| Formation | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Type | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters | Perth |
| Location | |
Membership | |
Official language | English |
Director | Troy Barbagallo |
| Website | missuniverseaustralia.com |
Miss Universe Australia is a national beauty pageant that selects Australia's representative to the Miss Universe.
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.
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.
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 is a television special that is broadcast on Channel 9 & 9Life. It is produced by Mathew Knight Media in partnership with Pink Tank Events.
| 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 |
|
| 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 |
|
| 1996 | New South Wales | Jodie McMullen | Unplaced |
|
| 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 |
|
| 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 | 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 |
Miss Universe is an annual international major beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand-based Miss Universe Organization. Along with Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth, it is one of the Big Four beauty pageants.
Miss India or Femina Miss India is a national beauty pageant in India that annually selects representatives to compete in Miss World, one of the Big Four major international beauty pageants. It is organised by Femina, a women's magazine published by The Times Group.
Jennifer Hawkins is an Australian TV host, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 2004, She previously been crowned Miss Universe Australia 2004. She was the host of Australia's Next Top Model, and was brand ambassador for Lovable Intimates, Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling and Range Rover, and formerly the face of Australian department store Myer.
Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, when the organization announced it was licensing operation of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants to Crystle Stewart, Miss USA for 2008 prior to her suspension in October 2022, thus returning the said pageants to the Miss Universe Organization.
Miss Australia was the title for the winner of the Miss Australia Quest or the Miss Australia Awards, which ran from 1954 until 2000, when the last Miss Australia was named. From 2002, the Miss World Australia contest has been held, and the Miss Universe Australia contest has been held since 2004.
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American actress, model, tv host and beauty pageant titleholder. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America, where she won a preliminary award. She placed as first runner-up at the Miss Universe 2004 competition.
The Miss Universe Canada or "The Beauties of Canada" is a national beauty pageant in Canada, which sends its winners to the Miss Universe pageant.
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. It is directed by Vanbros and Associates, based in Lenexa, Kansas. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system.
Miss Universe 2005 was the 54th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Impact Arena in Nonthaburi Province, Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand on 31 May 2005.
The Miss Universe Singapore is a beauty pageant and organization that selects the Singapore official representative to the Miss Universe pageant. The reigning Miss Universe Singapore is Priyanka Annuncia, who was crowned on 16 September 2023.
Miss Universe 2004 was the 53rd Miss Universe pageant, held at the Centro de Convenciones CEMEXPO in Quito, Ecuador on 1 June 2004.
Miss Universe 2008 was the 57th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Crown Convention Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam on July 14, 2008. This was the first time that the Miss Universe pageant was broadcast in 1080i High-definition.
Morakot Aimee Kittisara later Morakot Sangtaweep is a Thai-English actress, model, TV host and beauty pageant titleholder who won the Miss Thailand Universe 2004. She was born and raised in London, England. She attended Plashet School and Valentines Sixth Form in London before graduating from Brunel University.
Miss Universe 1953 was the second Miss Universe pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States on 17 July 1953.
Miss Universe 1952 was the first Miss Universe pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States on 28 June 1952.
Laura Dundovic is an Australian actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Australia 2008 and represented Australia in the Miss Universe 2008 competition, in which she placed in the top 10. She also took part in the Australian version of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
Miss USA 1953 was the 2nd Miss USA pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California on July 16, 1953.
Renae Ayris is an Australian dancer, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Australia 2012 and placed 3rd Runner-Up at the Miss Universe 2012 pageant. In 2014 she appeared in the starring role of Shannon Noll's music video for his single We Only Live Once
Gabriela Markus is a Brazilian engineer, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Brazil 2012. She represented Brazil in Miss Universe 2012 finishing as 4th Runner-Up. .
The Big Four or the Big League Pageants refers to the four major international beauty pageants for women — Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth.
"Aussie top three in Miss Universe". BigPond News . 25 August 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2011.