Kirby Burgess is the winner of Batemans Bay High School's Bay Highdol competition, a talent quest which has been running at the school for the past few months.

After a gruelling finals battle, the students elected Kirby as their choice.

Guest judge and past Australian Idol finalist Hayley Jensen praised Kirby, and encouraged her to follow a career in music.

The competition followed the format of a typical Australian Idol episode, with video interviews before each contestant performed, and the entertaining "live-cross" to the performer in the green room.

The school offers special thanks to Power FM 94.9 presenters Pommy Will and Moonie, for making the trip - and for their special encouragement.

Student Representative Council member and co-compere Amy Baranowski said the show lived up to everyone's expectations.

"It's been really good, excellent," Amy said.

"It's turned out exactly how we wanted."

Amy said each performer was talented in different ways, from stand-up comedy, to rapping, to singing.

"They were all very talented," she said.

She said the show was organised to give everyone - not just great singers - a chance to strut their stuff.

"It was an incentive just to show the different

talents," Amy said, and commented that school morale was also high.

"School spirit was excellent; they've been involved over the last two terms."