Chiefs of Mission in Australia (1940 – present)
| Name | State of Residency | Career/Appointment | Title | Appointment | Presentation of Credentials | Termination of Mission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Berry | Maryland | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 9, 2013 | September 25, 2013 | Left post September 20, 2016 |
| Jeffrey L. Bleich | California | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | November 10, 2009 | November 26, 2009 | Left post September 12, 2013 |
| Robert D. McCallum | Georgia | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 5, 2006 | August 24, 2006 | Left post, January 20, 2009 |
| J. Thomas Schieffer | Texas | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 27, 2001 | August 23, 2001 | Left post, February 18, 2005* *The following officers served as Charges d’Affaires ad interim: William A. Stanton (February 2005–July 2006) and Michael P. Owens (July–August 2006) |
| Edward William Gnehm, Jr. | Georgia | Foreign Service officer | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 14, 2000 | August 30, 2000 | Concluded post, June 22, 2001 |
| Genta H. Holmes | California | Foreign Service officer | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | February 10, 1997 | April 11, 1997 | Concluded post, July 23, 2000 |
| Edward J. Perkins | Oregon | Foreign Service officer | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | October 8, 1993 | November 24, 1993 | Concluded post, July 19, 1996 |
| Melvin F. Sembler | Florida | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | October 10, 1989 | October 25, 1989 | Concluded post, February 28, 1993 |
| Laurence W. Lane, Jr. | California | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | December 6, 1985 | January 7, 1986 | Concluded post, April 29, 1989 |
| Robert D. Nesen | California | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | May 20, 1981 | June 17, 1981 | Concluded post, May 2, 1985 |
| Philip H. Alston, Jr. | Georgia | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | May 23, 1977 | Left post, January 23, 1981 | Also accredited to Nauru; resident at Canberra. |
| James W. Hargrove | Texas | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | February 4, 1976 | February 19, 1976 | Concluded post, March 8, 1977 |
| Marshall Green | District of Columbia | Foreign Service officer | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | March 27, 1973 | June 8, 1973 | Concluded post, July 31, 1975 |
| Walter L. Rice | Virginia | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 19, 1969 | September 11, 1969 | Concluded post, May 26, 1973 |
| William H. Crook | Texas | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 24, 1968 | July 22, 1968 | Concluded post, April 18, 1969 |
| Edward Clark | Texas | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 22, 1965 | August 23, 1965 | Concluded post, December 31, 1967 |
| William C. Battle | Virginia | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 7, 1962 | July 13, 1962 | Concluded post, August 31, 1964 |
| William J. Sebald | District of Columbia | Foreign Service officer | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | March 14, 1957 | June 7, 1957 | Concluded post, October 31, 1961 |
| Douglas Maxwell Moffat | New York | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | February 23, 1956 | March 27, 1956 | Died at Sydney, August 30, 1956 |
| Amos J. Peaslee | New Jersey | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 15, 1953 | August 12, 1953 | Concluded Australia, February 16, 1956 |
| Pete Jarman | Alabama | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 8, 1949 | September 7, 1949 | Concluded post, July 31, 1953 |
| Myron Melvin Cowen | New York | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 1, 1948 | August 20, 1948 | Left post, March 17, 1949 Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on March 2, 1949. |
| Edward J. Flynn | New York | Non-career appointee | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | Note: Not commissioned; nomination withdrawn before the Senate acted upon it. | ||
| Robert Butler | Minnesota | Non-career appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 12, 1946 | September 25, 1946 | Left Concluded, March 31, 1948 |
| Nelson T. Johnson | Oklahoma | Foreign Service officer | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | February 11, 1941 | September 12, 1941 | Left Australia, April 20, 1945 Note: John R. Minter was serving as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim when Legation Canberra was raised to Embassy status, July 19, 1946 |
| Clarence E. Gauss | Connecticut | Foreign Service officer | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | January 12, 1940 | July 17, 1940 | Concluded post, March 5, 1941 |