Kyle Sandilands: The Maverick. "I'm nowhere as scary as people think I am."

Rove: The Entertainer. One of Australia's most powerful media players.

Megan Gale: The Bombshell. She walked away from modelling while still on top and is looking forward to next year and what it brings.

Hugh Jackman: The Export. He's seen his star rise in Hollywood, yet is most happy when he's in his hometown of Sydney.

Andrew Upton and Cate Blanchett: The Power Couple. This year they took over the joint role of revitalising the ailing Sydney Theatre Company as artistic directors.

The Veronicas: The ARIA-winning Double Act. On the verge of cracking the US, the girls conceded it's their private lives that have dominated the headlines this year.

Roberta Williams: Australia's most famous underworld wife.

Hamish & Andy: The Pranksters. Producing comedy as appealing to a granny as to a teenager has seen them win the best on-air-team at this year's Australian Commercial Radio Awards.

Stephanie Rice: The Olympian. She became Australia's golden girl.

Jodhi Meares: The No Show. Her absence at the live finale of Australia's Next Top Model had everyone talking about her.

Simon Baker: The Comeback. After a successful stint on The Guardian it seemed his leading-man stardom had peaked. But not so - he's coming back with the hit crime-drama The Mentalist.

Corey Worthington: The 15 Minutes of Fame. Thanks to a party gone wrong, Corey turned into both a teen idol and community whipping boy.

David Wilson: The Survivor. In a kayaking accident, he broke his own leg to escape from being pinned under a fallen log in Victoria's remote West Kiewa River rapids.

Miranda Kerr: The Supermodel. The angel of David Jones, Victoria's Secret and Hollywood hunk Orlando Bloom.

Sonny Bill Williams: The Disappearing Act. It saw him go from adored hero to arch-villain.

Dannii Minogue: The Minogue. She has long been bridesmaid to Kylie's mega-stardom, but had a brilliant year on The X-Factor and Australia's Got Talent.

Lauren Huxley: The Inspiration. After a ferocious and random attack in November 2005, she fought her way back to health.

Belinda Neal: The Politician. Her shameless resoluteness in the face of dire odds intrigued us more than Rudd's workaholic drive and Turnbull's crusade to rule.

The Presets: The Band. The first electro group to win an ARIA award for Album of the Year.

Bill Henson: The Artist. His photographs of pubescent children au naturel had the media, politicians and legal system debating if it was pornography or art.

Sophie Monk: The Starlet. After a break-up with her fiance, Good Charlotte's Benji Madden, she found movie and TV fame along with new undies.

PLUS, we celebrate Everyday Heroes who don't see themselves as special but have faced crisis and heartache; Farmer John Harper: The Community Crusader who uses activities such as tai chi to fight depression and bring together farmers dealing with drought and isolation; Gauci Kids: The Family who became orphaned but remained determined to stay together; Mahboba Rawi: The Kids' Campaigner for the children of Afghanistan; Brook Matthew Curtis: The Mate who dived in to save his best friend from a shark attack and Noah Opis: The Toddler whose call to 000 saved the life of his epileptic mum following a fit.

PLUS, a five-page Christmas Gift Guide with a swag of lovely little luxuries for the glamour girl, domestic goddess, man about town and the kids to amp up your Christmas cheer!