Hayley wins Australian Survivor 2021 and $500,000

After 48 days Hayley Leake has successfully outwitted, outplayed and outlasted her rivals, and was crowned Sole Survivor of Australian Survivor: Brains V Brawn, taking home the $500,000 prize on 10 and 10 Play.

For the last Immunity Challenge, the final three Castaways, Flick, George and Hayley, stepped into a chamber complete with narrow pegs on the floor, and spikes on the ceiling. At intervals, the ceiling dropped, making it harder to stay in position. After four and a half hours, both the sunset and the precarious ceiling of spikes above them fell. 

George was the first to step off. At the five-hour mark, Flick was in unbearable pain and Hayley’s body started to shake. Unable to hold any longer, Flick dropped at 5 hours and 17 minutes. Hayley won Immunity and the advantage of deciding who she would be up against at the final Tribal Council.

Hayley believed Flick had secured more votes with the Jury, so George would be her safest bet. Hayley stuck to her guns and voted out Flick, leaving her to face George in the final Tribal Council. 

At the final Tribal Council George was first up to face the Jury and made his case to win. He pitched that he was a minority from the outset, surrounded by a tribe set to pick off the physically weak, and that he had wanted to control the chaos. Changing the tone of the game, he moved from a phase of playing double agent to a dynasty reign in the last stretch of the game.

Next up was Hayley who was equally as proud of her gameplay. She explained that despite initially being in a majority alliance, she still knew what the minority were doing, having the power to swing the vote. Tribe Swap saw her in a minority, but then she found an Immunity Idol and played an Immunity Idol effectively over three Tribal Councils. 

Each member of the Jury then asked their questions before the final votes were cast. With 7 votes for Hayley and 2 votes for George, Hayley was crowned Sole Survivor.

Hayley said: "I survived 48 days, I made massive blindsides and I was a physical beast out here. I’m proud of being able to come out here and play a really big strategic game. I didn’t want to hide in the shadows, I wanted to make big moves from the start, and I did that."