Annual Australian Mulletfest at Kurri Kurri NSW brings together some of the most outrageous 'dos

The Australian Open, footy finals and Melbourne Cup are all big fixtures on the competitive calendar, but any Aussie worth their salt knows Mulletfest is the event that truly defines the nation.

Contestants train their locks for years, grooming them to perfection to create the ultimate 'business up front, party in the back' look.

They compete in a range of categories, including 'rangas', vintage (for the over-50s), grubby, extreme, everyday and even rookie, for those with a mullet less than two years old.

On Saturday, the event returns for a heat at The Chelmsford Hotel in Kurri Kurri, NSW - where the celebration of the iconic 'do was dreamt up in 2018.

Laura Johnson had been looking for a way to create some clean family fun and a tourism injection for a town struggling after the closure of an aluminium smelter that had employed generations of locals.

Contestants compete in a range of categories, including 'rangas' (pictured, one contender), vintage - for the over-50s - grubby, extreme, everyday

Contestants train their locks for years, grooming them to perfection to create the ultimate 'business up front, party in the back' look (pictured, Jacob Frew of Weston and Dylan Dudley of Kurri during Mulletfest)

Even rookies can be contenders for those with a mullet less than two years old (pictured, nine-year-old Slayte Reid of East Maitland on Saturday)

Growing from its fringe roots, the competition has expanded into a series of fixtures taking place Australia-wide, from Rockhampton to Perth and Alice Springs.

The winner of each category and the overall winner is then announced at the Mulletfest grand final, to be held in the Hunter Valley on December 2.

Six thousand-strong Kurri Kurri might be described by Mulletfest organisers as 'the town that was saved by the mullet', but the phenomenon is far from a locals-only affair.

As the mane movement gained momentum, proud mullet-wearers have made the pilgrimage to the pub from all over the world - including from Norway, North America and the UK.

'If you feel like an outsider everywhere else, at Mulletfest you will feel like part of the family,' organisers said.

'We understand that it's the man or woman beneath the mane that matters ... (and) that maybe the heart is as big as the hair.'

The winner of each category and the overall winner is then announced at the Mulletfest grand final, to be held in the Hunter Valley on December 2 (previous winner, now judge Liam Arnold at the event)

On Saturday, the event returns for a heat at The Chelmsford Hotel in Kurri Kurri, NSW - where the celebration of the iconic 'do was dreamt up in 2018 (pictured, Reg Warry, two, at the event)

Growing from its fringe roots, the competition has expanded into a series of fixtures taking place Australia-wide, from Rockhampton to Perth and Alice Springs (pictured, Emile and son Caleb Pacevski in Kurri Kurri on Saturday)

 Six thousand-strong Kurri Kurri in NSW might be described by Mulletfest organisers as 'the town that was saved by the mullet', but the phenomenon is far from a locals-only affair (pictured, Jaxson Brown, five)

'If you feel like an outsider everywhere else, at Mulletfest you will feel like part of the family,' organisers said (pictured, party goer Dylan Dudley checking out the scene)

'We understand that it's [what is] beneath the mane that matters ... maybe the heart is as big as the hair,' organisers said (pictured, four-year-old Ollie Mordue of West Wallsend showing off his style)