Crown just start for Haley

Haley Cobb shed tears when she was crowned Ms Galaxy Australia - but that’s not the Narangba resident’s biggest reward.

Nor is flying to the Bahamas to represent Australia on the world stage at the International Galaxy Pageants on August 4-9.

The 28-year-old says it’s using the Galaxy Pageant system to lend her voice and energy to “incredible initiatives … right out of the gate”.

​"When they called my name as the winner, it was a moment of pure, overwhelming shock and gratitude,” said Haley, a former Miss Australia International and Miss Charity Australia.

“A lot of tears were shed. All the hard work and consistency finally paid off. Representing this incredible country is a dream come true.”

However, the heart of the Galaxy Pageant system is its heavy focus on contestants’ community involvement, leadership and personal development.

Since winning in Sydney, Haley has been Community Ambassador for the Moreton Bay Mother's Day Classic and a volunteer at the Memory Walk & Jog, supporting dementia research.

“I am so excited to use this platform to give back to the community and continue advocating for the causes closest to my heart," she said.

“Being able to lend my voice and energy to these incredible initiatives right out of the gate has been the most rewarding part of this journey so far.”

​During her time as Ms Galaxy Australia, the UniSC Moreton Bay graduate, who is now a financial controller with a Masters in teaching, will focus on two key areas.

​- Cancer Prevention Advocacy: Educating school-aged youth and the wider community on sun safety, healthy lifestyle choices and early awareness.

​- Local Community Service: Continuing her voluntary work and fundraising initiatives for organisations such as Batyr, youth mental health initiatives and local conservation.

“Pageant is about getting individuals out and about in the community, volunteering and fundraising,” Haley told the Moreton Daily in April.

“It’s about making sure the next generation of leaders is out there advocating for change.

“We have our own platform, mine is cancer prevention. I do things like going to schools and helping educate children about being preventative in a kid-friendly way.”

This year’s Australian pageant required every finalist to raise $2000 for Batyr, a charity dedicated to improving mental health among young people.

“I grew up with mental health issues,” Haley said. “I moved out of home just turned 17, left the family farm and went to university, which can be challenging.

“But Batyr guided me. It has young adults, those your own age, talking to you, rather than people like your mum or dad.

“It focuses on young adults or those who have been through similar situations, helping those from teenagers to university students make their way through mental health.”