From refugee advocate Paris Aristotle to former child soldier-now lawyer Deng Adut, they feature many working with people of migrant, refugee or Indigenous backgrounds.
Paris Aristotle started the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture in 1988.
Today, he leads a team of more than 200 helping refugees recover from torture and trauma, with services in mental health, general health, advocacy, education and community services.
Now, he is Victoria's nominee for 2017 Australian of the Year, the winner to be announced on Australia Day in January.
Mr Aristotle has also worked in refugee resettlement with the United Nations and as an adviser to the government on refugee, asylum-seeker and multicultural policy.
He says working with people who have survived trauma inspires him to continue with his work.
"What we found is that, if the interventions you're providing are appropriate and well-targeted, then a person's ability to recover from those things is quite remarkable. And it's really about supporting people to develop their own capability to manage their own lives, to deal with the effects of trauma in a way where it doesn't overwhelm them or overburden them in their day-to-day operations and daily lives. And, in doing that, people regain the sort of strength and capacity they need to start focusing on the future, where, for a long time for refugees, being able to focus on the future has always been a real challenge."
The Northern Territory's Australian of the Year, Andrea Mason, has spent her working life helping Indigenous women and children.
Ms Mason is chief executive of the NPY Women's Council.
It combines Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal thinking to fight domestic violence, create job opportunities and tackle other social and health challenges facing Indigenous communities.
Ms Mason has also led innovative social enterprises, teaching employment skills and helping Indigenous women run micro-businesses promoting traditional healing and craft practices.
Also named Telstra's Australian Businesswoman of the Year, she has told the ABC she is proud of local women's strength in tackling many tough issues.
"I think the commitment by the women to tackle the hardest areas in our community ... for me, that has signalled the kind of grunt, or grit, that exists within desert communities. And so, obviously, the one that the women are most proud of was addressing petrol sniffing in Central Australia, and, not long ago, we marked 10 years of the rollout of Opal fuel. So, that's their proudest achievement. But recently, the increase of renal-dialysis machines in the region has been another achievement that they've really celebrated, because that is a very serious issue in Central Australia."
Refugee lawyer Deng Adut has been named New South Wales Australian of the Year.
Mr Adut was taken from his mother at the age of 6 to become a child soldier, fighting in the war that eventually split his homeland of Sudan.
He was smuggled out of Sudan into Kenya before making it to Australia in 1998.
He wound up studying law at Western Sydney University, before setting up the AC, or Adut-Correy, Law Group that fights for members of the South Sudanese community.
Mr Adut says Australia is not his adopted country but his home.
"You are not African just because you are born in Africa, but you are African because Africa is born in you. I'll copy that and say you are not just Australian because you are born in Australia but because Australia is born in you. It's what you're going to do for Australia, that's what makes it meaningful, that's what makes you an Australian."
In other categories, Tejinder Pal Singh has been recognised as the winner of the Northern Territory Local Hero award.
Once a month after a 12-hour shift driving a taxi, the Indian-born Mr Singh spends five hours preparing 80 kilograms of vegetarian curry and rice.
He then serves it as a free lunch to those in need in Darwin.
In Tasmania, Congo-born Young Australian of the Year finalist Alphonse Mulumba has been honoured for his work advocating for better multicultural-community services.
The 2017 Queensland Local Hero of the Year is diversity champion Yasmin Khan, of Kuraby.
Ms Khan founded Eidfest, the state's largest Muslim gathering, and she is also a well-known speaker, working across the community to encourage greater cross-cultural understanding.
The national award ceremony will be held in Canberra on January 25.
