Women are more likely than ever to succeed when they are nominated, but they remain no more likely to be nominated than a decade ago, according to historical data.

This year, 75 per cent of women nominated in the general division of the Order of Australia Award made the Honours List, compared with 72 per cent of women nominated in the five years to 2016 and 59 per cent in the five years to 2006.

By contrast, women made up just 29 per cent of Order of Australia nominees in the past five years – slightly lower than the 31 per cent share they held from 2002 to 2006.

"The council is acutely aware of the under representation of women in the honours system and would very much like to see more nominations for, and from, women," a spokesperson for the Council of the Order of Australia said.

He said the council could only make award recommendations based on the nominations received and did not take gender into account when considering nominations.

This Australia Day, seven of the 31 categories had no female nominations.

Nominations for men outnumbered those for women in 20 of the remaining 24 categories. The exceptions were international relations (six women, four men), disabled (seven women, five men), media (two women, one man) and library and related occupations (one woman, no men).

Among categories with more than 10 nominees, women were worst represented in the law, (7 per cent women), parliament and politics (7 per cent) and federal public service (9 per cent).

However, when it came to awards, women in 14 out of the 24 categories enjoyed a success rate of 100 per cent, meaning every woman nominated won an award. Among categories with more than 10 nominations, the lowest success rates for women were in multicultural affairs (55 per cent), sport (60 per cent) and community (67 per cent).

Three women were appointed Companions of the Order of Australia this year, the highest award in the Australian Honours system: NSW chief scientist and engineer Mary O'Kane and philanthropists Maria Myers and Susan Alberti.

Among those appointed Officers of the Order of Australia, the second-highest award, were biochemist Marilyn Anderson, indigenous photographer and filmmaker Tracey Moffatt and Pulitzer-prize winning author and journalist Geraldine Brooks.

Pop star Filippina Lydia Arena, better known as Tina Arena, was among the women appointed Members of the Order of Australia.

This year, 245 women and 571 men were nominated for an Order of Australia award, of which 604 were successful.

The general division of the Order of Australia recognised "the quiet achievers" who provided outstanding community service, according to the chairman of the Council of the Order of Australia Angus Houston.

"They are people who serve the community, but do not seek accolades," he said.

Governor-General Peter Cosgrove praised the compassion, generosity and ambition of all the award winners.

"We are a stronger, safer and more caring nation because of them," he said.