Celebrity couple among top earners

Actress Nicole Kidman and her Kiwi husband Keith Urban have proven themselves to be Australia's entertainment power couple with both making the top 10 in BRW's 2010 list of the nation's richest entertainers.

With earnings of A$20 million ($25 million), country music singer Urban sustained his number-five position, while Kidman dropped slightly from the ninth spot to number 10 after making A$9.6 million this year.

Kidman's close friend Naomi Watts was the highest-earning woman on the list, coming in at seventh place with earnings of A$11.9 million.

Making their debut as the top Australian entertainment earners for the year were the team behind Walking with Dinosaurs, production company Global Creatures.

An estimated 6.6 million people from across the globe have seen the live show which has earned A$140 million.

The next highest earners were veteran rockers AC/DC who made A$131.4 million, but who dropped from first place despite earning A$26 million more than last year.

Children's entertainers also did well with The Wiggles taking third spot with A$33.5 million and Hi-5 coming in ninth with A$9.7 million.

Actors Hugh Jackman (No 4, A$21.5 million) and Cate Blanchett (No 8, A$10.8 million) and promoter Paul Dainty (No 6, A$15 million) round out the top 10.

Celebrity chef Curtis Stone shows it's a good time to be in the culinary business after entering the top 50 for the first time, with actor Alex O'Loughlin.

Dropping out of the list were Anthony LaPaglia after his television series Without A Trace was cancelled after seven seasons, and Brisbane twins, Lisa and Jessica Origliasso, from The Veronicas who made A$2.4 million.

- AAP