12 September 2024.^[1]

Ambassador of Australia to Nepal
Incumbent Leann Johnston since 12 September 2024
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Style	Her Excellency
Reports to	Minister for Foreign Affairs
Seat	Kathmandu
Nominator	Prime Minister of Australia
Appointer	Governor General of Australia
Inaugural holder	Walter Crocker (resident in New Delhi)
Formation	26 February 1960
Website	Australian Embassy Nepal

Between 1960 and 1986, Australian representation was carried out by a non-resident ambassador based in the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. The Australian Embassy in Kathmandu was opened on 27 April 1984, and the first ambassador appointed in May 1986.^[2][3][4] According to the Australian Government, the diplomatic mission was opened to improve consular services for Australians in Nepal and to facilitate the delivery of the Australian aid program to the country.^[5]

List of heads of mission

#	Officeholder	Residency	Term start date	Term end date	Time in office	Notes
1	Walter Crocker	New Delhi, India	26 February 1960 (1960-02-26)	5 March 1962 (1962-03-05)	2 years, 7 days	[6][7][8]
–	Kevin Thomas Kelly (Chargé d'affaires)		15 March 1962 (1962-03-15)	10 June 1962 (1962-06-10)	87 days	[9]
–	Bill Pritchett (Chargé d'affaires)		10 June 1962 (1962-06-10)	21 February 1963 (1963-02-21)	256 days	[10][11][12]
2	James Plimsoll		21 February 1963 (1963-02-21)	28 January 1965 (1965-01-28)	1 year, 342 days	[13][14]
3	Arthur Tange		28 January 1965 (1965-01-28)	25 January 1970 (1970-01-25)	4 years, 362 days	[15]
–	Rob Laurie (Chargé d'affaires)		25 January 1970 (1970-01-25)	1 March 1970 (1970-03-01)	35 days	[16]
4	Patrick Shaw		1 March 1970 (1970-03-01)	26 September 1973 (1973-09-26)	3 years, 209 days	[17][18][19]
5	Bruce Grant		26 September 1973 (1973-09-26)	15 December 1975 (1975-12-15)	2 years, 80 days	[20][21]
6	Peter Curtis		26 February 1976 (1976-02-26)	5 December 1979 (1979-12-05)	3 years, 282 days	[22]
7	Gordon Upton		5 December 1979 (1979-12-05)	31 May 1984 (1984-05-31)	4 years, 178 days	[23]
8	Graham Feakes		31 May 1984 (1984-05-31)	4 May 1986 (1986-05-04)	1 year, 338 days	[24][25]
–	A. J. Sever (Chargé d'affaires)	Kathmandu, Nepal	27 April 1984 (1984-04-27)		2 years, 7 days	[1]
9	Diane Johnstone		4 May 1986 (1986-05-04)	December 1989 (1989-12)	3 years, 6 months	[26][27][28]
10	Les Douglas		December 1989 (1989-12)	13 April 1994 (1994-04-13)	4 years, 4 months	[29]
11	Annmaree O'Keeffe		13 April 1994 (1994-04-13)	28 October 1996 (1996-10-28)	2 years, 198 days	[30]
12	Brendan Doran		28 October 1996 (1996-10-28)	19 August 1999 (1999-08-19)	2 years, 295 days	[31]
13	Crispin Conroy		19 August 1999 (1999-08-19)	22 July 2002 (2002-07-22)	2 years, 337 days	[32]
14	Keith Gardner		22 July 2002 (2002-07-22)	28 October 2005 (2005-10-28)	3 years, 98 days	[33]
15	Graeme Lade		28 October 2005 (2005-10-28)	22 January 2009 (2009-01-22)	3 years, 86 days	[34]
16	Susan Grace		22 January 2009 (2009-01-22)	11 March 2013 (2013-03-11)	4 years, 48 days	[35]
17	Glenn White		11 March 2013 (2013-03-11)	21 March 2017 (2017-03-21)	4 years, 10 days	[36]
18	Peter Budd		21 March 2017 (2017-03-21)	19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)	3 years, 363 days	[37]
19	Felicity Volk		15 February 2021 (2021-02-15)	26 August 2024 (2024-08-26)	4 years, 57 days	[38][39]
20	Leann Johnston		12 September 2024 (2024-09-12)	incumbent	247 days	[40]

See also

• Australia–Nepal relations