The billionaires’ club has expanded in Western Australia, growing to 20 individuals and families according to Business News data used to assemble the 2026 Rich 100, which was launched last night.
The Wheatley family’s fortune became the latest to earn billionaire status as the family office APPL forges ahead with the redevelopment of the Sydney Charles Quarter retail, residential and hospitality precinct in West Perth, once a key site in their automotive sales business.
Gina Rinehart remained number one on the Rich 100 with wealth estimated at $37.5 billion despite a softer year for iron ore, the mainstay of the fortune.
Mrs Rinehart’s wealth represented almost one quarter of the Rich 100’s collective value, worth more than $168 billion, up about 5 per cent from the 2025 list.
Nicola Forrest remained in second with $17.3 billion, while husband Andrew Forrest sat in third at $16.2 billion.
The Rich 100 saw 12 new entries for 2026, a mix of freshly minted fortunes and more mature wealth qualified by further research.
The 100th ranked member of the list, the Wandel farming family, is a newcomer, coming in at $280 million, a significant rise from the $215 million floor estimated in 2025.
