Injured Galatasaray forward Harry Kewell was included while Middlesbrough defender Rhys Williams was omitted from Australia's 23-man World Cup squad containing 14 veterans from Germany 2006.
Everton midfielder Tim Cahill, Kewell and his Galatasaray clubmate Lucas Neill and Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer headline an experienced squad.
Football Federation Australia said coach Pim Verbeek submitted his final squad to FIFA ahead of Tuesday's deadline, but delayed announcing it publicly until after Wednesday's practice because he wanted to explain it to the players first.
Williams, who committed to Australia last year after playing some junior internationals for Wales, was a surprise omission after struggling to overcome a persistent pelvic problem.
Verbeek blamed Middlesbrough's handling of Williams' injury for the 20-year-old defender's World Cup absence.
"He trained without confidence - he could never train fully, he's not free to play and his recovery is not quick enough to make it," Verbeek was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press. "I'm disappointed he will not be in the final 23."
Middlesbrough manager "Gordon Strachan let him play for weeks with an injury," Verbeek added. "Gordon Strachan let him play with an injection every game. If you do that with a 20-year-old player you take a risk.
"I'm 100 percent sure if (Middlesbrough) had given him the normal treatment for a player, he should be in the World Cup."
Verbeek announced his squad the morning after Australia beat Denmark 1-0 in a warmup match in Johannesburg.
Netherlands-based midfielders Tommy Oar and James Holland were cut from the group which traveled to South Africa last week, along with Aston Villa defender Shane Lowry and Williams.
"I'm heartbroken, but obviously proud ... just to have got this far," Williams was quoted as saying. "I have been struggling for a long time, but the (Socceroos) coaching staff gave me every possible chance to be fit. It obviously just wasn't meant to be."
Australia will play another warmup match against the United States this weekend before it opens its World Cup campaign against Germany in Group D on June 13.
Kewell could come into calculations to play against the United States to test the fitness of his injured groin, but is likely to be kept on the sidelines until the Germany match.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Adam Federici (Reading), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham)
Defenders: Michael Beauchamp (Melbourne Heart), David Carney (Twente), Scott Chipperfield (Basel), Mark Milligan (JEF United), Craig Moore (no club), Lucas Neill (Galatasaray), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow)
Midfielders: Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Tim Cahill (Everton), Jason Culina (Gold Coast), Brett Emerton (Blackburn), Richard Garcia (Hull), Vince Grella (Blackburn), Brett Holman (Alkmaar), Mile Jedinak (Antalyaspor), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo), Dario Vidosic (Nuremberg)
Forwards: Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Nikita Rukavytsya (Twente)
