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The Australian of the Year Awards commenced in 1960. From nominations received, Australia Day Committees in each state and territory select several finalists and recipients for their respective state and territory Australian of the Year Awards. These recipients are announced at functions in November and December each year, and from these, the National Australia Day Council Board selects the recipients in each national award category.

The national awards are announced on the eve of, and presented on, Australia Day (26 January) each year.

The Australian of the Year Awards recognise and reward those Australians who have a consistent record of excellence, who have made outstanding achievements in their field, and contributed in a significant way to the nation.

The Young Australian of the Year Award was introduced in 1979, Senior Australian in 1999, and the Local Hero Award in 2003.

The Australian of the Year Walk is on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra.

The Australian of the Year Walk in Canberra is composed of 100 concrete pillars with, by year, an image and the name of the various categories of Australian of the Year awardees. The pillars are in five groups of 20, with a staggered arrangement laterally along five metal dividers between six lines of dark paving stones. The lake side is bordered by white pavers, the land side by a white paved walkway.

The Walk is situated along a straight section of shoreline on Lake Burley Griffin between the National Library of Australia and the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.

The Walk was opened by the Hon John Howard MP, Prime Minister, on Australia Day, 26 January 2006.

Australian of the year award The Australian of the Year Award is one of the country's most prestigious, open to all Australians regardless of age. It recognises outstanding achievement, and an individual's role in inspiring fellow Australians and contributing to the nation. The first Award was presented in 1960. On Australia Day - 26 January - each year, the Prime Minister of Australia announces the Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, and Local Heroes Awards. These certificates are a great honour to receive them 2007 Professor Tim Flannery.

Tim has shown that human activity is drastically altering Earth's climate and that these changes will have a devastating effect of life on this planet. He wants to mobilise the social and political will, to address this problem before it's too late.

2005 Fiona Wood AM (b.1958) She has become world renowned for her patented invention of spray on skin for burns victims, a treatment which is continually developing. Where previous techniques of skin culturing required 21 days to produce enough cells to cover major burns, Fiona has reduced that period to five days.

2004 Steve Waugh (b. 1965) Steve Waugh has played representative cricket for Australia since 1985, retiring in January 2004. His incredible career, spanning more than 18 years, has produced some outstanding moments in Australian sporting history.

2003 Professor Fiona Stanley AC (b. 1946) She has dedicated her life to researching the causes of major childhood illnesses and birth defects so they can be prevented. Fiona strongly believes that we must get things right for children and families now, so we can look towards a positive and healthy future for Australia in the next 15 to 20 years.

2002 Patrick Rafter (b. 1972) He was a tennis star and made history for Australia when he won the Gran slam. In addition to supporting environmental causes, he set up his own Cherish the Children Foundation in 1999. This foundation is aimed at giving assistance to kids wherever they need it. Conquering the world with a self-deprecating sense of humour and giving as freely as he receives, Pat does it with ease. In all aspects of life, Pat is a good sport.

2001 Lt General Peter Cosgrove AC MC (b. 1947) The son of an army officer, General Cosgrove, entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon, straight after school to begin the life of a career soldier. And while that career has included a variety of staff and overseas appointments, including a stint as commandant of Duntroon, it was as a young lieutenant in Vietnam that he tasted the raw reality of a soldiers life. Barely a month after arriving, and less than a year after receiving his commission, 22-year-old Peter Cosgrove won the Military Cross, leading his platoon in a protracted assault on enemy positions.

2000 Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE FAA FRS (b. 1931) His world-renowned work helped build the foundations of modern immunology - an exacting field of science that he helped define for more than 30 years. His confirmation of Burnet's theory of antibody formation was a turning point in the medical profession's understanding of the immune system.

1999 Mark Taylor (b. 1963 ) Mark Taylor was named 1999 Australian of the Year in recognition of his outstanding leadership of the Australian Cricket Team. That year he retired from professional cricket, having led his team to 26 Test victories.

In 1988 Mark made his Test debut with the Australian Cricket Team. The following year in England, Mark proved his talents. He scored 839 runs with a remarkable average of 83.9 runs. His outstanding performances and sportsmanship over the next six years saw him selected as captain of the Australian Cricket Team in 1994.

1998 Cathy Freeman (b. 1973 ) With three Commonwealth Gold medals, a silver Olympic medal and a world track title to her credit, Cathy Freeman ranks as one of Australia's most outstanding athletes. Cathy was the first Aboriginal athlete to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal and the first to represent Australia at an Olympic Games. In 1996 she was the first Australian woman to run the 400 metres in under 50 seconds and in 1997 she became the first Australian woman to win a world track title. 1997 Professor Peter Doherty (b. 1940 )

Professor Doherty's award follows his 1996 Nobel prize for medicine which he received for milestone research into cellular immunology carried out at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) in Canberra twenty years ago. Peter and his research colleague discovered how the body's immune system recognises virus-infected cells, and his work has had a major impact on the medical profession's understanding of transplants and vaccine production.

• List of Australian of the Year Award recipients
• List of Young Australian of the Year Award recipients
• List of Senior Australian of the Year Award recipients
• List of Australian Local Hero Award recipients
• We Can Be Heroes

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• Australian of the Year website