Meet the Melbourne queen repping in RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under Season 2

Whisperings about a second season of the Antipodean leg of RuPaul’s international reality drag competition series have been swirling for the better part of a year. Just recently, it was finally confirmed that RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under Season 2 will be dropping on Australian streaming service Stan from July 30, 2022. And now, we can finally spill the tea on which Aussie and Kiwi queens have been selected by Mama Ru herself to sashay onto our screens – and although the Sydney girls are out in force, we can reveal that Aubrey Haive is the one we have all our Melburnian hopes pinned on!

Melbourne-based New Zealand-hailing queen Aubrey Haive (@aubreyhaive) will take the solo weight of Victoria's hopes in the fabulous State of Origin that is Drag Race Down Under. Haive is a drag newbie and originally hails from Timaru, New Zealand. After dabbling during the pandemic, Haive has seen a meteoric rise in the local scene, now looking to make drag a full time job. And with this new announcement, that's surely a shoe in.

Meanwhile, from Sydney, we have a huge run of talent. Leading the cavalcade of entertainers is the nicest queen on the local scene, the bubbly Hannah Conda (@hannahcondaofficial). An award-winning entertainer and one of the most well-known stars of Oxford Street, Hannah co-founded Drag Storytime in 2016. It’s an initiative where Hannah and other queens read to young children while in drag, and helps to educate them about inclusion, acceptance and love.

Another Oxford Street regular on the cast is Faúx Fúr (@fauxfur_official), a regular face, and the loudest voice, on the Sydney drag scene for the last seven years. This queen is proud of her Asian heritage and uses her platform to uplift other Asian and POC queer performers.

A true matriarch of the local drag scene, 49-year-old Minnie Cooper (@theminniecooper) also joins the cast. You might have seen Minnie on the telly in 2016 when she was semi-finalist on Australia’s Got Talent, combining her drag and musical theatre talents.

Bringing the thunder from Western Sydney is Pomara Fifth (@pomara.fifth). Representing both First Nations and Māori queens, Pomara has performed all around NSW, and she’s a regular at Universal nightclub. 

Also repping NSW, pop a chill pill and get ready for Molly Poppinz (@mollypoppinzz). While she’s technically based in Newcastle, this versatile queen gets around in Sydney on the regular. She originally made a name for herself in Vancouver and was a fan favourite to be selected for Canada’s Drag Race, so we’re excited to see what she’s packin’ for Down Under. 

The cast of ten is rounded out with Brisbane’s Beverly Kills, Adelaide’s Kween Kong, and Kiwi sisters Spankie Jackzon and Yuri Guaii.

While the first series was received with mixed reviews, it was certainly a shot in the arm for the Down Under drag scene and boosted the careers of some lucky local queens. Our insiders also tell us that the producers on this new season really stepped things up. So expect a whole lot of delightful antics to watch at your local gay bar’s screenings – this is the queer community’s answer to the footy, after all. 

The brand new season of the eight-part Stan Original Series will premiere Saturday, July 30 on Stan, with RuPaul, Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson all returning to the main judging panel. Extra special celebrity guest stars will also be announced soon.

Fancy a chat? Read our interview with Rhys Nicholson about Drag Race, Netflix, and what comes after your wildest dreams come true.