Miss Universe Australia is a national beauty pageant that selects Australia's representative to the Miss Universe.

Miss Universe Australia Organization
Formation1952; 72 years ago (1952)
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersPerth
Location
Membership
Official language
English
Director
Troy Barbagallo
Websitemissuniverseaustralia.com

Organization

Miss Universe is a registered trademark owned by the Miss Universe Organization. It was owned by Donald Trump and NBC from 1996. In 2015, after Trump made statements about illegal aliens from Mexico in his presidential campaign kickoff speech, NBC ended its business relationship with Trump and stated that they will no longer air the pageant, or the Miss USA pageant, on their networks.[1]

Since 1992, Jim Davie, a distributor of swimwear and athletic wear, has also been managing the Miss Australia Awards.[2] In 2002, Davie obtained the licence from the Miss Universe Organisation to select Miss Universe Australia to represent Australia at international Miss Universe pageants.[3] The new national director of the Miss Universe Australia Organisation is Troy Barbagallo of Pink Tank Events. Pink Tank have managed the Miss Universe Western Australia pageant since 2009 and was rewarded for their best in world platform with the national job in February 2016. Barbagallo is also a director of Barbagallo Group, luxury motor vehicle group and The Horologist, a leading luxury watch dealer. Barbagallo founded Box Magazine in 2003.

Miss Universe Australia is held each year to select a young woman to represent Australia at the international Miss Universe pageant. Contestants to the national pageant come from each of the States and Territories of Australia. In 2016 there are over 220 participants in the national pageant of which 30 are competing in the National Final.

History

The international Miss Universe pageants started in 1952. Until 2000, while the Miss Australia Awards were held, the winners of the Miss Australia pageant would normally represent Australia at international Miss Universe pageants, but Australia did not have a representative in each year's event.

In 1952 Leah MacCartney was the first Miss Universe Australia. She was Miss Victoria and later elected as Miss Universe Australia 1952 on 16 June 1952 in Melbourne.

In 1958 the independent pageant selected Miss Universe Australia. Miss Universe Australia partnered to Australian Photographic Agency (APA).

In 1964 and 1965 Miss Universe Australia selected by Agency casting in Melbourne.

Between 1968 and 1976 the winners of Quest of Quests Dream Girl Australia represented Australia at Miss Universe.

Between 1977 and 1990 the winners of Miss Australia Beauty or Miss Universe Australia by TVW Enterprises represented Australia at Miss Universe.

There was no Australian entrant to the Miss Universe pageant in 1991 and 2001. In 2002 through 2004, the Australian representative to the Miss Universe pageant was chosen by a national pageant held in Sydney, organised by Adpro Management Group.

The national Miss Universe Australia pageant came under new management in 2005. Of the 307 who participated at the state level, 24 made it to the national pageant, and Michelle Guy became Miss Universe Australia 2005.[2]

There have been two Miss Universe title holders representing Australia: Kerry Anne Wells in 1972 and Jennifer Hawkins in 2004. Welles entered the Miss Universe pageant as Miss Australia; Hawkins was chosen Miss Universe Australia and went on to win the Miss Universe title in Quito.

New owner

In February 2016, was announced that the new director of Miss Universe Australia is Troy Barbagallo, appointed by IMG.[4]

The Road to Miss Universe Australia

The Road to Miss Universe Australia is a television special that is broadcast on Channel 9 & 9Life. It is produced by Mathew Knight Media in partnership with Pink Tank Events.

International crowns

Gallery of winners

Titleholders

Year State Miss Universe Australia Placement at Miss Universe Special Awards
2024 TBA
2023   Victoria Moraya Wilson 2nd Runner-up
2022   New South Wales Monique Riley Top 16
2021   Victoria Daria Varlamova Unplaced
2020   Victoria Maria Thattil Top 10
2019   Victoria Priya Serrao Unplaced
2018   New South Wales Francesca Hung Top 20
2017   South Australia Olivia Rogers Unplaced
2016   Western Australia Caris Tiivel Unplaced
2015   New South Wales Monika Radulovic Top 5
2014   New South Wales Tegan Martin Top 10
2013   Victoria Olivia Wells Unplaced
2012   Western Australia Renae Ayris 3rd Runner-up
2011   Western Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs Top 10
2010   Queensland Jesinta Campbell 2nd Runner-up
  • Miss Congeniality
2009   Queensland Rachael Finch[5] 3rd Runner-up
2008   New South Wales Laura Dundovic[6] Top 10
2007   Queensland Kimberley Busteed[7] Unplaced
2006   Australian Capital T. Erin McNaught[8] Unplaced
2005   Western Australia Michelle Guy[9] Unplaced
2004   New South Wales Jennifer Hawkins[10] Miss Universe 2004
2003   New South Wales Ashlea Talbot Unplaced
2002   Queensland Sarah Davies Unplaced
2001 Did not compete
2000   New South Wales Samantha Frost Unplaced
1999   New South Wales Michelle Shead Unplaced
1998   Victoria Renee Henderson Unplaced
1997   New South Wales Laura Csortan Unplaced
  • Miss Congeniality
1996   New South Wales Jodie McMullen Unplaced
  • Miss Congeniality
1995   New South Wales Jacqueline Shooter Unplaced
1994   Queensland Michelle van Eimeren Unplaced
1993   Queensland Voni Delfos Top 6
1992   Queensland Georgina Denahy Top 10
1991 Did not compete
1990   New South Wales Charmaine Ware Unplaced
1989   New South Wales Karen Wenden Unplaced
  • Miss Photogenic
1988   New South Wales Vanessa Lynn Gibson Unplaced
1987   New South Wales Jennine Leonarder Unplaced
1986   New South Wales Christina Bucat Unplaced
1985   Queensland Elizabeth Bowly Unplaced
1984   Victoria Donna Rudrum Unplaced
1983   New South Wales Simone Cox Unplaced
1982   Western Australia Lou-Anne Ronchi Unplaced
1981   New South Wales Karen Sang Unplaced
1980   Victoria Katrina Rose Unplaced
1979   Western Australia Kerry Dunderdale Unplaced
1978   Victoria Beverley Pinder Unplaced
1977   Victoria Jill Maree Minahan Unplaced
1976   New South Wales Julie Anne Ismay 4th Runner-up
1975   New South Wales Jennifer Matthews Unplaced
1974   Victoria Yasmin May Nagy Top 12
1973   Queensland Susan Mainwaring Unplaced
1972   Western Australia Kerry Anne Wells Miss Universe 1972
1971   New South Wales Suzanne Rayward 1st Runner-up
1970   New South Wales Joan Lydia Zealand 2nd Runner-up
1969   New South Wales Joanne Barret 2nd Runner-up
1968   New South Wales Lauren Jones Unplaced
Did not compete between 1966—1967
1965   Victoria Pauline Verey Top 15
1964   Victoria Ria Lubyen Unplaced
Did not compete between 1959—1963
1958   South Australia Astrid Lindholm Unplaced
Did not compete between 1955—1957
1954   New South Wales Shirley Bliss Unplaced
1953   New South Wales Maxine Morgan 4th Runner-up
1952   Victoria Leah McCartney Unplaced

State rankings

State Title Year
New South Wales 27 1953, 1954, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022
Victoria 14 1952, 1964, 1965, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1998, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023
Queensland 9 1973, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2010
Western Australia 6 1972, 1979, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2016
South Australia 3 1958, 1982, 2017
Capital Territory 1 2006

See also

References

  1. ^ Stanhope, Kate (29 June 2015). "NBC Cuts Ties With Donald Trump die "Derogatory Statements," Pulls Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b The age, 25 May 2005: Beauty quests looking more attractive
  3. ^ The Age, 9 June 2006: Who's a pretty girl, then?
  4. ^ Clarke, Jenna (10 February 2016). "Miss Universe Australia announces new boss Perth businessman Troy Barbagallo". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. ^ "Townsville model Rachael Finch crowned Miss Universe Australia". Townsville Bulletin. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  6. ^ "Meet Miss Universe Australia, Laura Dundovic". The Daily Telegraph. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  7. ^ "Beauty stunned by win". Sunday Herald Sun. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  8. ^ "Meet the new Miss Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 June 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  9. ^ "WA woman to represent Australia for Miss Universe". ABC News. 2 April 2005. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  10. ^ "Miss Australia, Crowned Miss Universe(R) 2004 During Live NBC Telecast On June 1". PR Newswire. 2 June 2004. Retrieved 13 February 2011.

Sources

"Aussie top three in Miss Universe". BigPond News. 25 August 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2011.

External links