Maminydjama Maymuru is set to make history this year when she becomes the first Aboriginal women to represent the Northern Territory at Miss World Australia.

The 19-year-old Yolgnu woman who's going by her new model-name, 'Magnolia', hails from the remote community of Yirrkala in east Arnhem Land. She was spotted by Mehali Tsangaris, (director of NT Fashion Week) two years ago in Darwin - but, focussed on her studies then, it wasn't until Tsangaris saw her out shopping again last year that he was able to convince her to give modelling a try.

New frontiers: Magnolia Maymuru. Credit:Facebook/Magnolia Maymaru

"First and foremost there was her height. That's obviously model material. She also has this elegance about her," Tsangaris told the ABC. But Maymaru's traditional roots and her story, being from a remote, bilingual community and growing up surrounded by family members who are traditional artists, brings something else to the table. Something that Tsangaris says, sadly, hasn't really been seen on Australian fashion runways.

"I'm quite surprised that nobody's worked with girls from community and girls as culturally sound as her. I think Australia needs to see girls like Magnolia," he said.