24-year-old Australian beauty Melinda Heffernan smiles after being crowned as the Miss Earth Australia 2009 in the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, September 19, 2009. Twenty-four contestants from around the country took part in the competition. [Xinhua]

24-year-old Australian beauty Melinda Heffernan is crowned as the Miss Earth Australia 2009 in the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, September 19, 2009. [Xinhua]