Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri gained 237,585 Instagram followers in December 2025, leading a month dominated by athletes, reality TV stars, and wellness creators. Strongman Eddie Williams and women’s health physiotherapist Heidi Barlow followed with massive percentage gains, while “Stranger Things” actor Dacre Montgomery and wildlife conservationist Terri Irwin rounded out the top tier.
Here are Australia’s fastest-growing Instagram accounts from last month.
#1. Oscar Piastri | @oscarpiastri Gained: +237.6K followers December total: 6.1M followers
McLaren’s Formula 1 driver continued momentum from a strong 2025 season.
Women’s health physiotherapist and TikTok “Educator of the Year 2025” specializing in pelvic floor and prenatal care.
Barlow’s growth reflects the rise of credentialed educators who translate specialist knowledge into short-form, highly practical content. Her posts focus on pelvic floor health, prenatal care, and women’s physiology, i.e., topics underserved in mainstream health media but that perform strongly on TikTok and Instagram Reels. As platforms increasingly reward save- and share-heavy educational content, Barlow’s medically grounded, creator-native approach positions her more closely as a knowledge creator than a traditional wellness influencer.
#6. Chris Katelaris | @big.chocky Gained: +111.9K followers December total: 459.7K followers
Online coach and podcast host known as “Australia’s controversial coach” grew his audience by 24%.
Katelaris built his following through opinionated coaching content, podcast clips, and direct-to-camera commentary that thrives on polarisation and debate. His framing as a “controversial coach” is part of the content strategy, encouraging engagement through disagreement as much as alignment. Unlike reality-TV-driven figures, Katelaris’ growth is algorithmic rather than event-based.
Italian-Australian comedy trio promoting their world tour across the U.S., the UK, Canada, and Europe.
Sooshi Mango has built its audience through sketch comedy native to social platforms long before live tours and brand extensions. Their cultural humour translates especially well to short-form video, where familiarity and repeatable characters drive retention. Their December growth aligns with tour promotion, but the underlying scale is creator-led rather than celebrity-driven as the account functions as a long-running IP engine.
#10. Christian Watson | @1924us Gained: +94.2K followers December total: 4.9M followers
Designer, artist, photographer, and animator behind the 1924us brand and “Mr Skelly” character.
Watson’s account sits at the intersection of art, design, and internet culture, with growth fueled by visually distinctive content tied to the “Mr Skelly” character and the broader 1924us universe. His work is optimized for visual stopping power rather than personal storytelling. The account operates more like a creative studio than a personal profile, with Instagram serving as the primary distribution channel for original visual IP.
Personal finance educator with IIM gold medal credentials grew his audience by 64% teaching investing and tax strategy.
Jain’s emphasis on investing and tax strategy, supported by academic credentials, positions his account within the growing cohort of finance educators gaining traction through short-form explainer formats. Unlike aspirational wealth influencers, Jain’s content relies on instruction rather than lifestyle signaling.
Lawn care creator known for knocking on doors and cleaning up yards for free.
Stafford’s format – offering free yard clean-ups – creates immediate visual payoff while embedding a narrative of community contribution. The account’s growth is entirely creator-native, with no reliance on celebrity, media appearances, or brand sponsorship as the primary hook.
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri gained 237,585 Instagram followers in December 2025, leading a month dominated by athletes, reality TV stars, and wellness creators. Strongman Eddie Williams and women’s health physiotherapist Heidi Barlow followed with massive percentage gains, while “Stranger Things” actor Dacre Montgomery and wildlife conservationist Terri Irwin rounded out the top tier.
Here are Australia’s fastest-growing Instagram accounts from last month.
#1. Oscar Piastri | @oscarpiastri
Gained: +237.6K followers
December total: 6.1M followers
McLaren’s Formula 1 driver continued momentum from a strong 2025 season.
#2. Eddie Williams | @eddiejowilliams
Gained: +176.2K followers
December total: 547.9K followers
Two-time Australia’s Strongest Man and star of Netflix’s “Physical: Asia” drove a 32% monthly surge.
#3. Heidi Barlow | @womenshealthwithheidi
Gained: +145.5K followers
December total: 319.6K followers
Women’s health physiotherapist and TikTok “Educator of the Year 2025” specializing in pelvic floor and prenatal care.
Barlow’s growth reflects the rise of credentialed educators who translate specialist knowledge into short-form, highly practical content. Her posts focus on pelvic floor health, prenatal care, and women’s physiology, i.e., topics underserved in mainstream health media but that perform strongly on TikTok and Instagram Reels. As platforms increasingly reward save- and share-heavy educational content, Barlow’s medically grounded, creator-native approach positions her more closely as a knowledge creator than a traditional wellness influencer.
#4. Terri Irwin | @terriirwincrikey
Gained: +118K followers
December total: 1.1M followers
Wildlife conservationist and Australia Zoo owner maintained steady growth in her late husband Steve Irwin’s conservation legacy.
#5. Yana Marks | @yanammarks
Gained: +117K followers
December total: 244.5K followers
“Love Island Australia” Season 7 contestant and founder of Trade Chicks posted a 48% monthly increase.
#6. Chris Katelaris | @big.chocky
Gained: +111.9K followers
December total: 459.7K followers
Online coach and podcast host known as “Australia’s controversial coach” grew his audience by 24%.
Katelaris built his following through opinionated coaching content, podcast clips, and direct-to-camera commentary that thrives on polarisation and debate. His framing as a “controversial coach” is part of the content strategy, encouraging engagement through disagreement as much as alignment. Unlike reality-TV-driven figures, Katelaris’ growth is algorithmic rather than event-based.
#7. Dacre Montgomery | @dacremontgomery
Gained: +106.3K followers
December total: 7.8M followers
“Stranger Things” actor added to his massive following as the show’s final scheduled season approaches.
#8. Sooshi Mango | @sooshimango
Gained: +102.8K followers
December total: 3.1M followers
Italian-Australian comedy trio promoting their world tour across the U.S., the UK, Canada, and Europe.
Sooshi Mango has built its audience through sketch comedy native to social platforms long before live tours and brand extensions. Their cultural humour translates especially well to short-form video, where familiarity and repeatable characters drive retention. Their December growth aligns with tour promotion, but the underlying scale is creator-led rather than celebrity-driven as the account functions as a long-running IP engine.
#9. Milly Alcock | @millyalcock
Gained: +94.8K followers
December total: 2M followers
“House of the Dragon” actress continued building her profile between seasons.
#10. Christian Watson | @1924us
Gained: +94.2K followers
December total: 4.9M followers
Designer, artist, photographer, and animator behind the 1924us brand and “Mr Skelly” character.
Watson’s account sits at the intersection of art, design, and internet culture, with growth fueled by visually distinctive content tied to the “Mr Skelly” character and the broader 1924us universe. His work is optimized for visual stopping power rather than personal storytelling. The account operates more like a creative studio than a personal profile, with Instagram serving as the primary distribution channel for original visual IP.
#11. Grace Hayden | @grace.hayden_
Gained: +92.1K followers
December total: 639.5K followers
Sports presenter, MC, and Mahindra Australia brand ambassador specializing in fashion and lifestyle content.
#12. Gabby McCarthy | @gabrielleemccarthy
Gained: +88.2K followers
December total: 241K followers
“Love Island Australia” Season 7 cast member and fitness creator posted a 37% monthly gain.
#13. Kapil Jain | @enrichwise
Gained: +84.2K followers
December total: 132.3K followers
Personal finance educator with IIM gold medal credentials grew his audience by 64% teaching investing and tax strategy.
Jain’s emphasis on investing and tax strategy, supported by academic credentials, positions his account within the growing cohort of finance educators gaining traction through short-form explainer formats. Unlike aspirational wealth influencers, Jain’s content relies on instruction rather than lifestyle signaling.
#14. Nathan Stafford | @nathanslawnsandgardens
Gained: +83.3K followers
December total: 3.1M followers
Lawn care creator known for knocking on doors and cleaning up yards for free.
Stafford’s format – offering free yard clean-ups – creates immediate visual payoff while embedding a narrative of community contribution. The account’s growth is entirely creator-native, with no reliance on celebrity, media appearances, or brand sponsorship as the primary hook.
#15. Nathan Lust | @itsnathanlust
Gained: +82.9K followers
December total: 1.2M followers
New Zealand-born actor and director with 6M TikTok followers expanding his Instagram presence.
Reality TV Surge
“Love Island Australia” Season 7 drove two contestants into the rankings:
Data from HypeAuditor, December 2025
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