This Melbourne-based lawyer and policy adviser made history when she became the first Indian-born Miss Universe Australia. But Priya Serrao didn’t even invite her family to the event, so convinced she was that she wouldn’t win. Afterwards, she went straight back to work in state and federal politics.
Born in Hyderabad and raised in Oman and Dubai, Serrao remembers feeling initially awkward and overwhelmed when her family first moved to Melbourne. Soon came degrees from Monash University and Melbourne Law School, followed by an internship with the UN in Timor-Leste.
Now, alongside her political work, Serrao is using her Miss Universe Australia platform to make institutional power easier to understand, with a focus on women. Because knowing how the game is actually played, she says, is the first step to a fair chance. Serrao’s pageant success was never about gowns or more followers; it was about the platform. Since then, she has championed diversity, access and is quietly reshaping what a beauty queen can look like. We caught up with her to talk about migration, multiculturalism, and her favourite Melbourne places.
How did it feel winning Miss Universe Australia, especially as the first Indian-born winner?
It was surreal! I genuinely didn’t think I was going to win, and had even told my parents to stay home. The gravity of it only hit me much later. Growing up, I never saw someone who looked like me in that space. Not on Australian television, not on those stages.
So I understood pretty quickly that it wasn’t just personal. It was a signal to a lot of young women that the definition of who gets to be here is wider than they thought. That felt like the part worth holding onto.
You don’t seem like a typical pageant girl, what made you apply?
It was the platform. I’d been working in policy and law, deeply interested in how power operates – whether it’s in politics, or through migration or via multiculturalism, but those conversations were happening in rooms that most people never get access to.
Pageants, whatever you think of them, have reach. They have audiences. I saw it as a tool, not a destination. I think people expect a more glamorous origin story, but the truth is I applied because I wanted a bigger megaphone for things I already cared about. Learning how to do my makeup – that was a secondary perk.
Best things about your city, Melbourne?
The quality of life is genuinely exceptional. Melbourne topped Time Out’s list of best cities in the world recently and there’s a very good reason for it. Good coffee is a human right, not a luxury. The food culture is world class and everyone who lives here knows it. The people are genuinely warm. There’s a small town feel for a city of five million, a sense of community that bigger cities tend to lose.
And the personal style, in the right pockets, is really interesting. Melbourne has its own aesthetic that doesn’t just follow what’s happening overseas. It’s a city that’s quietly excellent at most things and doesn’t feel the need to tell you about it.
Tell us about life before Australia? And what it was like being an immigrant there?
I was born in Hyderabad in India, and we moved to Oman and then Dubai when I was young. By the time we arrived in Melbourne when I was eleven, I’d already lived across a few different worlds. Australia was another layer of that.
I remember watching Neighbours almost like it was homework, trying to perfect my Aussie “naur”, learning local celebrity names and get across local references. There’s a particular kind of hyper-vigilance that immigrant kids develop, this constant reading of the room. It takes years to stop doing it automatically.
I think it’s also what made me interested in institutions and how power works because I was always on the outside of them, trying to understand the rules.
Favourite restaurants in your local Melbourne neighbourhood?
Ok where do I start – I had a disgustingly excellent dinner at Waxflower in Brunswick recently, I still dream of the focaccia, oysters and ceviche – and they also do a mean Negroni.
48H Pizza and Gnocchi Bar is great for a solid wood fired pizza. Bounty of the Sun in Balaclava does a great DIY king salmon hand roll. And finally Makan in the CBD is really underrated, but you can’t really go past it for Indonesian.
Best bars in the city and why?
Bears in North Melbourne is great, it feels like a neighbourhood local with this beautiful minimalist decor and lots of natural light, while also being genuinely excellent. Aster Cocktail and Wine in the CBD is great for something with a bit more personality and a vibe.
Top three Melbourne neighbourhoods and why?
South Melbourne mostly because I love the market, Albert Park Lake and the cute cafes around there. And I like Fitzroy and Collingwood for people watching and great consignment shopping.
Richmond, because it has so much range you can pick and choose where you want to spend your time. Brunch and coffee? Yep. Bars and restaurants? Yep. Sporting precincts? Yep. Live music? Yep. Walking and cycling tracks? Yep.
Where do you like to shop in the city? And one fashion brand you love?
Honestly, I’m an online shopper for the most part, but when I’m in the city you can’t go past the connected strip between Myer and Emporium. It covers most bases. COS is my favourite brand there for some elevated basics.
What defines Melbourne style for you?
I don’t think there’s one defining quality when it comes to Melbourne style. There are subcultures that don’t subscribe to trends at all, it’s about commitment to a look. There’s a lazy stereotype about black being quintessentially Melbourne but I don’t agree with it. You’ll find an eclectic, creative mix in the north and a quieter, more refined aesthetic in the south. It’s a city with a range if you know where to look.
Your favourite getaways and escapes in Victoria?
The Mornington Peninsula is my default, close enough that you can decide to go on a Friday afternoon. There are some rugged coastal walks on the ocean side of the peninsula that make you feel like you’re at the end of the world. And heading up to the Yarra Valley or past Daylesford for a combination of good wineries, good food and great walks. That’s my idea of a perfect weekend in Victoria.
Favourite places to visit across Australia?
I recently got to explore Sydney properly for the first time, specifically the beaches around Bondi and Bronte. I used to think they were overrated but honestly, the views are just magnificent and it’s so accessible. I came back as a convert.
Spa, health or wellness routine you swear by?
I find that long walks do more for my thinking than almost anything else. I’m relatively disciplined about sleep and good food. I think the wellness industry tends to overcomplicate what is basically: move, sleep, eat well and have things in your life that interest you.
You are a big hiker, where are your top 3 destinations globally?
The W Trek in Patagonia. The series of walks enroute to Komodo island in Flores, Indonesia. And I love the hikes around Wilson’s Promontory tight here in Victoria.
Where do you go for pure escapism?
Tokyo. The culture is so different and so absorbing that it engulfs you. I’m usually so present in the experience that I’ve completely escaped from my day-to-day which, for someone who finds that hard, is saying something.
And where do you go for stimulation and creative energy?
New York. There’s something about the scale of the city that makes me feel small and – I recognise this cliche – full of possibility.
What’s always your carry-on?
Mini hair brush for my wild mane, a red lipstick and a travel journal – it’s the same travel journal I’ve had with me since about 2014!
Favourite hotel in the world?
My absolute favourite is the Alila hotel in Seminyak, Bali.
Travel splurge you’ll never regret?
I never regret splurging on experiences a cooking class, a guide who actually knows what they’re talking about, getting somewhere that’s hard to get to. Taking a light aircraft over the Nazca Lines in Peru was a little terrifying, but there is genuinely nothing else like it. That’s the kind of thing I’ll always spend on.
Dream destination, not yet fulfilled?
Raja Ampat in Indonesia for non stop snorkelling!
