SummerNATS heat winner takes out top prize at Mulletfest grand final

For something billed as the Mother Energy Mulletfest Grand Final 2025, the event certainly had B.D.E …..Big Donation Energy (shame on you, what did you think we meant?). The annual pilgrimage of winning Mullets from all over the country landed back in its spiritual home this year, The Chelmsford Hotel, Kurr Kurri.

When the event began 8 years ago, Laura Johnson, founder of Mulletfest, owned the pub. Thankfully, the new owners, Jason and Mel, embrace the event with open arms. Over 70 entrants arrived to compete for the title, arriving from as far away as South Australia, Cairns, Perth and Melbourne, to strut their stuff across the Grand Final stage. As always, the judges had some tough decisions to make, and the Everyday category was so close that we had a joint winner.

Daniel Cooper was a joint winner of the Everyday category and took out Best Mullet of them all on Saturday night at the Chelly. Daniel first joined the Mulletfest family two years ago when he took out the top prize at the SummerNats heat in Canberra. He had competed since 2019. He was a category winner in the 2024 Grand Final and was thrilled to take out the top honours this year.

His wife Colleen and their gorgeous young family embrace the fun of the event. Daniel always considered himself quite shy, but he has made lifelong friends because one day he took a punt and was brave enough to take the stage.  

There were laughs, costumes and props….. Leaf Blowers and Mullets go together like Batman and Robin. There was Bogan Games thanks to the crew at Mother Energy, including Beer Pong, Thong Tossing and Straight Arm Challenge. Our favourite part of the Grand Final is getting a chance to hear everyone’s stories…and everyone has one. To see returning contestants greet each other like old friends and watch first-timers become part of the extended Mulletfest family.

As much as we love to hear their stories, our founder, Laura Johnson, often glosses over her own family's story. For anyone who knows her personally, she is an incredibly hard worker, a loyal and ever-present friend and the person you go to for advice. Laura and Husband JJ run busy trucking, share five kids, and 6 grand kids. Laura is a qualified hairdresser and teaches at the gym and runs the successful Hebburn Motorsport Park, and in her “spare” time, she runs Mulletfest for free to raise money for a cause she believes in, The Mark Hughes Foundation. This year alone, Mulletfest ran 16 heats plus last night's Grand Final.

With all that going on, no year is ever quiet, but this year was particularly tough. In March, her beloved Dad and pillar of the Hunter community, Russell Hawkins, was diagnosed with an aggressive pancreatic cancer, and 16 weeks later, in July, he passed away. It left an irreparable hole in the family, and his calm nature and salient advice have been sorely missed.

Less than 3 months later, 22-year-old son, Jay, who had just blessed the family with a brand new grandson, was in an accident which left him with massive internal injury, broken bones and a long recovery. The morning of the Grand Final, after close to 10 weeks in hospital, he took some of his first steps since the accident. Only several hours later, he had to head back to the John Hunter by ambulance with a blood clot in his leg. In that same time period, they have lost friends and family members, dealt with life-changing illness, and car accidents. A combined load that would break most people.

For those of us who knew all that was going on in the background, watching Laura, microphone in hand, take the stage and give these amazing, funny, generous, mostly male contestants a chance to shine and tell their stories was a sign of not only her strength but her generosity of spirit and love for her community.

Recent statistics point to the fact that one in seven men can’t name a close friend, and one in four can’t name their best friend. Isolation, not weakness, is the real threat to mental health, and men statistically are less likely to reach out. They say that an 8-minute chat with a friend can make all the difference when someone is struggling.  A full day of laughs, fist bumps and real conversations at Mulletfest might just change someone’s life. All because of a crazy idea Laura and her friends had 8 years ago, sitting at the pub. What a legacy.

We are thankful for our generous patrons who contributed to our donation to the Mark Hughes Foundation, which provides invaluable support to families confronting a Brain Cancer diagnosis while at the same time searching for new treatments and, hopefully, someday, a cure.

Mulletfest first heat for 2026 will be at SummerNATS Canberra at Exhibition Park. Mulletfest will take the main stage during the day, and at night the space will be filled by The Living End, Peking Duk, Killing Heidi and The Screaming Jets. Tickets are on sale now.

Keep an eye on the Mulletfest Social channels for details of the pub-based Mulletfest heats for 2026.