And our top Australian is: a sporty male from NSW Adam Goodes was recognised for leadership and efforts with the Indigenous community.
It's arguably the nation's most prestigious alumni. But what type of person is most likely to be named Australian of the Year on Monday? 
If the past is any guide, the chances are it will be a male from NSW who is good at sport.
In the 55-year history of the Australian of the Year awards, 79per cent of the recipients have been men and nearly one-quarter are sports stars. Fairfax Media analysis also shows candidates from NSW are over-represented.
The second largest group of recipients has a background in science or medicine (20.3per cent) while artists and entertainers are third (18.6per cent).
The chief executive of the National Australia Day Council, Jeremy Lasek, said the high proportion of recipients known for their sporting prowess revealed something about our national identity. "We are a sports-mad country, it is celebrated by Australians and reflected in the awards," he said.
The council is responsible for selecting the award recipient from the various state nominees, who are in turn chosen in each state from public nominations.
Mr Lasek said the gender disparity in award recipients was disappointing. This gap is not simply the result of outdated beliefs in the early years of the award's history. Only two of the 10 most recent recipients have been women. Despite the imbalance, Mr Lasek says the committee will not try to compensate for the inequity and will instead ensure the process "remains fair and democratic".
The Young Australian of the Year, first awarded in 1979, has a better, if not perfect, gender balance - 56per cent have been men.
About one in seven Australian of the Year recipients are from the Indigenous community even though Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders make up about one in 40 of Australia's population.
Fewer than one in 10 recipients had a background in politics and the public service.
Two religious leaders (3.4per cent of the total) have had the honour, both of them from Christian denominations.
Residents of NSW make up 40per cent of all recipients even though that state is home to only about one-third of Australia's population.
Mr Lasek said one possible explanation for this was the presence of more "leading universities and better access to sporting facilities" in NSW compared with some other states. No Tasmanian resident has yet been named Australian of the Year.
Although sports stars make up the biggest proportion of Australian of the Year recipients overall, their dominance has waned recently.
They received four of the 10 awards during the 1960s but only one sports star - Adam Goodes - has received the gong during the past decade. Mr Lasek says a broader contribution to community has been a factor in most sports stars receiving the honour.
"For [Adam] Goodes it was not simply his football, it was his leadership, charity work and efforts with the Indigenous community ...
he might be seen as a sportsman but he is so much more," Mr Lasek said.