Deng Adut saw tragedy and suffering at an age when most young Australians are learning to read and forging their first friendships in the schoolyard.

Taken from his family's banana farm in South Sudan at the age of six and conscripted into the army, Mr Adut witnessed child soldiers like him holding guns to their heads in despair.

The 33-year-old refugee's story is now well-known, thanks in large part to a Western Sydney University advertisement that has been viewed almost 2.5 million times.

It is about to be even better known. On Monday night Mr Adut was named NSW Australian of the Year for 2017 and is in the running to take out the national title on January 25.