Rebecca's universal appeal

COOLANGATTA beauty Rebecca Ronald will represent Queensland in the Miss Universe Australia national finals.

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty was one of five girls selected at the Queensland state finals at Sanctuary Cove yesterday.

Miss Ronald, along with Melissa Jelly, Brooke Nash, Leah Sreney and Danielle Voller, is one step closer to the ultimate crown at the international Miss Universe pageant in Brazil.

The gruelling competition was nothing new to the entrants, featuring the standard three rounds: swimwear, evening wear and personality questions, but the 19-year-old said it passed in a blur.

“It feels really good, I'm so happy and now the reality is sinking in that I'm through to the national finals,” Miss Ronald said.

“The whole day I was super at peace with everything.

“I was excited, but I hadn't even thought about the question and answer part, and when we all walked out to be told I really wasn't expecting to get my name called out, I was just having fun with all the other girls and mucking around.”

Miss Universe Australia national director Deborah Miller was ecstatic as she told the Daily News the names of the lucky five winners.

“Your girl Rebecca, she got through. She did it, she won the round,” she said, short of breath.

“She's just gotten off stage and she can't stop smiling, there's cameras everywhere.”

Ms Miller said the Queensland finalists were all stunning.

“We got quite a few really good entries this year,” Ms Miller said.

“The girls were very excited about this round, especially as we themed it High Tea.”

Ms Miller said the pageant was looking to move preliminary castings into the Tweed shire.

“It's a lovely area down there with some beautiful girls and we're really looking to get some preliminaries through there next year,” she said. “It's an area we haven't tapped into yet so it's definitely something we'll be exploring soon.”

Miss Ronald got her break at a Billabong casting in Burleigh Heads and landed a modelling contract with the surf wear giant in 2009 at the tender age of 17.

She will compete for the title of Miss Universe Australia at the National Final Crowning Ceremony at the Sofitel Melbourne on July 7.