Kate Miller-Heidke at Eurovision: Australia Decides. Credit:AAP

Kate Miller-Heidke has been formally selected to represent Australia at the 64th annual Eurovision song contest.

The singer-songwriter was declared the winner of SBS's inaugural Australia Decides competition on Saturday evening. She ousted a field of nine other acts that included the likes of Brisbane indie band Sheppard, former The Voice winner Alfie Arcuri and even a talented 16-year-old by the name of Leea Manos.

This year's artist was selected off the back of a public vote for the first time in Australia's short-lived Eurovision history. An expert jury of five individuals also accounted for half of an act's score.

Miller-Heidke topped Saturday's scoreboard, narrowly beating electronic group Electric Fields. In third place was Sheppard with their new single On My Way, followed by drag queen Courtney Act in fourth place.