Byron dad wins Australian Father of the Year

THE Australian Fathering Awards have awarded the 2025 Father of the Year to Northern Rivers dad, Dr Arne Rubinstein.

Announced at a ceremony in Sydney on September 4, the Byron-based former medical doctor and CEO and founder of the Rites of Passage Institute was honoured for his work with diverse cultures and organisations globally, as well as schools and Indigenous communities around Australia.

“I was excited, and it’s an incredible honour,” Rubinstein said.

“It’s also a little intimidating. No parent is perfect – especially me – and I think we’re all just learning as we go.

“I accept this award in the spirit of that collective learning. I know it is as much about the work I have done over 30 years with other fathers as it is about my own fatherhood journey.

“It means a lot to me as it speaks to the incredible value of Rites of Passage in raising our children well.”

Rubinstein began researching Rites of Passage in 1993 as a tool to assist teenagers in transitioning into adulthood while maintaining strong family relationships and passing on wisdom and knowledge.

A few years after running his first father and son camp, Rubinstein resigned from practising medicine to work full time on the programs he considers a ‘preventative process’.

“The work is a protective factor for mental health and wellbeing and grounded in safety, belonging, and connection – foundations that set young people up for long-term success, resilience, and healthy relationships,” he said.

The institute’s work has since impacted more than 350,000 people in over 25 countries.

In three decades, Rubinstein said a lot had changed, but much had stayed the same.

“The most significant change is the influence of technology,” he said.

“Young people, and adults, are constantly contending with distraction and powerful algorithms, which take us further away from nature and real human connection – both of which are absolutely vital for our health and wellbeing.

“What hasn’t changed is the deep need for safe spaces where people can be seen, supported, and guided through life’s transitions.”

For information, visit australianfatheringawards.org.au