Some of the winners of the mullet competition, including George Williams with his dad Jeremy, Tate Dhnaram with his dad Matt, and Dylan Wilkinson with his son Winston. Photo by Ashleigh Howarth.
BY ASHLEIGH HOWARTH
A bold display of mullets turned heads in Birkdale recently as locals united to raise funds for mental health at the inaugural Redlands Ultimate Mullet Competition.
More than 100 people converged on Craft Brew House in Birkdale on April 19 for the event, which was held in conjunction with Clippy T’s Barber Shop.
The event raised $1,500, with the total doubled to $3,000 thanks to the support of Safety Mate, a key corporate partner of the Black Dog Institute, which matches donations to amplify fundraising efforts.
All money raised will fund crucial suicide prevention research and support the one in five Australians who experience mental illness each year.
Event organisers Tracy Robson and Shella Thornton said they were overwhelmed by the turnout.
“The atmosphere was fantastic – it was rewarding to see so many people come together for such an important cause,” Tracy said.
“It really shows what can happen when a community gets behind something positive.”
Given the success of the day, Shella is considering making it an annual fundraiser.
“I think this is just the beginning – we can definitely go bigger and better next year,” she said.
Dylan Wilkinson won the Best Classic category, while a gentleman named Ray claimed the title for Wildest Mullet.
A number of youngsters also made quite the impression, with three-year-old Tate Dhnaram winning the Junior Mullet category and two-year-old George Williams taking out the People’s Choice Award.
A special prize was also awarded to Holly Bamber, who was the only female entrant.
Dylan said he was surprised to win, revealing he only entered at the request of his son.
“My little boy Winston didn’t want to go up on stage without me, so I made a deal that I would go up there as well,” he said.
“It paid off for both of us because he was named the runner up in the junior category, which he was pretty chuffed about.”
A long-time fan of the iconic hairstyle, Dylan said the mullet was part of his identity.
“It’s the best of both worlds – business in the front and party in the back.”
