The fifth season of Australia's Next Top Model premiered  on 28 April 2009 on Fox8. Auditions were held during October and November 2008 across Australia, and production of the prerecorded episodes began in January 2009 and concluded in March 2009. Model and television personality Sarah Murdoch took over as the host for this season, replacing Jodhi Meares, and joining incumbent judges Alex Perry and Charlotte Dawson. Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Maybelline replaced the previous season's regular sponsors, Vogue and Napoleon Perdis.
 The prizes for this season included a one-year modelling contract with Priscilla's Model Management in Sydney, a A$25,000 trip for two to New York City paid by Maybelline, a position as the face of Maybelline’s new colour collection, an eight-page spread in Harper's Bazaar Australia and A$20,000 courtesy of U by Kotex.
 The winner of the competition was 17-year-old Tahnee Atkinson from North Fremantle, Western Australia.
 (Ages stated are at start of contest.)
 The final 13 arrived at a surprise A-list press conference and runway show, for which the best performer was granted immunity from elimination. After moving into their new home, the contestants had a couture swimwear  photo shoot at Sydney Olympic Park.
 The contestants had a session with a nutritionist to learn about portion sizes and healthy eating before heading to a gym to learn about fitness. This was followed by a gymnastics challenge in which the winner was given the chance to attend the Sydney Ballet with host Sarah Murdoch along with a friend of her choosing. The models later had to pose on a trapeze in a photo shoot for Cosmopolitan, for which the eight best photos would be chosen to run in an editorial for the magazine.
 The contestants received makeovers and met Maybelline makeup artists Nigel Stanislaus for a makeup lesson. They were then challenged to perform in a commercial for Maybelline with lines of their own, and drama ensued after Lola stole one of Cassi's lines. For the photo shoot, the models were photographed in simplistic beauty shots to showcase their natural beauty.
 The remaining contestants received a runway lesson from Mink Sadowsky. They were later sent to a fruit market, and had to walk on the back of a truck in front of market workers to win a shopping spree valued at $10,000. For the photo shoot the models had to pose in a campaign for U by Kotex, with the best photo being chosen as one of the brands new advertisements.
 After a fake farm photo shoot that tested their professionalism, the models were challenged to pose with props made of ice while wearing Cerrone Jewellery. The winner of the challenge received an 18 carat $2,000 necklace, and as a result of mounting stress, Cassi contemplated leaving the competition. The models later travelled to South Australia, where they visited the remote town of Parachilna for a lingerie photo shoot in the Outback with photographer Russell James.
 The final seven were taken to the offices of Harper's Bazaar to learn more about fashion trends and styling, and participated in a casting challenge for judge Alex Perry and one of his consultants to attend his upcoming show on board the Queen Mary 2. The models later received visits from their mothers, before having a photo shoot on a rickety pylon for Chanel.
 The contestants were briefed on dealing with the media spotlight, and had a challenge for V Australia in which they had to learn a variety of lines to promote the newest Virgin Airline. The photo shoot had the models jumping from a trampoline, with the photos from the shoot to be auctioned off on the Australia's Next Top Model website to help support Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. They later attended Hugos Lounge for a Fashion Targets Breast Cancer charity event, and had to model the outfits they wore at the photo shoot to encourage fashion A-Listers to bid on their gowns.
 The contestants arrived at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts for an acting lesson and had an audition for a nationwide Telstra commercial. For the photo shoot the models were taken to Fox Studios, where they had to pose with Ford models from different decades as they portrayed various corresponding style icons.
 The final four were flown to London and met former Britain's Next Top Model judge Gerry DeVeaux for a shopping tour of the city, before being introduced to supermodel Elle Macpherson. They later had go-sees with agents at Storm Model Management and Premier Model Management, before taking part in a sight-seeing photo shoot in the streets of London, and travelling back to Australia for elimination.
 The final three met Priscilla Leighton-Clarke and Sarah Murdoch at Priscilla’s Model Management, and were told that they would be attending castings for Australian Fashion Week. The best performer was rewarded with a trip to Broome. The contestants later arrived at Garie Beach, Royal National Park for a photo shoot session with Jez Smith in which they had to work both individually and as a team. At panel, the judges decided on the two contestants who would advance into the live finale.
 The eliminated contestants returned and later reunited with the final two in a runway show. The finalists then had a look back at their individual journey throughout the season. The judges cast their votes for each of the finalists, and after adding the fan vote to the judge's vote, Tahnee was crowned as the fifth winner of Australia's Next Top Model.
 Final two is not included.
 Before the season premiered, there was controversy over a number of issues.
 Sixteen-year-old Cassi Van Den Dungen was criticised for being a "proud bogan and smoker" with her mother in support, having to take anger-management classes to control her temper whilst participating in the series, and for being engaged and living with a 25-year-old bricklayer. She also received backlash from Hume City Council mayor Jack Ogilvie over comments in which she described her hometown of Sunbury as "like a ghetto", with the mayor stating that Van Den Dungen was a "very immature, silly little girl" and that "she owes Sunbury an apology. I wonder if she knows what a ghetto is. Sunbury is far from being a ghetto, far from it."
 Eighteen-year-old Mikarla Hussey's appearance initially shocked host Sarah Murdoch. In the second episode, a nutritionist assisted the contestants with healthy eating, weight management and lifestyle choices. Mikarla initially weighed 50 kg (110 lb) before production began. After her swimsuit photo shoot showed off her technically unhealthy body, she was forced to put on weight.
 Lola Van Vorst was involved in a nude photo scandal, involving pictures taken by an ex-boyfriend.
 On 6 June 2009, it was revealed that Clare Venema, Adele Thiel and Tahnee Atkinson had previous professional modelling experience that had not been disclosed during the show.