BDmag Issue 2

Job Envy

Urban Insight

Col Reynolds $36m for kid’s cancer

The Townsville businesses

turning dream jobs

positivity. A look at

research, a yellow bus and

proving longevity is no fluke

into reality

Townsville’s changing

back-to-back Kokoda at 80

The self-starters

Plans, projections and

50 Not Out

landscape

INNOVATION

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

ENTREPRENEURS 1

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Lifestyle

32 >> Growing our city Will the 15% rule ring true in Townsville?

Plus Urban Insights 17 The Secret Feast 49

Innovators

Business

40 >> RID

47 >> Solar Relief

The iconic Aussie product based in our own backyard.

Plus Fierce Ventures 31 Next Gen - Our up and coming business leaders 34 The Last Word: PVW Partners 51

Cover Story

>> 42 Job Envy

The self-starters turning dream jobs into reality. From people who swim with dwarf minke whales to those who operate drones underground, these stories are eye-opening and inspiring, proving that no matter what your dream job, nothing is impossible.

A solution for energy poverty.

Plus Smart Seeds - Global Innovation Program 14 Townsville - the perfect place for innovation 12

BD mag 4

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BD mag BDmag

Team Notes

Following the extraordinary response to our magazine launch in October, the BDmag team have been actively meeting and conversing with our industry leaders, business owners and those invested in our region. Those who have embraced our vision to create a positive platform to share our city’s evolutionary adaptation and advancement.Throughout all of these engaging, honest and insightful discussions, one thing has become abundantly clear; we’re on the cusp of something great. We’re ready to take Townsville back by the horns.

There is an overwhelmingly positive movement underway in our city, with our business sector more ready and willing than ever to drive Townsville forward. To shake off the negativity that has been shovel fed to us for too long. Yes, as an expanding city we have our fair share of issues (there’s no rose coloured glasses on here), however these are far outweighed by the injection of innovation, new thinking, collaboration and desire to band together to do what needs to be done to make Townsville thrive once again. A new year brings new goals, new beginnings and a new way of thinking. So, here’s to 2018 and the amazing possibilities that lie ahead.

PUBLISHERS Maddy Voinea Sarah Jones EDITOR Jazmin Malcolm ADVERTISING Sarah Jones DESIGN Teigan Guy Tim Simmonds Maddy Voinea PHOTOGRAPHY BlueKino Cover: Tourism & Events Queensland BD MAGAZINE 183 Ingham Road West End QLD 4810 ABN 15 620 607 258 P. 0409 272 461 bdmag.com.au EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES jazmin@bdmag.com.au ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES sarah@bdmag.com.au

All contents of BDmag are subject to copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. The views and opinions of authors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information at the time of print, the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or subsequence including loss or damages from reliance on information in this publication.

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Who Needs Retirement?

Taking on Cancer, Kokoda and more.

Col Reynolds is proof that you’re never too old to change careers and follow what you’re passionate about. At the age where most people have comfortably retired, Col refuses to stop.

So far, thanks to community support, he’s raised $36 million for his Kids Cancer charity, been awarded an Order of Australia, become the first person to take young cancer patients on day trips and even has plans to do a back-to-back Kokoda Trail at age 80 to raise research funds for his charity. So how on Earth did this incredible journey begin?

Col’s life as a Sydney-based coach driver changed in 1980 when he stopped to let two sick children cross the road.

Within minutes, Col had pulled over, entered the nearby hospital and requested to take the cancer-affected children on day trips, snow trips, camps and excursions.

“That annoyed me so badly that we put $850,000 into personalised medicine. That started in Australia because we were one of the first to fund it and still do,” Col says, conviction ringing in every word. “The federal government put $20 million into it later and now it is called zero cancer.”

“I was told I was a nutcase,” Col laughs good-naturedly. “So I went home and wrote this itinerary. I didn’t have a bus, I didn’t have passengers, I didn’t have any kids on board. I had nothing.”

It gets better from there too. One of Col’s researchers has caused a stir among scientists worldwide thanks to a drug he’s currently testing called anti-tropomyosin. Unlike others, it forces a cancer cell to self-destruct without impacting the healthy cells around it, which is so incredible that the worldrenowned Cancer Journal even featured it on their cover.

However, Col refused to take no for an answer and filled his itinerary with places that would make even the most grown adult squeal with delight. He had displays from the New South Wales Mounted Police and Sydney Fire Brigade plus support from Featherdale Wildlife Park, Captain Cook Cruises, Royal Australian Navy, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Village Roadshow at Pyrmont.

What strikes me about Col is his determination. Here’s a man who doesn’t have cancer himself, has never had cancer in the family and who could have easily retired fifteen years ago. Yet when he does Kokoda he’s aiming to raise over $100,000 for his research, which is truly impressive considering the only thing I raise when I exercise is my pulse. He also hopes to take a yellow bus around Australia raising extra funds and awareness.

“Nothing is impossible.

It just takes a little longer”

“For them, it was like five Christmases in one day,” Col says with a smile. “Then in 1993 a doctor said ‘if you want to save these kids, the only way is through research’, so that’s what I did.”

Through the Kids Cancer Project, researchers he supports have made some incredible breakthroughs, with personalised chemotherapy treatment high on his list and a bullseye around cancer cell treatment up next.

“People will say that there is no cure for cancer,” Col says. “Yet because of research, maximum chemotherapy treatment for a child has gone from ten years to ten months.”

When Col first started they also had a ‘one drug fits all’ approach to chemo, but that changed when the researchers initiated the personalised program in Australia.

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“You do all this research for kids to get the answer but they are the last ones to get the results because you have to do trials on adults before you can do kids. So it is to everyone’s benefit that they support childhood cancer research,” says Col. “What this yellow bus will do is get that message out there one state at a time. I’d love to go into regional areas and have people put on a community event. It does not matter how big or how little you raise. Businesses can do crazy hair or beard days and get involved as well.”

For us, the yellow bus represents an ex-coach driver who stopped to allow two sick kids to cross the road and is now continuing the journey to make the world a healthier place for the next generation.

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TOWNSVILLE The perfect place for innovation?

When you think innovation, you think Silicon Valley, San Francisco, New York, Boston or Tokyo. However, there’s one we’ve missed: regional North Queensland. It’s easy to give in to the notion that only trendy start-up hubs can birth great ideas but our humble city is no stranger to the challenges of innovation. So how can a small regional city be more attractive to entrepreneurs than the world’s most popular start-up capitals?

With Maddy Voinea

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WHY I CHOSE TOWNSVILLE? Each place is a perfect innovation ground for the unique problems that it faces. Personally I’ve lived in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and since moving to Townsville eight years ago I have started three businesses, all of which are currently operating.

My personal experience is that Townsville has all the ingredients necessary to allow innovators to test new products, try new services and experiment within a diverse and responsive marketplace yet without the prohibitive investments and crippling challenges faced by innovators in larger cities.

I would encourage young entrepreneurs and innovators to give it a go in Townsville.

When you’re considering the best location to launch your new product, don’t simply follow the crowd. Take a look in your own back yard. You might find that this city will provide you with a nurturing foundation that will grow your idea to maturity. Still not convinced? Here’s some strong reasons why Townsville will help your business flourish.

THE INTERNET “The opportunity today is greater than its ever been in all of history. We’re seeing virtually every industry being impacted by the efficiencies and the improvements that technology brings. You can innovate literally anywhere.

We need to think globally and think bigger about what we are doing. The problems that we face here today are not dissimilar to problems faced all around the world by people. So when we’re thinking about how to solve a problem, we should think; who else has this problem? How could I create a solution that can be used anywhere?”

– Luke Anear, SafetyCulture.

Stuart King

Carolyn McManus

CONVENIENCE “I look at my staff at the University and we can focus on ideas, work late and do really amazing things without having to worry about spending hours commuting. You don’t realise how much cognitive load goes into just existing in a city until you leave one and come to a place like this.”

– Ian Atkinson, eResearch Centre, James Cook University.

“You don’t need to be in a capital city. I think people need to move from that mentality of ‘you need to have the support of a major city’ when you don’t. Here you can come up with product innovation.”

– Carolyn McManus, McManus Group.

“Having experienced the whole San Francisco dream, I realised; unless you’re trying to raise money or your customers are there, you don’t have to be there. You’re better off being in Townsville because the lifestyle in Townsville far outweighs being anywhere else.”

Andrew Acton

NETWORKING “Often in cities you have to go through seven different people before you find a person who can help. We cut out about five or six of those steps in Townsville because we know exactly who can do it.”

– Carolyn McManus.

“One benefit to being in Townsville is that there is far less noise. You go to San Francisco and there’s meetups all the time, people inviting you to all kinds of events. Those things are distractions, they are time wasters and they are slowing you down. The best entrepreneurs don’t waste time with things that aren’t progressing and moving their company forward.”

Larissa Bright

COMPETITION “Business is tough for everyone, everywhere. If you think it’s easier somewhere else, you’re wrong, because markets that are really prospering have a lot of competition. This is not about the market, it’s not about the economy, it’s about you. The greatest businesses on earth were built in difficult times.”

– Andrew Acton, Explore Property.

Ian Atkinson

Luke Anear

INSPIRATION “For the creative process to happen, I need to be in an environment that inspires me on a personal and professional level. In Townsville, I’m surrounded by nature, people who support innovation and a community that wants to see things and make them happen. So for me it’s the perfect environment.”

– Larissa Bright, Larissa Bright Skincare.

“You might have more customers but you’ve got more competition as well.

It’s here where you start. I know many, many successful entrepreneurs that are still based here.”

– Carolyn McManus.

– Stuart King.

– Stuart King, Fierce Ventures.

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GLOBAL INNOVATION PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Gone are the days where only senior executives or directors had a chance to implement or suggest innovative ideas in their companies. Thanks to innovative programs like Smart Seeds – which is a unique, challenge-driven program created by global professional services firm GHD – young professionals can gain valuable contacts, experience and knowledge before their career even takes off.

Photo by Dan A’Vard Photography 14

Myles Coker, Partnerships Manager for Innovation Programs at GHD, says the Smart Seeds program gives professionals from a range of disciplines a positive networking and collaboration opportunity that they simply wouldn’t get in their day-to-day working lives.

often afforded so early in your career.”

The beauty of Smart Seeds is that it not only creates network connections, it also matures ideas through online platforms such as PIVOT, available on Innovation Interchange.

“With the Smart Seeds program we get teams of young people together to tackle real challenges that we’re facing in our industry and our community,” Myles says.

“It’s a unique opportunity that provides you with an environment where you are free to test and challenge the status quo, come up with something truly new or unique, and have a positive impact on the community you live and work in.”

“The next challenge is taking creative concept ideas and turning them into impactful solutions either locally or globally,” says Myles. “With these online platforms, we can aggregate challenges and connect ideas at a global scale which will inevitably give them a better chance at success as collaboration rates increase.”

“We get teams of young people together to tackle real challenges that we’re facing in our industry and our community.”

The global program runs for ten weeks and consists of solving intriguing challenges put forward by community and industry leaders which can then go on to gain momentum in the industry.

“Some creative concepts have inspired new thinking in the industry and have been collaborated on beyond the ten-week program,” says Myles. “Teams have been invited to share ideas for the board at the director level – both in government and private organisations – and some have even gone as far as having a memorandum of understanding between different organisations to tackle ideas further. It’s a really unique opportunity that is not

Whilst Smart Seeds has grown into a global program, this is the first year it’s been introduced in a regional area.

Challenges specifically related to Townsville, Palm Island, Burdekin, Charters Towers, and the Hinchinbrook were put forward with great success.

New to Smart Seeds? Don’t worry, participants supported by government organisations, private businesses and community groups are all able to be involved.

“Smart Seeds is very open and a great opportunity for small to medium businesses to come together at the same level as larger ones without needing to invest thousands and thousands of dollars in new programs,” Myles says.

We’re in a world that’s more connected and competitive than ever, which is why grasping the chance to connect with and impress leaders in your industry is so important.

Don’t let us tell you how to do it though – we think it’s time you got out there and showed them what our regional city is capable of.

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URBAN

There are several things our city’s key leaders can agree on about Townsville’s future: the CBD needs to be reactivated, the stadium is great but it’s just the start, Ross Creek has huge potential and confidence has slowly started to creep back in to the industry. Yet here’s the kicker: all these things are inter-connected and will

be the catalysts that move our city forward. To find out what our city could really look like in five to ten years, we spoke to those directly connected to improving it.

Here you’ll find eyebrowraising truths, innovative solutions and key ideas we can implement now to create the promising city that we know Townsville can be.

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Premise - Pat Brady Pat Brady, Executive Director of Premise, has spent most of his engineering career in Townsville. He knows what Townsville once was and what it needs to do to move forward.

“Townsville is really at that crossroads point,” Pat says. “When a city gets to 200,000 people, it needs to start thinking differently.

It’s not the small town of 50 years ago and I think we have to understand that.”

Unlike other regions, Pat says we have the blessing of a series of pillars – such as tourism, defence, mining, education, health, the port and agriculture – which we can rely on. Our next challenge, he says, is clarifying Townsville’s message, redefining our CBD and making sure we get it right.

However, he echoes a thought we hear all too often: we can’t pass the buck, rely on public and government funding and over plan to the point of missing opportunities like we’ve done in the past.

“We have to be careful that we don’t just expect things and there’s been a bit of that in the past, so we have to change,” Pat says mindfully. “For the private sector to invest we need certainty of development opportunity, water security and power security – all of which we’re doing something about.

If we can just resolve a few things we’ll see change and investment, but the confidence is definitely there.”

When it comes to our future, Pat says it’s all about attracting people in unique ways, which will promote growth and density.

One idea ties in with JCU’s Health Sciences.

“It’s not the small town of 50 years ago and I think we have to understand that.”

“There’s an opportunity for us to turn it into an educational tourism opportunity and bring it into the CBD. You can create that connection with AIMS, GBRMPA and the aquariums, which could put the pin in the map for Townsville,” he says, noting that another untapped source is cruise ships.

“People getting on and off ships in Townsville? That’s a big chance for the whole industry. People will stay a couple days either side of it filling hotels and if we give them the right experience they’ll come back again and again,” he says. “The future is about people in the CBD. That’s not just people who come in at eight and leave at five, they need to be there 24 hours a day.”

These aren’t the only ideas that Pat and the business community are excited about though, with several big projects building confidence in the industry.

“The big projects that are probably the game changers would be Adani, the battery project if it comes off and expansion for Sun Metals. That’s a big investment from an international company,” Pat says. “I’m also excited about the fact that we’re talking about building dams, power stations and irrigation projects again because they are complete game changers for the whole region. If we build dams, we have that follow on period where people are growing produce, putting it on boats and making money from other parts of the world.”

From there, it will be up to innovating the spaces we live in, which is where Craig McClintock from McClintock Engineering Group excels.

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McClintock Engineering Group - Craig McClintock When it comes to innovation and energy efficiency in the engineering space, McClintock Engineering Group have the niche covered. They have given life to several noteworthy projects which Director, Craig McClintock, says could be adapted to improve Townsville businesses.

“We’re currently designing two district cooling systems with thermal energy storage tanks and a large scale solar system which will be the largest interconnection system in Australia of this type,” Craig says. “It is possible that one of these sites will become energy neutral.”

An energy efficient or even neutral solution could drastically change Townsville businesses both in and out of the CBD, so how does it work?

“Buildings will no longer have air-conditioning plants inside.

It’s all reticulated as underground chilled water,” Craig says. “That reduces energy consumption and allows you to move energy between buildings and precincts to better utilise power infrastructure, meaning operating costs for all businesses would reduce, making Townsville’s CBD more competitive in a global market. One of the jobs we’re doing is seeing energy savings of 65%.”

Craig hopes the next five to ten years will bring high-rise buildings with mixed uses, an integration between Ross River and the CBD, more interactive energy hubs and extra hotel and short stay investment. However, he notes that there’s still room for more projects in the CBD that could improve Townsville’s future.

“I’d like to see more education facilities mixed with R&D, a defined cultural and street food precinct to provide bookend points of interest and interaction from CBD to North Ward waterfront via a covered walkway. Psychology and master planning could also be used to create ‘the sticky factor’ to bring and retain repeat visits,” Craig says.

Craig agrees that Townsville is “poised for some great opportunities” but notes that we need to get our fundamentals right to see the best results.

“We need to involve architects, town planners and engineers in the city plan and allow architects to create new buildings with ‘green’ canopies over road reserves to provide footpath shading as part of the integrated city plan,” Craig says. “This should create interest, shade and enable people to move around out of the sun in reasonable comfort.”

Why is this important? Well, as many of our key leaders have pointed out, “foot traffic breathes investment”.

“There is no place in Townsville where continued foot traffic occurs. The challenge is developing the CBD to encourage foot traffic to stimulate investment,” Craig says. “Innovation and technology will follow when developers need to compete for market share and presence.”

Craig says Townsville is perfectly positioned to take advantage of a direct data and telecommunication cable to other countries, which could supply

half the state if implemented. There are currently limited cables that feed out of Australia, so it could be a game changer for Townsville.

“This would give us direct access to the wider network,” Craig says. “Then data storage, data acquisition, R&D, software programming, all that could be done out of Townsville because we have much faster access to the net. If we have that direct access into the wider network, or even if we have locality, half the state could be fed from Townsville and the other half could be fed from Brisbane. It opens up more opportunities, but it would need involvement at state, local or even federal levels to bring it in.”

There will be no quick fix to improving Townsville’s economy in the next ten years. Innovative solutions like these may require more legwork in the short-term but will provide several long-term benefits for our children and young entrepreneurs.

Two other leaders pushing innovation in Townsville are Zammi Rowan and Mark Kennedy from Counterpoint – a forward-thinking merger that hopes to put Townsville on the world stage for design.

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Zammi and Mark - Counterpoint When it comes to tropical design, Zammi Rohan and Mark Kennedy from Counterpoint – a merger between 9point9 and Outcrop Architects – have it down pat. Like Craig McClintock, they believe that renewables are a huge part of our future but they don’t want to stop there, saying tropical designs could put Townsville on the world stage.

“A huge opportunity for Townsville is to become a true international leader in design for the tropics. Our recent push towards producing renewable energy is a great start,” Zammi says, adding that companies are now “future proofing” their designs so they can upgrade as technology does.

Like many industry trailblazers, Mark and Zammi are passionate about urban design and activating the city, but say it’s a catch 22 situation.

“There are people taking steps to bring the city to life in both public and private sectors which is great,” says Zammi.

“However, despite efforts to create these pockets of development across our city, there is often a lack of diversity in these precincts to draw people in and provide constant activation.”

Zammi says a solution for this could be moving away from “single destination” spaces and incorporating more innovative hubs to attract people both in and outside business hours.

“We need to have foresight and encourage changes in the way people use buildings, how people engage with them and understand what keeps them there. Providing a range of experiences and offerings will create more vibrant precincts.

Connectivity between destinations is also really important for providing flowing, cohesive experiences.” says Zammi, adding that shared workshops, pop-up retail food and event venues, public art, parks and other foot-traffic creators are needed to enliven the city.

“We can build landmark buildings and scatter them around but if the parts in between aren’t working, drawing people in or providing opportunities for people to experience and

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engage with the city then it all falls apart, and that’s an issue that we have. It’s great to have a grand vision for 20 or 30 years but if we’re not setting bite-size pieces that we can work towards in the short term, it’s going to be difficult to progress.”

It’s a very real truth and one that will resonate with key leaders and community members all over Townsville, but it’s not all bad news, with Mark saying there has been a positive shift in our city.

“In the last year we’ve really noticed a big change of mentality, so a lot of the negativity is disappearing, at our end of the spectrum at least. We’re seeing a lot of optimism in the development industry and we think there’s going to be some great change,” Mark says, adding that this change will bring positive projects for the city.

“What really excites us is buildings that contribute to the urban fabric on a larger scale. Obviously the stadium is a key project but we’ve also commenced work on the new SeaLink Tourism Project. It’s a really important project for the city, for locals and also crucial for people visiting,” Mark says. “I think Townsville has so much potential to grow and become a really fantastic jewel in the crown for northern Australia, we just need to get that momentum and positivity going, which we’ve already started to see.”

Tuning in to the needs of our city is no easy task, but Zammi and Mark have taken it in their stride, gaining praise from other leaders in our city such as George Milford, who says they are doing “great things in the tropical design space”. George himself is no stranger to modern thinking, with a variety of key ideas that could get the cogs turning in our city.

George Milford - Milford Planning Milford Planning have gone from strength to strength in their five years of business, successfully becoming one of the largest specialist planning consultancies in regional Queensland. This has allowed Milford Planning Director, George Milford, to take on several significant jobs and get an inside look at the needs of our city.

One of the most notable changes he says Townsville will see is the focus on new industry and commercial projects.

“Townsville will see a massive change in the next decade,” says George. “Whilst it’s important that people have places to live – and yes these do contribute to the economy – it’s not what drives jobs, growth or makes us more competitive.

It’s about projects in the agriculture industry, port and medicine, no matter what size, that keep us busy and hire people. If the people have jobs and they’re confident, they’re going to build, sub-divide, get units and find places to live.

The focus needs to be on those little projects and making them viable. ”

George builds on this by saying it’s also the small businesses that will future-proof our economy.

“I don’t think there will be – or should be – a sudden thing that is going to employ 3,000 people and make everyone happy. It’s too risky. We need a diverse base of small, different industries that are robust and can grow organically and independently of what else is happening in the world.

It’s all the little 10-100 person employers that make us healthier.”

Another driver for jobs has been the Port Access Road.

“The port access road is essentially a connection between the port, all those western shires, mineral provinces and agricultural places. It makes sense that we should be competitive with the businesses that go there because they’re making the most of Townsville’s geographic position,” says George. “It’s those things around the fringes that are going to get jobs and encourage people to live in the CBD or in the suburbs, all of which fundamentally drives the CBD and Townsville forward as a regional centre.”

When it comes to our other strengths, George says “we should capitalise on what The Strand means for our city and region in the same way we should capitalise on what our unique geographic location means to our economy.”

“It’s very significant recreational infrastructure that is attractive to locals and people from out of town or overseas so why wouldn’t you try and maximise the return and build upon the experience it offers? Some might be afraid that their view is going to get interrupted but it doesn’t need to be about buildings that are locked up for residents and owners. It should be about activation on the ground floor, density, tropical design and creating foot traffic. The Strand is a natural strength that is relevant to our future, so we need to make the most of it,” he says.

George is also working on exciting technology that could help councils, governments and community members when it comes to the approval process.

“No one has written a scheme or town plan that is native electronically yet. Town plans and planning documents have become really difficult for the general lay-person to understand. So people have come to use town-planners to deal with tasks that should be just an administrative ‘tick the box’ process. We’ve been trying to develop an electronic interface so someone can input their address, say what they want to do and have the criteria shown to them,” George says, adding that it would alleviate the strain on town planners.

“Every time someone rings or makes an enquiry about approvals, we spend about three hours identifying relevant approvals process and costs. If we’re getting 40 inquiries a month, that’s three weeks of work just to figure out how to get these projects approved. So you can see why it makes sense,” says George, noting that it will also help regions that struggle to hire or get in-house planners.

These innovative solutions, suggestions and plans might be the start – but it’s Townsville’s key leaders pushing for progress that will be the reason our city becomes a formidable name in the north. If we don’t do anything, it’s not just opportunities that will pass us by; it will be other cities and states. Townsville has far too much potential to let that happen, which is why it’s time to push for change.

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What a year 1983 was. Australia II had won the America’s Cup, Bob Hawke became Prime Minister, Australiana was number one on the singles chart and Townsville was introduced to Steve “Pricey” Price. With over 30 years of radio experience under his belt, Pricey’s name has certainly become synonymous with our tropical identity.

4TO FM TOWNSVILLE

Both Pricey and 4TO FM’s overwhelming success comes down to the ability to connect community members together – a skill that any businessman would tell you is the foundation for longevity and success.

“4TO in those years – as it is now – is such an amazing part of the community. It’s a part of people’s lives and that’s half the fun.”

“It’s a whole new lease on life working at a radio station which has incredible history,” Pricey says, enthusiasm for 4TO FM’s 86-year history clear in his voice.

4TO FM has seen many changes in their near century of operation but they know better than anyone that the rules of business are no different, regardless of industry.

“The most important person to us is the listener, the most important person to the shop and business owners is the client,” Pricey says. “If you’re a new business to

this part of the world, spend time and learn. You can have your great business acumen and your finance and product knowledge, but you’ve got to know the audience.

Take time to learn about the city and its attitudes. For example, if they’re going to shop on the weekend, be open on the weekend.”

86 Years

However, he says business in Townsville has a unique aspect to it that big cities – like Sydney or Melbourne – would struggle to ever replicate.

“Everyone wants you to be successful. Yes, even your competition,” he says with a laugh. “In fact, half the time your competition will help you in this city. They will help you out when you’re in strife and when you need to learn. What we’ve got to do up here is help each other and find a way to make sure there’s work because if there’s work, there’s money going around and that benefits every business regardless of what you do.”

Pricey says it’s also important for businesses to go back through their own history and re-evaluate what worked and what was successful in order to apply it to our modern-day needs.

“Have a look at things and say, ‘gee that worked, why did that work? How can I reinvent that to suit now?” Pricey says. “We’ve done it here at 4TO FM. If you can do that, it’ll pay itself off in the business and you’ll be wondering why you didn’t do it in the first place.”

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Nestled among Townsville’s parklands, just ten minutes from the CBD is the gorgeous Rowes Bay Golf Club, which started as a volunteer organisation in 1967 and grew to employ 25 locals.

“We’ve taken over the golf shop and put in state-of-theart cash-register systems which link trophy accounts for members in the bar and shop, so they can utilise the money they win in both areas,” Gary says proudly.

ROWES BAY GOLF CLUB

Yet, it’s not their picturesque views that have kept them in business for over fifty years – rather, their dedication to changing with the times and focusing on their strengths. It’s this dedication that has seen them become the biggest membership-based golf course outside of Brisbane for non-resorts. Impressive!

General Manager, Gary, has implemented several key measures to ensure the course continues to run smoothly. Many of which are simple, yet incredibly effective.

“The better you service the people the more they come back and enjoy the experience regardless of the business” It’s important for all businesses to look at their most crucial asset and see how they can continually improve it. For Rowes Bay, this is obviously their golf course but also their passion for providing top-notch service. By continually providing a good experience both on and off the course, Gary says it comes back to them in the form of corporate sponsorship and new memberships, which pushes the club into a better position year after year.

“Everyone is working harder for their dollar, you just have to work smarter with what you do and you still just survive on service,” Gary says.

Whilst short-term expenses certainly help to improve long-term benefits, it shouldn’t have to create a strain on your budget if you’re smart about it. “We have state of the art watering systems, which is what you have to do to save water and power,” Gary says, as he tells us about the smart provisions he’s put in place to keep all 27 golfing greens up to spec.

“That’s really how we sustain what we do. Most of the diverse businesses that move with the times and stay in the zone, survive.”

50 Years

Acquiring the golf shop has been a hugely helpful way for them to streamline services and keep the cash flow within their club so they can continue to improve the experience for everyone.

“We’ve had to change the way a lot of our memberships are structured now,” Gary says. “So it’s direct debited out of an account, which improved our monthly cash flow and made a big difference to our rolling cash flow throughout the year. We also changed our system so we pay all our leases and loans over nine months. This means we don’t pay leases and loans through the wet period and if we don’t get a wet season, then it puts us right on the front foot for the rest of the year. Technology is just so advanced these days so it’s one of those things you just keep learning.”

With Castle Hill as the backdrop and gorgeous rolling greens in every direction, it makes sense that Rowes Bay Golf Club would see the potential for visual mediums such as social media. It’s a step that many businesses in their age bracket simply don’t take advantage of but Gary says it has helped immensely.

“Social media has been a massive part of our business and it’s really made a big difference to our business. We capture a different market and we reach out to a lot of different people that wouldn’t normally come here, so we’ve just had to move with the times,” Gary says.

Paul Rissman, a McDonalds Licensee, attended a Ronald McDonald House North Queensland Charity Golf Day at Rowes Bay Golf Club and says that keeping business alive also comes back to how you treat the community.

“You have to give back in a town like Townsville. We can’t do it without the support of each other and they understand that and it’s quite evident that they support us in many ways.”

The improvements don’t stop there either, with technolgy playing a huge part in the clubs advancement.

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If letters from the Queen were given to businesses, Ede Shade Solutions would have one royal piece of paper on their hands. Successfully making it through 102 years of business, Bronwyn – who is a fourth generation family member and co-director for the company – says the company has certainly been through some hurdles.

“In 1964 our shop, which was located on Victoria Bridge, burnt down,” Bronwyn says. “This was devastating for our family at the time but Clary was able to set up temporary shop and everyone in the town, including suppliers from the South, helped to keep him in business while the new shop was built.”

Since then, Bronwyn says one of the biggest hurdles was adjusting to technology, which they did quite early!

After being in business for so long, it’s tempting to ease off and simply rely on loyal customers. However, Ede’s passionate staff have always had a finger on the pulse with their rebranding and plans to innovate internally pushing them ahead.

“Our 100 year anniversary and celebration was a massive turning point for us I believe. We rebranded with a new name, added a showroom so our customers could see and feel the products, updated our website and created more of a social media presence than ever before,” Bronwyn says.

“We are constantly reviewing our business and how we’re tracking to achieve our goals. It’s difficult to find the time to work on the business instead of in it but it’s

EDE SHADE SOLUTIONS

“My father Daryl could see where technology was going and implemented computers back in the eighties. This was a huge step for the business back then and even resulted in two office employees retiring,” she says.

“Now we have started the process of moving to the Cloud. Again, another big step and this time it’s me getting used to the change.”

“IT’S DIFFICULT TO FIND THE TIME TO WORK ON THE BUSINESS INSTEAD OF IN IT BUT IT’S SOMETHING THAT MUST BE DONE” However, Bronwyn says that adapting to technology shouldn’t just be done to suit the business, with customer experience and interaction a key focus as well.

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102 Years

something that must be done. Putting in the hard work now will lead to seeing the result of our vision in the future.”

Their other co-director and third-generation family member, Russell Ede, agrees. “Obviously a lot of things have changed over the 100 years in business but to me I think being in a smaller city has definitely got its advantages.

We find working close with other companies benefits you as compared to trying to work against them,” Russel says.

These may sound like simple lessons but how many times have you put off up-skilling staff, looking at budgets, making charts or knuckling down to create a three to five year plan due to being time-poor? Being in business means that you’ll almost always be time-poor – it’s when you have too much time on your hands that you should be worried.

When it comes to Townsville law firms, one of the most notable and long-standing names is wilson/ryan/ grose Lawyers – and for good reason! They have continuously served the Townsville community since 1895, working through two World Wars, a Global Financial Crisis, subsequent Great Depression and every natural disaster Mother Earth could have thrown at Townsville. One of their founders, Lachlan Chisolm Wilson, even found fame leading Australian troops through Gallipoli and Palestine throughout World War I.

“We set budgets yearly and monitor them monthly. We have a three year plan which is monitored and reviewed to ensure it is relevant and we are on track, which we usually review twice a year,” Michelle says.

WILSON/RYAN/GROSE Their Managing Partner, Michelle Morton, says that despite everything our world and city has been through, their firm has adapted to the modern era and differing client needs, learning some huge lessons along the way.

“The practice of law has completely changed over 100 years, particularly in the way in which we communicate with our clients,” Michelle says. “We originally had typewriters, telex machines, facsimile machines, massive computers and massive printers and we now have a paperless office using sophisticated legal software, tablets, laptops and mobile phones. We interact with our clients via LinkedIn, Facebook and electronics.”

However, Michelle says that communication isn’t the only thing the Internet has changed.

“We have to do what the Internet and Google don’t,” Michelle says, explaining that the team constantly work to ensure they put together a solid solution for their clients and provide a better service than those who might be enticed to research it themselves.

In this digital era you’d be hard-pressed to find an industry that’s not overrun by competition which is why Michelle says the best decision they made was finding a niche.

“One of the major and significant strategies we implemented was specialisation,” Michelle says. “We valued what our clients said and understood that they were looking for highly specialist advice but didn’t want to go to capital cities to obtain it. So that’s one of our long-term strategies which has been very successful. It also means our people have a better quality of working life. So instead of having to know a little bit about some things it is a lot less stressful to be focused.”

Successfully navigating their way through times of unexpected toil also comes down to their in-depth business structure, which keeps them on top of monthly and yearly progress – a business strategy that Michelle says everyone should employ and more importantly, stick to.

122 Years

“We have spent a lot of time trying to ensure that we weatherproof ourselves, so we think hard about where we’re heading, where we think the new industries are, where the new work is going to be, what kind of skills we’re going to have to meet, the needs of our business community and the needs of our private clients.”

On top of keeping up with industry trends, they also strive to keep up with clients and their needs, which often means streamlining their business to make it more accessible for clients.

“I think we’ve had to become far more approachable, far more adaptable and far more responsive because of the accessibility that people want. You have to be willing to embrace that,” Michelle says.

“WE HAVE TO DO WHAT THE INTERNET AND GOOGLE DON’T” “You also have to be affordable. We have to be able to make sure that we meet the expectations of the community with respect to providing trusted and correct advice in a timely manner and an affordable fashion,” Michelle adds.

Keeping their clients happy also comes down to keeping their employees happy and ensuring they have the right staff.

“Our people are extremely important. I think you do need to invest the time into training people and making them believe that they are valuable and what they do is valued,” Michelle says. “I think that we have a great culture of respecting and treating people in a way that makes them want to do the best for our clients. Then obviously the most important thing after our staff is that everyone here has to be a hundred percent committed to our clients. Our clients are extremely important and our staff must work within this culture of recognising that we’re here to deliver the best service we can to the community and our clients.”

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Tech in Townsville with Fierce Ventures Townsville is famous for being a garrison city, a resource gateway and having 320 days of sunshine each year.

It’s not known for producing technology companies.

However, with growth comes diversification.

In the last five years we have witnessed the birth of successful technology companies like SafetyCulture and JESI, along with a growing tech startup community capable of attracting talented engineers and designers from out of town. Fierce Ventures is one such story.

CEO Stuart King and Designer Sean Bunton created a company together in San Francisco developing intellectual property in payments infrastructure.

After returning to Australia in 2014 they created Fierce Ventures – a design-driven software company that builds new products from the ground up.

The duo has seen some huge wins since 2014. In 2016 their work on the Zova Fitness App won the coveted Apple Design Award. Being based in Townsville hasn’t stopped them from succeeding in winning big projects.

They both agree that swapping a horizon of skyscrapers for one filled with Castle Hill hasn’t hindered the company’s progress in the least.

“It doesn’t matter where you live if you are building great software. For me it came down to lifestyle and being part of a community where we can make a change and inspire others to do the same. Townsville has more going for it than it realises.” says Sean.

Stuart agrees. “Townsville is such a great place. I don’t think I embraced it the way I should have when I first moved here but I have changed. When I see how happy my wife and kids are here it means a lot. Townsville has been through some tough times but there is no doubt it’s on the up. There are so many interesting things happening here, a lot of growing creative and cultural enterprises and plenty of development. I’m proud to say that we’re a Townsville tech company.”

Software is advancing businesses world-wide and it’s exciting to see our very own companies contributing to that advancement. A healthy startup ecosystem is a good indicator of growth and the Townsville startup ecosystem is growing fast.

“In the three years I’ve been here there has certainly been growth in the community,” says Stuart. “The community has created Innovation NQ, we have amazing entrepreneurs coming through all the time. There are regular design and technology events. There’s definitely a movement forming in Townsville around technology, design, start-ups and entrepreneurship.”

As a city, we are fortunate to have tech entrepreneurs like Stuart and Sean joining our business community, providing intelligent technology products, helping to build an industry and creating new jobs. Something tells me Fierce won’t be their last venture.

“We get to work on really interesting things solving really interesting problems,” says Stuart. “But, we still have ambitions to build our own products again. It’s in our blood.”

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WHERE ARE WE NOW? POPULATION

DENSITY

WORK

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

229, 031 Male 50.1% Female 49.9% Median Age 36

259 people per square kilometre 4th most populated Queensland city

Full Time 58.7% Part Time 27.4% Away from work 5.2% Unemployed 8.7%

Defence 5.3% Hospitals 5.2% Primary Education 3.0% Supermarket and Grocery Stores 2.6% Takeaway Food Services 2.4%.

THE CITY'S TOUGH DECISIONS There’s a wide diversity of priorities that are being expressed from our Townsville business community. Those who want to see Townsville grow to become the metropolis of the north and those who long to return to the days when we had a sleepy population of 90,000 people. Here’s the thing: we can’t go backwards. Growth comes with a wealth of benefits – both for our community, the businesses and our future generations – and Townsville is on the cusp of reaping these rewards. However, our decision makers and leaders must come together as one in order to make the tough decisions that will drive us forward, otherwise we face the risk of moving into a directionless future.

WHAT DOES GROWTH MEAN? Geoffrey West, Theoretical Physicist and distinguished professor of the Sante Fe Institute, has spent his career studying and creating scientific formulas on the growth and behaviour of cities.

“Cities are just a physical manifestation of your interactions, our interaction and the clustering and grouping of individuals.” – GEOFFREY WEST

Geoffrey and his team have unearthed a formula which indicates that as a city, “the bigger you are, the more you have per capita.” So what’s the magic number? It’s 15% to be accurate. He calls this the 1.15 rule.

“If you double the size of a city – from 100,00 to 200,000, from 1 million to 2 million, from 10 million to 20 million, it doesn’t matter – then systematically you get a 15% increase in wages, wealth, number of aids cases, number of police, anything you can think of, it goes up by 15%. And you have a 15% savings on infrastructure,” he said in a recent talk.

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This 15% rule is true regardless of where you are on the planet. It’s universal. Based on this factor alone, it’s no surprise that so many people are attracted to cities. This clustering of people living together as part of a networked ecosystem brings efficiencies, economy of scale, shared resources and infrastructure and higher wages. However, it also creates problems with crime rate, congestion and more.

THE QUESTION IS… Growth has exceptional benefits for Townsville.

This includes keeping our talented North Queensland youth – your sons, daughters, friends – in our working community.

The Greater Tokyo area has 38 million inhabitants. That’s 14 million more than the entire population of Australia. Yet Tokyo was voted one of the worlds most livable metropolises by Monocle in 2016. At the end of the day, controlling the size of a city is near impossible. There are so many factors that impact on population numbers. But what we can control is how we manage that growth. Do we want to attract more skilled workers? Do we want to focus on the resources sector, or do we want to diversify?

Do we want to build on innovation? Do we want tourism? All these are questions that determine how we grow and what the city will look like 10 years from now.

“It is all too often forgotten that the whole point of a city is to bring people together, to facilitate interaction, and thereby to create ideas and wealth, to enhance innovative thinking and encourage entrepreneurship and cultural activity by taking advantage of the extraordinary opportunities that the diversity of a great city offers.” ‐ GEOFFREY WEST

HERE’S THE CATCH As a community, and particularly as a business community, we’re not all going to want the same thing. However, to ensure Townsville’s continuous growth and success, questions need to be discussed and debated so we can set a clear direction for the decision makers in our city to follow. If we’re not all pulling in the same direction, toward the same goals, we’ll be sailing into an unknown future with no keel or rudder. Townsville’s internal struggle is that we still want the small town connections that we have come to love so much. What some don’t realize is that we don’t have to sacrifice those benefits if we get bigger. We just need to find a balance so we can continue close relationships.

Within a single generation, this city has doubled in size. We are still getting used to the increased demands on resources, infrastructure, planning, services and more. As a city, we need to learn from other regions who have handled population growth well and as a business community, we need to set a clear direction for the region that our decision makers and elected leaders will follow. Don’t leave it to someone else. Get involved at every level. Join business networks, go to functions and breakfasts, meet people, listen, discuss the problems and potentials of our region and let’s find solutions together and set a clear direction for this beautiful city. Our growth is in your hands.

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Our Up and Coming Leaders The next generation of leaders won’t just consist of university leavers or young entrepreneurs – they’ll also be made up of high-school students who are ready and rearing to go now. This collection of talented Townsville students proves that an insatiable desire to learn and move forward, combined with the right mix of teachers and support can make for a potent recipe. Here’s the proof.

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Andrea McKeough Andrea McKeough, 16, has been a student of The Cathedral School for two years, and as she prepares for the incredible opportunities that await, she credits the school for developing a solid work ethic for her future career pathways.

“Cathedral goes above and beyond when it comes to gearing their students towards success,” beams Andrea who is excitedly preparing for her graduation. “I came to the school with high aspirations for pursuing either Medicine or Law, but through work experience and other opportunities such as the Careers Expo and the JCU Experience Day, I’ve shifted my focus to options I know would be more enjoyable for me rather than options that were more prestigious. While I’m interested in Chemistry and Biology, Cathedral has also kept me attached to my interest in visual art and computer work.”

Multiple award winner Andrea has excelled during her time at Cathedral, winning both the 2016 and 2017 Distinctive Academic Achievement award. However, it’s the people that helped shape her into the young woman she is today that she is most grateful for. “What I’ve enjoyed most is the students and teachers I’ve been able to connect with in the brief two years I’ve spent at Cathedral. They have encouraged me to work hard and grow and achieve higher than I ever would have without their influence.”

Coming from a small town in the Northern Territory where she shared a classroom with three other people, a shift to the Cathedral environment was quite a culture shock for Andrea.

“With a cohort around 35 times bigger than what I was used to, it took me a little time to break out of my shell, but I’ve grown to adore the wonderful, talented, hilarious friends I’ve made in my senior years.”

Following a short, well-earned break in the Whitsundays to celebrate ‘Schoolie’s Week’, Andrea will embark on a gap year to work and build a solid foundation for herself.

While the temptation of universities from far and wide offer excitement, she is incredibly enticed by the possibilities here in Townsville.

“From what I’ve seen, the Townsville business community is excellent. Even though I’ve only lived here for two years, it’s abundantly clear that everyone is highly professional, incredibly driven, intelligent and compassionate. Who wouldn’t be enticed to become a part of that? The opportunities that local businesses lend to school leavers are generous and extensive. They also speak volumes about how graduates are viewed: as valuable members of the community. It’s reassuring to know these businesses are willing to train you from the ground up to become a skilled worker, as long as you’re willing to put in the effort.”

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Kayla Singleton At just 16 years of age, Kirwan High graduate Kayla Singleton’s hard work and determination has not only seen her achieve some remarkable things during her education, but set her up for a promising future.

Top of her class in Year 11 and 12 and award recipient of the Peter Doherty Award for Outstanding Senior STEM Students and the prestigious John Livingston 110% Award, Kayla has set the bar very high.

It’s not only her academic achievements that have set Kayla in good stead for her continued development, but her charitable nature which has seen her volunteer at both the Townsville Hospital and James Cook University.

“I have participated in a school holiday volunteering program at the Townsville Hospital, and when possible, I spend time helping out at the Heart, Trauma and Sepsis Laboratory at James Cook University.”

In addition to her volunteer work at JCU, Kayla has also completed an extension mathematics course through the University, receiving a High Distinction. Add to this a three week internship at the Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, Germany, and it’s easy to see Kayla’s passion for science has already taken her places.

“I’m hoping to complete a Bachelor of Biomedicine followed by a Doctor of Medicine in Melbourne, or a Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine at Griffith,” says Kayla.

And while her studies may take her from Townsville in the short term, Kayla says, “I absolutely believe there are opportunities in Townsville for school leavers. Townsville is rapidly growing in terms of both economy and as a city. There are many options for school leavers, both job and study-wise.

I’ve spent most of my life in Townsville, so I definitely plan to return after finishing my studies. I would also like to offer specialist services in rural areas, and believe Townsville will give me the opportunity to do that.”

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We’re opening up new opportunities for young talent and grassroots innovators to contribute to North Queensland’s growth.

To find out about the I-TAP NQ partnership between local government, education and industry contact: Myles Coker, Partnerships Manager myles.coker@ghd.com

Are you inspired by the next generation of industry and community leaders?

Smart Seeds is a global innovation program connecting young talent with today’s leaders to inspire innovation in infrastructure.

Launching in Townsville from March to May 2018, the program brings together early-career* participants, experienced mentors and influential judges from across North Queensland. Show your support for North Queensland’s young talent as they generate fresh ideas to tackle complex challenges facing the region.

Register your organisation’s young talent at www.smartseeds.org/north-queensland. For more information about Smart Seeds contact Jake Pether jake.pether@ghd.com. *talented individuals with up to seven years’ working experience and a passion for the region’s future infrastructure are eligible to participate.

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Jack Cobon Many leaders would argue that a key attribute for our next generation of innovators is often their ability to engage with the community and give of themselves to improve others lives. Jack Cobon, 18, of Ignatius Park College, is a shining example of this.

Jack is a regular visitor to the Townsville Community Learning Centre for children with special needs, on the board for the inaugural Townsville Sony Foundation Children’s Holiday Camp, assistant at the Challenge Games, fundraiser for the equity gap of our Indigenous Australians, school Blood Bank ambassador, member of the Saint Vincent de Paul Youth Conference and Twin Cities Leo’s Club and, believe it or not, that is just to name a few.

Jack insists that his generous and kind nature is partly a result of the values instilled in him at Ignatius Park. “Show kindness to everyone. Respect everyone and everything around you and hopefully, you’ll get that same respect.”

His dedication to his community has not gone unnoticed, winning the prestigious Secondary Schools Citizenship Award from the Order of Australia Association Queensland Branch, presented at Parliament House in Brisbane. His additional school accolades also include the Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award, Edmund Rice Service Award, Cultural Significance Award and Diligence Award.

“I enjoy the challenge of being outside my comfort zone and never missing an opportunity,” says Jack as he considers his next move. “I’m considering going to University to study Biomedical Science or Biotechnology. Who knows where that will take me. I would eventually like to work in research and help in developing countries.”

Jack sees the potential on offer in his own backyard too, explaining, “I have been tossing up all year whether to stay in Townsville or make a change and go to Brisbane and study there. JCU have some great courses, it is a great university and you get work experience while you’re there to get you ready for the workplace from what I hear. There are definitely opportunities here for school leavers. Some of my friends have already got jobs in the trade and hospitality industries here in Townsville. There are also many community service options as well, right here in Townsville.”

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www.cpoint.com.au

A LOCAL TEAM OF ARCHITECTS - SHAPING NORTH QUEENSLAND

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The national brand we can learn from Four years ago, business partners Natalene Carter and David Griffin travelled the world in search of their perfect venture. The duo had the vision, passion and work ethic needed to take on a national brand. That’s when they found RID.

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“You might make mistakes but you just realise how you can do better and make sure you don’t make them again.”

David and Natalene had extensive business backgrounds, but when it came to insect repellent it was an exciting – and unknown – world. Unlike other businesses, the insecticide industry doesn’t have the luxury of a quick turnaround, with Natalene saying that products RID were working on that morning wouldn’t see supermarket shelves for two years. This is why innovation and forward thinking was an integral part of the duos business plan.

“We very quickly went down the path of product innovation,” Natalene says proudly, talking about how they rebranded the company, innovated manufacturing processes and successfully doubled the RID range in four years. “We constantly read the market to see what trends were happening, what customers were doing and what we could develop to match future demand.”

So why double the range? Well, when researching their competitors Natalene and David immediately noticed the lack of diversity in their range, which encouraged them to work faster and harder than ever.

“We’ve also recently launched a brand called Terminator, which enters a new multi-purpose insect killer product range to the insecticide market,” Natalene says. “We made a strategic decision, to increase our offering of quality Australian owned brands, across this sector. It’s an endorsement to our strengths in the category of insecticides that now extends to bug killers for the home. It also gives our customers confidence with Australian owned brands that work in our Aussie environment.”

RID aren’t just stretching their product line either. Now that Natalene and David have found a niche in the Australian market, they have huge plans to expand into Singapore and other Asian countries.

“Our off season is their peak season, so it makes a lot of sense for us to export to those countries,” says Natalene. It’s been personalised by David’s understanding of these regions and his depth of experience in export that strengthened the company’s’ product development strategy in offshore markets. “It takes a collaboration of minds, research, focus, forward thinking and determination in ourselves that allows us to successfully export our products overseas. We have products on the water soon to reach new destinations.”

To gain a better understanding of how the business worked, Natalene even spent her first couple of days on the warehouse floor to actively expand her knowledge across the business. “Spending time at the ground gave me hands-on experience that I could have never learned just by asking questions from my desk,” she says.

Since taking on RID with David, Natalene has also learnt several other key skills in business, with negotiation high on her list – although not in the way you’d expect.

“It’s quite funny how the whole thing transpired,” Natalene says with a grin.

“The previous owner of RID and I were going back and forth with solicitors when she rang me after I had finished watching my daughter swim at the Long Tan pool. She said, ‘I’ve had enough, let’s get this deal done now’. We literally worked out the deal at the steering wheel of my car at the Long Tan pool. The negotiation process as a whole was a huge learning curve but together we did it.” Natalene says.

However, she says that not having all the skills shouldn’t stop you from chasing your business dreams.

“You just say you’re up for it, learn from others and you keep going. You might make mistakes but you just realise how you can do things better and make sure you don’t make them again.”

One point that Natalene drives home is, that you don’t need to know every aspect of an industry before working in it – and she’s spot on.

“It’s not all about what you’re selling though, yes you need to know your products, but if you have the commitment and capacity to understand a little bit of everything – like business, cash flow, stock control, sales, marketing, logistics, good management practices and most of all your customer – you can run any type of business.”

Natalene and David’s story is inspirational, unconventional and all round raw. Not only does it break the mould, it proves that there’s more than one way to learn from and run a business. So why stick to the conventional path? RID is proof you can branch out.

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JOB

Envy

Choosing a job that suits your DNA is no easy task.

While we can’t all get paid to travel the world and ‘test’ cocktails or drive fast cars around race tracks to check their ‘fuel efficiency’, we can build on the skills that will lead us there, which is exactly what these three locals did. They now spend their days diving with Dwarf Minke Whales, flying hundred thousand dollar drones into underground tunnels and taking women on Adventure Therapy journey’s around the globe. These stories are eye-opening and inspiring, proving that no matter what your dream job, nothing is impossible.

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Drones in underground mines

Flying

Five years ago, Ashley Walker finished university and started flying drones, utilising their incredible potential at the fringe of an industry that had barely begun. Now he’s at the forefront of that industry, flying $100,000 drones into constricted underground mining tunnels to gain valuable information – and that’s just the start!

When Ashley and David Cole – Founder and Director of Dech-Mec Pty Ltd and FlyFreely – came across CSIRO’s new LIDAR sensor technology, they immediately started integrating the new sensors with drone technology to create 3D renders of a space or environment. This resulted in Ashley piloting RPAS (drones) inside underground mines.

Here they could get “really interesting and highly valuable pieces of information” that would have worldwide applications for them, should it succeed.

“The intention was to develop a system with CSIRO that allowed a less experienced operator to fly, in a completely assisted mode with no GPS, into the underground mine and come back with an aircraft and payload worth over $100,000… without losing it,” says Ashley.

We can’t help but laugh and listen in awe as Ashley walks us through his first attempt at getting data from a stope, which is an underground mining area where ore has been removed.

“The first stope we ever came across had rock mesh completely obscuring half the entrance plus

fragments of rock mesh and rope hanging out the other half. “Our aircraft was 1.8 metres wide and the entrance, based on visual observation, was less than 2.5 metres,” he says with a laugh. As if that wasn’t enough, Ashley also had to deal with an unknown airflow and the sound of small rockfalls, which could have meant game over. “It was the second most intense flight I’ve ever done. The most intense was similar, but I had all the executives of the mine behind me.”

Just five years into his working career, Ashley trains RPAS pilots, performs high risk operations and plays a key role in FlyFreely – a new company making drone operations accessible to any business. On top of all this, Ashley has been one of very few people in Australia to get approval for a tandem flight with a manned aircraft, which is both remarkable and daring.

“We’ve also got VFR integration, special VFR and we were one of the first in Australia to be granted Australia-wide night approvals.”

If there’s one thing that Ashley proves, it’s that nonconventional careers offer a unique and thrilling experience, but he didn’t get here by chance. Ashley was building his own 3D printers a year out of highschool and coding his own drones the moment he got his hands on one, which he says proves that it’s all about “finding what interests you”.

“If you know the general direction of what you want to do, you’ll eventually find exactly what you want.”

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Adventure therapist

Living life as an

Since the age of 18, Bridget Kruger has been living an incredible life of adventure. She nannied for worldwide champions in Austria, hiked the Alps multiple times, volunteered in Africa and got a Masters in Adventure Recreation and Outdoor Education in New Zealand. Now, she’s using that degree to improve the lives of women all over the world through her job as an Adventure Therapist.

Being an Adventure Therapist sounds incredible – but it’s natural to wonder what this eclectic job entails. Bridget filled us in.

“Basically, I use adventure – and adventure doesn’t have to be extreme sports – to challenge a person to get outside their comfort zone.” Bridget says. “So I basically create a space that’s safe emotionally and physically but still has that element of perceived risk so that it pushes people to change. This way they understand who they are, what their reactions are and how they can better themselves.”

To create these safe environments, Bridget uses counselling, psychology and the seclusion of nature to help clients improve a range of things. From quality of life, behavioural issues, mental health problems and more. The response has been so overwhelmingly positive response that she’s even decided to move to Norway and create a retreat centre for women there.

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“We want to create a space where women can come and connect back to who they are as a person and sort of re-wild themselves. I think some women are scared or they get into that place where they’re not feeling their strongest anymore, so to be able to connect a whole tribe of women together from all over the world and bring them on an adventure trip together will be such an amazing adventure experience.” she says passionately.

Bridget hopes to bring women on retreats to Mt Everest Basecamp, Mount Kilimanjaro and other breathtakingly natural places in order to help them.

However, whilst she adores her job, Bridget says the journey towards it wasn’t always easy.

“It’s been very difficult for me – especially when I come home to such a standardized place.” Bridget says, as she talks about the pressure to undertake a more regular degree and the challenges she faced trying a “normal” job. However, she says that taking the job was ultimately what pushed her to make the leap.

“I felt like I had lost my magic and I wanted to get back to my strongest and most powerful self, which I knew I could do through adventure.” she says.

“It’s such a powerful concept to create connections for women and forge that journey and process for them and I wanted to be able to that. It’s about living, not just existing.”

D

warfs Diving with Minke whale dwarfs that is In the offshore Ribbon Reefs near Lizard Island float a group of dedicated marine biologists from JCU Townsville looking to study the mysterious dwarf minke whales, which were only discovered in the late 80s. These reefs are the only known aggregation site in the world, which makes studying them a truly fascinating and unique experience.

Here in Townsville, James Cook University’s PhD student, Suzanne Hillcoat. has spent dozens of hours in the water with dwarf minke whales studying their behaviour and growth rates as part of her role in the Minke Whale Project.

“You’re in the water and it’s blue in every direction, you can’t see the bottom,” says Suzanne as she describes her first time seeing a dwarf minke whale. “You’re staring off into the abyss and then all of a sudden there’s this seven metre long animal coming out of the blue and approaching you and you make eye contact with a whale. It’s the most surreal experience and after you do it once there’s no turning back,” she says.

Originally hailing from Toronto in Canada, Suzanne says that finding the Marine Biology course at JCU was a “eureka” moment that led her on a fascinating path of discovery.

“The ocean is kind of like the final frontier on the planet. I mean, we’ve explored space and we still don’t know what’s in the oceans,” she says. “It’s also really funny because when

people ask for career advice, most marine biologists say ‘if you’re getting into marine to swim with dolphins and whales, you’re barking up the wrong tree because no one really does that’. Whereas I can’t give the same advice because that’s exactly what I’m doing,” she says with a laugh.

There are several intriguing aspects to Suzanne’s role in the study, with size measurements, growth rates and behaviour her main focus. However, she says there are numerous flow on effects from the project that are changing the industry.

“The Minke Whale Project has facilitated a uniquely collaborative relationship between the tourism industry, management, and science,” she says. “We also make a lot of our IDs and capture interesting behaviour from footage that tourists give us, so it makes for an interesting citizen science aspect,” she adds, noting that only a very small handful of operators have permission to take tourists on minke whale trips.

From here, Suzanne hopes that innovation and technology will merge with science to create an automated photo-identification system for dwarf minke whales, which would be a first in the world.

When it comes to unique jobs – swimming with and studying whales certainly has to top the list!

Photo credit: Tourism & Events Queensland 45

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Solar Relief

THE SOLUTION FOR ENERGY POVERTY

Everyone in the north has experienced going without power for some period of time. We’re used to cyclones and power outages and almost everybody owns or has access to a generator.

However, generators need fuel, which is something that’s hard to come by during a natural disaster.

What would you do if you were in Fiji or Puerto Rico where 3.4 million people were left without power after Hurricane Maria? Solar Relief has built a creative power storage solution designed perfectly for disaster relief which has loads of extra practical uses for when there’s no storm in sight.

Trent Small is the local innovator behind Solar Relief and he’s fighting energy poverty globally. His efforts have recently won him a United Nations Energy Globe Award for the work Solar Relief has been doing in Fiji.

“I came up with the Solar Relief concept in 2011 after Cyclone Yasi,” Trent says.

“We’re now providing these units into different areas around the world that require power and developing systems and products that will be practical for people in developing nations and disaster zones around the world.”

So what’s wrong with the current energy solution?

Generators are expensive to run, require regular maintenance, parts, filters and a constant supply of fuel.

However, fuel is expensive and hard to transport. You try take a fuel truck into the highlands of PNG or into a disaster zone filled with obstructed paths, flooded highways and live wires.

The Portable Power Supply (PPS) developed by Solar Relief is a modular unit that can be charged by solar, mains power, a generator or vehicle alternator. The lithium-ion phosphate storage unit is separate from the electronics unit. This allows you to daisy chain multiple batteries as your energy needs require it. The box is relatively small (400mm x 600mm) and the unit weighs only 40kg. So you can fly a container load of these into a disaster stricken area and provide immediate power supply, charged by portable solar panels.

“With our portable power supply units, there is no maintenance required, there’s no upkeep. Just clean the solar panel, that’s about it. There’s no need for part replacements,” says Trent.

“I came up with the Solar Relief concept in 2011 after Cyclone Yasi. We’re now providing these units into different areas around the world.”

- Trent Small Even if there’s no cyclone in sight, the portable power supply can come in very handy. You can easily power your caravan, pool pump, long term camping site or even the separate solar powered electrical circuit through your house. To prove just how effective his power supply is, Trent is currently installing his system into a Brisbane home that will be powered solely by the Solar Relief PPS. So not only will you be supporting Townsville innovation with this product, you’ll be helping Trent to end the fight against energy poverty worldwide.

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Crown On Palmer

RESTAURANT | BAR | FUNCTIONS

New location

Same friendly faces, food, drinks and entertainment

Now Open

Cape Grim Steaks and Fresh Seafood

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63 Palmer Street, South Townsville Follow us on Social

The

Out

With the festive season upon us, we’re reminded about the joy this time of year brings and the feeling of togetherness.

This usually happens around a big table, adorned with lashings of indulgent sweets and savoury parcels that are shared while stories are told and laughs are had. It’s this feeling that prompted Townsville locals, Heidi Hatherell and Ash Ede, to introduce a unique and innovative style of dining unlike anything Townsville has seen.

Since its inception in May this year, The Secret Feast founders have enjoyed over ten sold-out events, catered for corporate functions and received dozens of positive reviews, yet it all started thanks to a surprise birthday party with a twist.

The next step in their culinary journey is ‘Otto’s Hens Haus’ bringing a whole new dimension to the already thriving food scene at Otto’s Market with charcoal, fried and rotisserie chicken on the menu alongside stunning salads and gourmet sides.

“Heidi’s family are in the UK so I wanted her birthday to feel special with friends all sharing gorgeous food,” Ash says, as she talks about the party she planned for best friend – and now business partner – Heidi. “We moved our furniture out of our lounge and brought in a long white table and chairs for thirty of Heidi’s closest friends, everyone loved it and so after a few drinks we started talking about combining our skills to put on a few dinners, before I knew it Heidi had built a website and The Secret Feast grew from there.”

“The Hen Haus is not a secret,” Ash laughs, as she highlights that the space includes a commercial kitchen. “It was the obvious next step to help us grow The Secret Feast and ensure that we are able to cater to the increasing demand for catering,” Ash says.

The ‘secret’ element lies in the mysterious location and dining options. “A week prior we send an email with the dress code, then the morning of the event, guests receive an email and text message with details of the location and that’s it. It’s that suspense, that surprise that people enjoy,” Heidi says.

The Secret Feast is also resonating with people around the country. “We have chefs from across Australia keen to work with us so we are looking at doing something out of state in 2018,” Heidi says. While the ladies aren’t planning on national domination just yet, local expansion is underway this month.

Ash and Heidi say this proves that with the right concept, hard work and persistence pays off even in tough times.

“Townsville has a growing foodie culture and people are willing to spend money for unique experiences and beautiful food. We work hard to ensure that each dinner is different and our Hen Haus menu is unlike anything else offered in Townsville,” Ash says.

Heidi can’t help but agree, adding, “From day one we have been focused on knowing our market and going the extra mile for our guests. We will continue to surprise and delight audiences by offering something unique in every venture we embark on and wherever this journey takes us.”

As for the rest? We can’t tell you any more, it’s a secret...

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Townsville’s Business Barometer PVW Partners are the proud custodians of our city’s most anticipated and best-recognized barometer of business sentiment – the PVW Partners’ Townsville Business Confidence Index. The quarterly index has been running continuously for over 26 years and provides true local insights into how our business leaders are thinking and feeling.

the positive trend seen since the June 2016 quarter with six consecutive quarters of positive business sentiment now having been recorded. Indeed, the March 2017 and December 2017 results reflect the two highest levels of confidence recorded since December 2007.

There is no doubt that business confidence has been strained for a long period. Opportunities for business growth have been limited and this has in turn meant limited scope to create more jobs in our city.

But the tide is slowly turning and the recent results of the survey indicate that what started as a ripple of confidence is gradually building into a new wave of optimism. Different sectors of our economy have differing levels of confidence, but the overall trend is positive.

The fundamentals for a broader economic recovery for Townsville and our region are emerging, but there continue to be many businesses and families doing it tough. One of the keys to sustaining the wave of recovery is strong and stable government, at all levels, that continues to invest in Townsville’s economic potential and enable the private sector to achieve. It is then incumbent upon our businesses to realise opportunities for growth, create new jobs and attract the talent and skills to our region that will help us build our future.

The most recent results for PVW Partners’ Townsville Business Confidence Index indicates that business confidence has strengthened in the December 2017 quarter, continuing

The future is bright and PVW Partners looks forward to working with the business community of Townsville to achieve sustainable growth for all.

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