Gold Logie-winning actor Samuel Johnson and Echuca-born Graham Atkinson are among those nominated in the 2018 Victorian Australian of the Year awards.
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Mr Johnson, originally from Daylesford, retired from acting in 2016 to focus on his sister's charity organisation, Love Your Sister, to raise money for cancer research.
His sister Connie died following her long battle with cancer in September.
Mr Johnson is nominated for the Victorian Australian of the Year award.
Mr Atkinson is a land rights and social justice leader, who is shortlisted for the Victorian Senior Australian of the Year award.
Other award categories include Victorian Young Australian of the Year and Victoria's Local Hero.
Actor, author and spokeswoman for marriage equality Magda Szubanski; medical pioneer and executive in mental health innovation Dr Harris Eyre; and diversity champion and dedicated volunteer Mohammed Alam also feature on the nominees list.
Mr Atkinson was born in Echuca in 1948. He worked as a senior social worker, joining the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency.
In 1986, having become disillusioned with a lack of Indigenous representation in policy making, Mr Atkinson established Yuruga Enterprises, an Indigenous-run consultancy.
He helped to steer the land rights claim of the Yorta Yorta people in the Federal Court. He also helped broker and agreement between Traditional Owners and the Victorian Government, resulting in the Victorian Traditional Owners Act 2010.
In 2014, Mr Atkinson was inducted into the Victorian Indigenous Honour Roll, recognising a lifetime of struggle, campaigning and ultimately success.
The 2018 recipients will be announced on October 26 at Government House in Melbourne.
The winners will then join a cohort of 32 state and territory recipients from around Australia in the national awards, which will be held in Canberra on January 25, 2018.
National Australia Day Council chief executive Jenny Barbour said the Victorian nominees were among 130 great Australians being recognised at the state level in the Australian of the Year Awards.
For more information on the Australian of the Year Awards visit australianoftheyear.org.au.
2018 Victorian Australian of the Year
Samuel Johnson OAM – Actor and fundraiser for cancer research (Tallarook)
Karen Livingstone – Cancer crusader (Bayside)
Magda Szubanski – Actor, author and spokeswoman for marriage equality (Melbourne)
Lyn White AM – Animal advocate (Mornington Peninsula)