If you're looking for a top class cricketer for your family's backyard comp, a man who knows how to poach an egg or somebody who isn't afraid to drive nine hours to catch up with mates, then this could be your guy.
Mitchell's Joe Allen, 34, gave his parents quite the surprise when they saw his name in the Queensland Country Life as one of 10 finalists in the Bush Bachelor and Bachelorette Competition.
"I think I was down towards the bottom and Mum was reading through and said, that's Joe," he said.
"I had gone to bed early because I was wrecked and had forgotten to tell them. They were shocked and stoked. Mum has been on the phone to everybody...she is on the hard sell."
You can bet his parents along with aunts, uncles and friends will be at Bell Races on January 6 when the winners, as voted by readers, will be announced.
While Joe has been working at his family's 25,000 acre cattle operation Albany Downs for two years now, he took an interesting pathway to get back to home.
After being a "pretty handy" cricketer in school, he moved to England for two years to play.
He returned to Australia to complete a carpentry apprenticeship in the south east corner, which saw him even fitting MRI rooms.
"It's a niche market and when you shut the door there is no phone reception in there," he said.
He spent some time working in Brisbane and Roma but always spent holidays helping out his parents on the property.
Now he is back on the land full-time and back on the market.
His ideal date will get plenty of country girls' hearts racing.
Expect a few drinks around a waterhole as the sun goes down, a little fire going to cook steaks on, swag under the stars and a little bit of Morgan playing in the background. There will also be some citronella candles lit to keep the mozzies away, but Joe will tell you they are all for the mood.
"I'm obviously from the land but I like fancy things," he said.
"...you want to make it out of the ordinary as opposed to going out the pub or going out, you can do that any night."
He is looking for a lady who is bubbly, funny and family orientated. She can't be afraid to get her hands dirty but get dressed up for the races too.
He also hopes she enjoys cooking as he doesn't mind trading a steak and making salmon and couscous or poaching an egg for breakfast.
After not having success making it on Farmer Wants a Wife, Joe thought he would "throw his hat in the ring" for the Bush Bachelor Competition instead.
"It's so hard with rural life trying to meet people," he said.
"If they are not at the pub at the same time, you don't get to see them and you might never meet and they could be technically next door.
"It's the perfect time for me to meet someone; I think I'm ready. I've been by myself for a while and I'm getting a bit long in the tooth."
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
