Do we like Costa Georgiadis?
Our score: 9 out of 10. Years of consistent, kind public work on community and the environment, and no harmful words or acts turned up; the score is held back only because the record is mostly profiles and event listings.
Costa grew up in North Bondi, Sydney, a second-generation Greek Australian living on the same street as his grandparents and uncle. His yiayia and pappou got him into gardening, and he later studied landscape architecture and built a career around sustainability. He tells the story of his grandparents practising permaculture before the word existed.
The big break came when SBS gave him Costa's Garden Odyssey in 2009. He then took over ABC's Gardening Australia in 2012, and he has since added Gardening Australia Junior and a kids' book series with illustrator Brenna Quinlan. In 2019 he won the Silver Logie for Most Popular Presenter and was nominated for the Gold, and he said “Unbelievable!” when he won.
On scandals, there is honestly nothing to tell. Searches for lawsuits, court cases, allegations and apologies found no reporting about him, only a lot of results about other people with the surname Georgiadis, including a Greek politician. A clean sheet from a search isn't proof of sainthood, but it is rare for someone this long on TV.
On the harm check, his public record is about environmental education and community. He says his shows aim to “show the people the simplicity of living differently, sustainably and connected.” He has also spoken about women's role in sustainability, saying “Female energy, nurture, and caring for country are what's needed.” We found no words from him on trans or LGBTQ+ issues, good or bad, and nothing on vaccines or climate denial.
Nothing controversial has come out lately. In 2026 he has a new children's book, Costa's Garden: Fruit, and a Bellingen Writers Festival session with Bob Brown listed in June. The ABC's 2026 Gardening Australia season is also running with him as host. It is all garden talk and festivals.
The good stuff is the volume of community work. He has been named ambassador for the community garden network, and he is a Junior Landcare ambassador. In 2025 the public voted him the subject of the National Portrait Gallery's People's Portrait from a shortlist of 25 Australians, and he said he was “humbled that the public voted for me.”