Australia's best butts get dusty at Julia Creek

The annual event has a weekend packed with features including an outback adventure run, horse races, pro rodeo and the infamous best butt competition.

Australia's Best Butt Competition was established when a power outage occurred during a live Mental As Anything set at the Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival. Someone grabbed a torch and started a dance competition, which founded the inaugural best butt competition.

The North Queensland Register had a chat to former professional cricketer, television presenter and 2019 Australia's Best Butt winner Lee Carseldine to decipher what makes Australia's Best Butt.

"I went to Julia Creek to cover the Dirt and Dust Festival for Channel 7 and filmed the whole event. I had no idea the best butt competition was on and the event organiser encouraged me to take part, for TV purposes," Mr Carseldine said.

"I got up and had a bit of a dance and got through to the finals. In the final I got up again and put on a bit of a show for the cameras, but the thing that I think won it for me was my pants split mid-routine, thankfully I was wearing underpants.

"I heard the crowd cheer hard and I thought I was doing alright, unbeknown to me there was the biggest split in my pants and I think that got me across the line in the end."

The competition rules state all contestants are required to remain fully clothed during the competition and put all of their efforts into their "tush dancing, crowd-pleasing antics".

Mr Carseldine said his highly acclaimed title was ranked alongside some of his biggest achievements.

"I ranked it up there with the birth of my children, scoring my first 100 for Queensland... but in all honesty I was a bit embarrassed," he said.

"I didn't know what had just happened. In the space of half an hour I had gone from presenting on a TV show to being crowned Australia's Best Butt.

"It was so much fun, there were people coming up to the stage from the crowd thinking they had the county's best butt and shaking it in front of hundreds if not thousands of people."

It has been five years since Mr Carseldine claimed his Julia Creek fame. When asked if he would return to reclaim his title he said, it better be soon.

"Because I am getting older, the butt is sagging a little bit and gravity is taking its toll," he said.

"A bit like when I competed in Survivor, I went back for Survivor All Stars. So maybe there could be a Best Butt All Stars or super final competition, because a lot of butts can change over the years, some get harder some get softer, some get bigger and some get smaller.

"They could bring back all the winners from the last 10 years for the ultimate showdown."

All joking aside, Mr Carseldine said Julia Creek Dirt n Dust was a unique experience that everyone should take part in.

"Every event at Dirt n Dust is very different, you've got the adventure run, you've got the rodeo which has professional athletes, there is musical talent, then you can get dressed up for the races and the best butt competition was a great way to finish off a great event.

"There is something for everyone, each event is so different and that's what makes these country events so unique."

Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival is April 19-20 and tickets are available at https://dirtndust.com/tickets/