Madeleine Buchner is co-founder and CEO of Little Dreamers Australia.
She was awarded an OAM in 2019 and was Victorian Nominee for Australian
of the Year in 2025.
At the age of 16 Madeleine founded Little Dreamers,
Australia's leading young carer support organisation. Little Dreamers
supports young people aged 4 to 25 who care for a family member affected
by disability, chronic or mental illness, addiction or frail age.
Madeleine's
bold vision is to ensure that no young carer feels alone, unsupported
or unrecognised. Each year, her vital organisation delivers over 23,500
hours of direct support to young carers - including respite care,
educational support, mentorship programs and mental health resources.
Her
efforts have empowered local communities to better understand and
assist young carers, significantly improving the quality of life of
6,500 young people. In 2019, Madeleine was awarded a Medal of the Order
of Australia.
