On this day in 2012, Catherine McGregor was still living as a man.
She was preparing to be appointed to the Order of Australia. She was also preparing to take her own life.
On Monday, she will find out whether she is the 2016 Australian of the Year.
As the first transperson to ever be given such a platform in Australia, she's humbled, excited, and a little daunted.
But if she helps one person choose life over death, it will have been a very useful year.
"If I can make a difference to one LGBTIQ kid this year, or anyone who thinks that life is not worth living, that the struggle to be your authentic self is more painful or is too painful to live on, I hope that I'm a beacon of hope to those people," she told reporters at a finalists' luncheon in Canberra on Monday.
If she wins, Ms McGregor believes she will be obliged to speak out about marriage equality.
She also wants to inspire people to be their authentic self.
"The ultimate human tragedy, the ultimate waste of a human life, is to die without ever having been yourself."
The 2016 Australian of the Year will be announced in Canberra on Monday night and domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty hopes former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick succeeds her.
Ms Broderick says if she wins she'll focus on getting men involved in the fight against gender inequality.
"There's work that needs to happen right from the classroom right through to the corridors of power," she told reporters.
Former chief of army David Morrison believes he's a long shot.
But if he was to win, he'll be dedicating his time to gender equality and ensuring all Australians - regardless of gender, colour or creed - have the same opportunities.
"In the unlikely event that I was chosen, I would want to continue the work that's been done by that extraordinary Australian Rosie Batty," he said.
* For support and information about suicide prevention, call Lifeline on 13 11 14
