A self-confessed tomboy and bobcat driver from the Melbourne suburb of Whittlesea has taken out the Australia's Next Top Model title during the Thursday night finale.

Brittany Beattie beat Gold Coast teenager Lucy Markovic by just one point after being given perfect scores by judges Alex Perry, Tyra Banks and Jennifer Hawkins at a pre-recorded finale filmed in front of 300 people.

The 20-year-old will be given a year-long contract with IMG Models for winning the Fox8 series, as well as a trip to New York Fashion Week and an eight-page spread in Elle Magazine.

Beattie was an underdog going into the competition due to her turbulent upbringing. The high-school drop-out moved out of home aged 16 and spent years couch-surfing before being offered a job as a bobcat driver.

She also suffered panic attacks throughout the season, with the show's judges praising her for making the biggest transformation out of any of the contestants.

"Brittany has had something special from the beginning, she was very intriguing," Jennifer Hawkins said during the finale.

"The fact that she didn't know she was a beautiful girl with so much potential was a huge part of her charm.

"Throughout the whole process, Brittany has had her ups and downs, but she listened to advice and evolved in such a short period of time. I really think she was one of the biggest transformations in Top Model history."

The tomboy said she only entered the competition at the insistence of her family, and said Australia's Next Top Model had changed her life.

"At first I didn't have anywhere near enough confidence to be part of something like this," Beattie said.

"After my aunty convinced me to enter, and even when I was in the house, I still thought I would be sent home.

"I can't believe this time last year I was driving a truck every day around farms in my home town, and now I've met some of the most amazing people from fashion and modelling. I am in shock and can't wait to see what happens next."

Australia's Next Top Model is now in its ninth season, with winners of the show going on to have varying levels of success on the international modelling circuit.

Season three winner Alice Burdeu continues to walk the catwalk for designers like Louis Vuitton, while season two winner Eboni Stocks works for a social media company.

In 2008, the show courted controversy when Demelza Reveley won the show despite bullying other contestants. Vogue editor Kirstie Clements decided not to run Reveley's photo on the cover of the magazine, despite that being part of the agreement.