It’s been a year of mixed fortunes. Retailer margins have been squeezed, equities investors have been on a roller coaster and coal prices have softened, and yet the country’s 200 largest fortunes have collectively leapt 6.9 per cent to $667.8 billion.

Topping the Financial Review Rich List for the sixth year in a row is iron ore queen Gina Rinehart, with an estimated net worth of $38.1 billion. Her dominance is matched by that of the resources sector, which continues to be the largest industry by value (worth more than $141 billion) represented on the Rich List. Miners increased their total wealth in 2025, even though key players have gone backwards.