For the first time in the pageant's history, Miss World Australia has an Indigenous finalist and a finalist of African descent.
Organisers have been pushing for greater diversity in the competition, which has been criticised in the past for not reflecting multicultural Australia.
Beza Mickan-White is the the first finalist of African descent.She is more comfortable on a basketball court than at a beauty salon.
But in the lead-up to the final of Miss World Australia, hair and makeup are on her mind.
A wildcard entrant to the pageant, she's the first finalist of African descent.
The 22-year old was born in Ethiopia and adopted by a white couple from Adelaide when she was four. She said, "They were such beautiful people. They were so friendly, so welcoming. I remember at the house that we had they put a sign up at the front with little photos of all the family members and little descriptions of who they were. And there was a little teddy bear which I actually still have which was stuck to the door saying 'Welcome home, Beza'."
The South Australian wants to use the pageant as a platform to develop mentoring programs for children who arrive in Australia as asylum seekers and refugees.
She also hopes taking part will help her track down her birth mother.
In far North Eastern Arnhem Land, Magnolia Maminydjama Maymuru is also preparing for the pageant, honing her catwalk skills.
The 19-year old traditional Yolngu girl from the remote community of Yirrkala is the first Aboriginal finalist.
She'll be representing the Northern Territory and she stated "I'm excited but I'm also very nervous. I'm hoping that I make the most out of it so my people can watch it and give them something to be proud of."
Two years ago she knocked back a modelling offer to finish school.
Her studies complete, she now organises photo shoots around her full time job as a sports and recreation officer in her local community.
The director of Miss World Australia, Deborah Miller, is delighted to have the young woman on board.
"She's an elegant, beautiful, classy young girl. Someone who hunts and someone who fishes. It's so exciting. And we just hope that Magnolia will just help bring other girls from these communities through." Deborah said.
One of Miss World Australia's key aims is to create role models who will contribute to the advancement of women, and positively affect their communities.
Doctor Lauren Rosewarne is a senior lecturer at the School of Social and Political Sciences at Melbourne University.
She says contestants may be able to use their celebrity to raise awareness of charities and underrepresented groups in the community, but to a limited degree.
The woman crowned at next week's final (Friday 22nd July) will represent Australia against over 120 other countries at the annual Miss World final in Washington D-C in December.
