Bindi Irwin - Voted Best

Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards

By Michael Gadd

October 10, 2007 10:20pm  Article from: AAP

BINDI Irwin has been voted the most popular Australian of the past year by her peers - not actors, singers, TV presenters or even wildlife workers, but other kids.

Australia's most famous nine-year-old was presented the top award for fave Aussie at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, the ceremony famed for the green goo often dumped on celebrities who brave the stage.

Bindi has become a worldwide icon with her Kid Fitness DVD, Bindi The Jungle Girl TV show, her role as an official Australian tourism ambassador and appearances on leading US talk shows after the sudden death of her father Steve Irwin last year.

Video: on the orange carpet at the Nickelodeon Awards

She also took out another of the night's most significant awards, Biggest Greenie, for carrying on the conservation and animal welfare work of her famous dad with help from her mother Terri Irwin.

While kids lined the orange carpet outside the Sydney Entertainment Centre during the morning, Bindi completed her rehearsals before leaving the complex with her mother and manager and family friend John Stainton, bound for an educational trip to the Sydney Museum.

The orange carpet was packed with celebrities, including award winners and the night's co-hosts, High School Musical star Zac Efron and bubblegum rock group The Veronicas.

Los Angeles-based Efron, who plans to holiday in Australia after the awards, won fave movie star, while High School Musical 2 won the So Hot Right Now category.

US-based Brisbane act The Veronicas, made up of twins Jess and Lisa Origliasso, also performed and were the favourite band, according to Australian kids.

Lisa's boyfriend Dean Geyer, a former Australian Idol contestant who has moved into acting, was voted the "fave hottie".

Although his 8.30pm talk show's timeslot may be past many voters' bedtimes, Rove McManus was named fave male TV star. Big Brother's Friday Night Live host Bree Amer won the female equivalent.

More reality show alumni, Ricki-Lee Coulter and Shannon Noll, who both appeared on past series of Australian Idol, won the "blimp" statues for male and female singer.

There was no sitting back and trying to look cool for the cameras as at other awards. At the Kids' Choice Awards, fans screamed relentlessly and stars were subjected a process called "sliming" regardless of their level of fame.

This year's victims included The Veronicas and the usually prim and proper Delta Goodrem.

The Australian Kids' Choice Awards are decided on online voting by Nickelodeon viewers, with the pay TV station claiming more than one million votes cast across 18 categories