Queensland's most eligible bush bachelor and bachelorette have been revealed.
After what felt like a decade hiatus, Queensland Country Life's Bush Bachelor and Bachelorette Competition made a welcome return with the winners and runner-ups officially announced during the centenary Bell Races on Saturday afternoon.
Brigalow's Darby Bourke, 27, was named the bachelor winner ahead of runner-up, 26-year-old contractor Nick Henderson from Roma.
Darby, who is also a rural contractor, had dabbled in rodeo clowning but his main hobbies included playing rugby for the Chinchilla River Rats, campdrafting, and having a good time.
Fellow Brigalow local Ella Dalgliesh, 25, was named the bachelorette winner with 24-year-old nurse Liesl Fretwell, from Quilpie, the runner-up.
Ella had just finished her first year of university, studying oral health therapy at Rockhampton, but was raised on a cropping operation as the only girl with three older brothers.
Speaking to Queensland Country Life late last year, Ella said she and Darby were mates and were taking their campaigning very seriously.
"We shared it both to our personal pages and it's been really positive," she said at the time.
"I made shirts so we can campaign beforehand."
The Bush Bachelor and Bachelorette Competition winners each received a QCL merch pack valued at more than $200, $600 in cash, drink tickets to celebrate their win and a $180 commemorative bell from the Roma Saddlery.
Each of the runners-up received $125 in cash and drink tickets too.
More than 80 singles, aged 18 to 35 years, were nominated for the competition and narrowed down to 10 top men and women.
When counting closed at midnight on Wednesday, more than 5200 individual votes had been received from across Australia and even as far as America.
- Queensland Country Life sincerely thanks the Bell Race committee for their support and help in bringing this competition back to life.
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.
