Peter FitzSimons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter FitzSimons
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FitzSimons in 2013
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| Born | Peter John FitzSimons 29 June 1961 Sydney, Australia |
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| Education | Knox Grammar School Findlay High School |
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| Alma mater | University of Sydney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Non-fiction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 1987–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby career
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Peter FitzSimons, born on June 29, 1961, is a well-known Australian writer, journalist, and TV and radio host. He used to play rugby for Australia and led the Australian Republic Movement for several years. He is famous for his many non-fiction books, often about Australian history and sports.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Peter FitzSimons grew up in Peats Ridge, a town on the Central Coast of New South Wales. He was one of seven children in his family. He went to Peats Ridge Public School and Knox Grammar School. In 1978, he spent a year in Ohio, USA, as an exchange student. After that, he studied arts at the University of Sydney.
Career Highlights
Playing Rugby for Australia
Peter FitzSimons started his rugby career playing for clubs in Sydney. From 1985 to 1989, he played in France for the CA Brive team. He was their first international player.
He played seven "Test matches" for the Australian national rugby union team, known as the Wallabies. He played as a "lock," a position in the rugby scrum. His first game for Australia was in November 1989 against France. His last Test match was against the All Blacks from New Zealand.
Some former teammates had interesting things to say about him. One player, Willie Ofahengaue, described FitzSimons as a "big character" and a "funny guy."
Becoming a Journalist
FitzSimons has been writing for The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper since 1988. He has also been a sports columnist for them since 1987. You might have seen him on the Australian TV show The Back Page, where he talks about sports.
He writes a column called "The Fitz Files" for the Saturday edition of The Sydney Morning Herald. This column covers sports news from the past week. On Sundays, he writes a more general version for The Sun-Herald, focusing on community events in Sydney. Many people, including journalist Andrew Denton, have called him one of Australia's best sports journalists.
Working in Radio
In 2006, Peter FitzSimons started hosting a breakfast radio show in Sydney with Mike Carlton. They tried to make the show more popular. After two years, FitzSimons decided to leave radio. He wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on writing his books.
Writing Books
Peter FitzSimons is a very successful writer. He is one of Australia's top-selling non-fiction authors. He has written many books about interesting historical figures and events. His books cover topics like the brave spy Nancy Wake, the famous shipwreck of the Batavia, and Australian heroes like Sir John Monash and Charles Kingsford Smith.
Community and Public Work
Peter FitzSimons has been involved in many community groups. He was a leader at the University of Sydney from 2009 to 2013. He also supported the Russell Prize for Humour Writing. From 2015 to 2022, he was the chairman of the Australian Republic Movement. This group works to make Australia a republic, meaning it would have an Australian head of state instead of the British monarch.
He also served on the council of the Australian War Memorial. He helped start the Cauliflower Club, a charity that supports rugby players who have been injured.
Stadium Campaign
Before the 2019 New South Wales state election, FitzSimons started a campaign. He wanted to stop the demolition of the Sydney Football Stadium and Stadium Australia. He started a petition online that gathered many signatures. He also wrote articles arguing against the demolitions.
The issue of the stadiums became a big part of the election campaign. However, the government was re-elected, suggesting that the issue was not as important to most people. Even so, the campaign had some success. The government changed its plan for Stadium Australia from a complete demolition to a refurbishment. Later, this refurbishment was also cancelled.
Personal Life
Peter FitzSimons is married to Australian journalist and TV presenter Lisa Wilkinson. They have three children and live in Sydney. He has said that he is an atheist, meaning he does not believe in a god. He is also a republican, supporting Australia becoming a republic.
His Famous Bandana
Peter FitzSimons is well-known for always wearing a red bandana. He has explained that his children gave it to him, and he wears it for them. Because of his headwear, people sometimes jokingly call him "Pirate Pete."
Awards and Recognition
On June 13, 2011, Peter FitzSimons was named a Member of the Order of Australia. This honor recognized his contributions to literature as a writer and journalist. It also acknowledged his work in the community, including his support for conservation, disability care, social welfare, and sports organizations.
