Australia's cutest koala wins nationwide competition

An eight-month-old joey from the Gold Coast has been named Australia's cutest koala after a nationwide search.

Tallow, from the Paradise Country nature park, was crowned after Tourism Australia narrowed its search down to 13 finalists.

They accepted submissions from photographers and wildlife parks across Australia.

Paradise Country's Curator of Wildlife, Deana Jones, said Tallow's win was attributed to the park's successful koala breeding program.

"While we think all our koalas are cute, Tallow now has the title of officially being Australia's cutest joey, which is a pretty big deal in the koala world," Ms Jones told The Courier Mail.

She added that Tallow is the 50th joey born and raised at the park and her "adorable" personality has been starting to show since she began venturing out of her mother's pouch recently.

Tourism Australia also called the competition a huge success, showcasing local tourism operators, exposing them to millions of followers online and of course, allowing the public to enjoy all the candidates' cuteness.