State Memorial Service for Dame Olivia Newton-John AC DBE
A State Memorial Service will be held to honour the extraordinary life of Dame Olivia Newton-John AC DBE at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, at 4:00pm on Sunday 26 February and Fed Square will be screening the service on the Big Screen.
The Service will be an opportunity for Victorians to honour Dame Olivia’s memory and her achievements.
Dame Olivia passed away on 8 August 2022 following her own 30-year journey with breast cancer. She was 73.
Dame Olivia moved to Melbourne from the United Kingdom with her family at a young age and showed an early passion for performing.
At age 15, Dame Olivia won a trip to London during a contest on the ‘60s TV show Sing, Sing, Sing, but her big break was in the role of schoolgirl Sandy in the 1978 film Grease.
Still one of the most successful movie musicals of all time, Grease is a cultural icon and the soundtrack of a generation. It included hits such as ‘You’re the One That I Want’ and ‘Summer Nights’ and earned Dame Olivia a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical/Comedy).
Across a career spanning 6 decades, Dame Olivia released 28 studio albums and 6 live albums, won 4 Grammy awards, reached number one on the charts numerous times and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
Dame Olivia was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. She used her own cancer journey as a way to raise research funds and promote cancer awareness, including the benefits of early detection and wellness.
Dame Olivia began working in partnership with Austin Health, in Melbourne, in 2003 and the Olivia Newton-John Wellness and Research Centre (ONJWRC) opened in 2012. The ONJWRC offers treatment, education, training and research, and features a dedicated wellness space for mind, body and spirit. The services have helped thousands of people and Dame Olivia’s own journey has served as an inspiration for many more.
In 2019, Dame Olivia was appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia (General Division) (AC) for her eminent service to community health, particularly people living with cancer, through support for medical research, and for her work as a songwriter and performer. That same year, Her Majesty the Queen named Dame Olivia a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to music, cancer research and charity.
Dame Olivia leaves an incredible legacy, not only through her work on the stage and screen, but also as a philanthropist and advocate. In addition to ONJWRC, and among other passions, she founded National Tree Day in Australia and established the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, which sponsors global research into plant medicine to help find kinder treatments for cancer.
For further information visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/state-service-dame-olivia-newton-john-ac-dbe