Andrew Forrest has topped the Australians on the Forbes Rich List. Photo: Paul Jones
A dozen Australians - including WA mining magnate Andrew Forrest and now-American citizen Rupert Murdoch - have made it onto Forbes' annual billionaires list.
The American finance magazine has counted 1011 billionaires from 55 countries, up from 793 last year, though still shy of the pre-financial crisis 1125 listed in 2008.
And although the Australians between them are worth a reasonable $32 billion - a fifth of that is Mr Murdoch's - they are left in the shade by the richest of the rich.
The annual rich list - released today reflects a resurgence of wealth after the financial turmoil of 2009, with the top 10 wealthiest worth a combined $US342 billion ($374 billion).
Mexican telco tycoon Carlos Slim tops the list, with estimated worth of $US53.3 billion ($58.3 billion), just edging out Microsoft founder Bill Gates by a half a billion.
Mr Murdoch is the first name familiar to Aussies on the Forbes at equal 117.
The richest Australian citizen is Mr Forrest, with an estimated $US4.1 billion ($4.48 billion). Fellow WA mining kingpin and Australia's richest woman Gina Rinehart also makes the list at 448.
Frank Lowy, James Packer, Harry Triguboff, John Gandel, Lindsay Fox and Gerry Harvey garneted mentions, with Solomon Lew sneaking in at equal 937 with an even $1 billion.
South African-born founder of Platinum Asset Management, Kerr Neilsen, and UK-based hedge fund manager Michael Hintze round out the list of Australians.
Missing, however, is Clive Palmer. BRW magazine in 2009 listed the Queensland mining magnate as Australia's fifth richest man worth $1.5 billion.
Australians on the Forbes annual billionaires list:
117 Rupert Murdoch (lives in US) $US6.3 billion ($6.89 billion)
208 Andrew Forrest $US4.1 billion ($4.48 billion)
249 Frank Lowy and family $US3.6 billion ($3.94 billion)
258 James Packer $US3.5 billion ($3.83 billion)
316 Harry Triguboff $US3 billion ($3.28 billion)
400 John Gandel $US2.4 billion ($2.62 billion)
437 Kerr Neilson $US2.2 billion ($2.41 billion)
488 Gina Rinehart $US2.0 billion ($2.19 billion)
655 Lindsay Fox $US1.5 billion ($1.64 billion)
773 Gerry Harvey $US1.3 billion ($1.42 billion)
880 Michael Hintze (lives in the UK) $US1.1 billion ($1.20 billion)
937 Solomon Lew Australia $US1 billion ($1.09 billion)
Source: Forbes.com.
AAP
