The mystery guitarists in the middle of the contestants threw off some rather becoming wigs to reveal themselves as Hayley Warner   and Stan Walker  . Tonight one of them would become your Australian Idol for this year but first, there were some very special guests and more surprises to be enjoyed!

With a little help from Stan and Hayley, Michael Buble treated us to “Feeling Good”. It may have been a scorcher of a day but the crowd at the Opera House was sure feeling good and as the sun went down, last year’s Idol Wes Carr and Ian Moss got the show rockin’ with an axe-tastic version of “Beat It”.

Looking foxy, the Final 12 girls strutted there stuff both on the Opera House steps and on stage, coming together to sing “When Love Takes Over”. International pop playboy Mika performed “Rain” with his band. What at first seemed like a heckler turned out to be one of Mika’s crew, who together with other dancers in front of the stage, were yelling the refrain of his next song “We Are Golden”.

During Mika’s second song, we had our first round of fireworks and Ricki-Lee brought her own brand of pyrotechnics to the show by starting out her performance of “Hear No See No Speak No” in bed on the stage.

The Final 12 boys, with the Harbour Bridge towering above them, seemed to be practicing what they preached as they tore up the stage with “Take Back the City”. Sadly, Jordin Sparks couldn’t be with Guy Sebastian as he performed his single “Art Of Love” since she’s had appendicitis, but with their video on the big screens, it was (almost) like she was there.

There was fireworks at the beginning of Michael Buble’s “Cry Me A River”, fireworks in the middle and such a bumper crop of fireworks at the climatic end of his performance, it’s a testament to the power of Michael’s vocals that you could hear him over the top of them.

Hayley then revisited one of our favourite performances of hers this year, “Funhouse” and the crowd and the judges were all on their feet by the song’s close. Stan wowed us again with “It’s A Man’s World”, looking very dapper, we have to say, in a black shirt and suit. All the ladies reaching up to him from around the stage seemed to think so too!

It came time for that crucial moment when the verdict was to be revealed. Stan and Hayley walked on stage arm in arm and held hands as they waited to hear which one of them Australia had voted this year’s Idol. Andrew opened the envelope and told the nation that Stan Walker is the 2009 Australian Idol!

After a big hug and smooch with Hayley, Stan seemed a little in shock. As the Australian Idol, he is now a Sony recording artist and has both a $200,000 artist development fund and a brand new car to his name.

A joyous Stan smiled and danced as he performed his winner’s single “Black Box” and when he sang “Cos I’m a true survivor”, the proof was right there on stage. Some more fantastic fireworks and Australian Idol was over for 2009.

You can buy Stan’s winner’s single “Black Box” online now at http://www.bandit.fm/poparazzi/australianidol/store/