By Justin Flynn
Disappointment has turned into elation for Geelong’s Amber Sidney, who is off to Bali in October to compete as Miss Australia in the Miss Grand International contest.
Amber, 26, was a finalist at the Miss Universe Australia competition in May, but didn’t win the event.
The Bully Zero Australia ambassador instead gained a wildcard entry to the Miss Grand Australia competition and won, meaning she gets to compete as Miss Universe Australia.
“I’m a bit shocked and very excited,” Amber said.
“What kept me going is that one door closes and another one opens.
“When I got a wildcard I was excited and wanted to give it my all.
“A lot of the pageant is about the charity work and they were quite impressed that I raised a lot of funds and awareness in such a short space of time.”
Raise funds she did. The contestants raised $54,256 for Destiny Rescue, which attempts to end child sexual exploitation and slavery.
Amber raised almost half that by herself, including $24,024 from a cruise that she organised.
The Miss Grand International will be held in Indonesia in October, which Amber said would be “very full on and a lot of pressure”.
One of last year’s live streams received almost nine million views. The competition has 80 contestants.
Until then Amber plans to travel to the Philippines to continue her charity work and go to Indonesia to meet up with designers to get her outfits made for the big event.
