The Most Rev. Philip Leslie Freier, Primate of Australia and Archbishop of Melbourne

Archbishop Freier was born on 8 Feb 1955 and reared in Brisbane. Educated at the Queensland Institute of Technology he earned a Bachelor of Applied Science degree and went on to earn a Diploma in Education from the University of Queensland and Master of Education Studies degree from the University of Newcastle. He was a science teacher for six years before training for the ministry at the Melbourne College of Divinity where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree. He subsequently went on to earn a doctorate from James Cook University. He was ordained deacon and priest in 1983 and served his curacy in Kowanyama, Queensland. From 1985 to 1990 he served as rector of St Oswald’s Banyo, and went on to become rector of Christ Church Bundaberg from 1990 to 1999. Archbishop Freier has served as a chaplain to the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve since 2001. He was elected Bishop of the Northern Territory and was elected 13th Archbishop of Melbourne on 16 December 2006. The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Australia elected him primate on 28 June 2014. Archbishop Freier is married to Joy Freier and they have two children and three grandchildren.

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