"I do look forward to a time when these awards are made by an Australian head of state," she said this week, prior to her honour being made public.

"That would be quite an Australia Day."

The avowed republican was one of 11 people, including five women, who were made companions to the Order of Australia, the highest appointment in Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove's 2017 Australia Day honours list.

She also joined former prime minister Julia Gillard as an ex-head of government newly able to add the post-nominal letters, "AC", to her name.

"This award came as quite a surprise to me, but I'm very, very grateful to be a recipient and I'm very honoured to have had the chance to serve the people of Queensland in my role in government," Ms Bligh said.

Since losing government to the Campbell Newman-led Liberal National Party in 2012, Ms Bligh has moved interstate and signed on as chief executive of the YWCA NSW in Sydney.

But Queensland was never far from the former Labor premier's thoughts and she looked back to her time in the sunshine state with pride.

"The opportunity to be in government at any level in Australia is a remarkable opportunity to make a difference, to leave a legacy and to get things done," Ms Bligh said.

"And when I look back at the time that I had in government, first as a member of Peter Beattie's government and then leading a government in my own right, it's clear that there were many, many things put in place that are still making a difference today.

"Whether it was the prep (school) year, introduced into all Queensland primary schools, the introduction of fluoride, or the development of so much infrastructure, there is a great sense that I didn't waste a moment and it's a great honour to have it recognised in this way."

The honour bestowed upon Ms Bligh was not just for her time in government, but also for her role as an advocate for women and the not-for-profit sector.

Of that, Ms Bligh was particularly proud.

"I became a young adult through the late 1970s and early 1980s in Queensland," she said.

"It was a time when women were not able to enjoy a lot of the opportunities they now take for granted and should take for granted, a time when there were much, much higher levels of discrimination, prejudice and things that held women back.

"As a young woman, I felt that very keenly. I saw it around me, in my workplace, my university and in broader public life.

"I have been someone who has championed those causes, both in and out of government and in and out of the Parliament, all of my adult life, and now working at the YWCA where we provide services for women and children, particularly those escaping domestic violence.

"I do know there has been enormous progress, but there is still much, much work to be done."

Ms Bligh also watched with interest the ascension of Gladys Berejiklian to become premier of her adopted state and the questioning she received at her first media conference regarding her status as a childless, unmarried woman.

As Queensland's first female premier, Ms Bligh said while it was "good to see New South Wales finally catch up to Queensland and get its second woman premier",  the questions Ms Berejiklian faced on her first day in office showed the nation still had some way to go.

"I've seen enormous progress in my lifetime when it comes to the role of women in decision-making positions, leadership positions, public life and political life," she said.

"But when I hear that the new female premier of New South Wales is asked at her first press conference about her marital status and about the fact that she's child-free, it makes me realise just how much more work there is to be done before we can really say we've achieved true equality.

"Much has been achieved – there's much to be proud of – but there's so much work to be done when those questions are still being put to people in their first press conference."