As the race that stops a nation was run in Melbourne another 24, far smaller "athletes" competed 3700km away in the Noonamah Tavern's traditional frog races near Darwin.
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It might not have the fame of the Melbourne Cup but waiting to see which green tree frog will move first is much more humorous.
A local amphibian sponsored by a Palmerston party hire business hopped to victory in the outback pub's beer garden as a merry group of punters cheered.
The event had a slow start when the frogs in the first heat spent more than a minute unwilling to move from the centre of the circle they were dropped onto.
It was unsurprising given the crowd of punters surrounding them.
The event has been running since the 1980s.
It started over a beer when a couple of patrons bet on two frogs leaping along a concrete path.
"The odds are a lot better than actual horse races but there is no rhyme or reason to whether they will hop or not," pub owner Tony Innes told AAP.
"Some people think a big frog is the go, some people go for a small one thinking they are going to jump faster."
The winning frog and the 23 others are released after the race into the large beer garden or taken home by patrons.
Signs are put up asking people to bring in frogs from their garden ahead of the event and they are fed crickets before the big race.
Mr Innes said the day raised about $11,500, with half to go to the Variety children's charity.
Australian Associated Press
