1988

Fred Cress

John Beard

1989

Vladis Meskenas

Donald Friend

1990

Reg Cambell

Self portrait

1991/92

Robert Hannaford

Portrait of Hugh Stretton

1993

Jennifer Little

Victor Sellu

1995

Josonia Palaitis

Bill Leak

1996

Robert Hannaford

Self Portrait

1997

Mathew Lynn

Jeanne Ryckmans

1998

Robert Hannaford

Rolf Prince

1999

Evert Ploeg

Deborah Mailman

2000

Esther Erlich

Bill Leak (never been better)

2001

Paul Newton

Roy and HG (John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver)

2002

Jan Williamson

Jenny Morris - singer/songwriter
(also awarded Packing Room Prize)

2003

Dalu Zhao

'Lao Fei' Stephen FitzGerald

2004

Craig Ruddy

David Gulpilil, two worlds
(also awarded Archibald Prize)

2005

Nicholas Harding

Bob's daily swim (Robert Dickerson)

2006

Paul Jackson

All the world's a stage

2007

Evert Ploeg

George Ellis

2008

Vincent Fantauzzo

Heath
(also highly commended in Archibald Prize)