CityLife Magazine Spring 2023

SPRING RACING 65th Cairns Amateurs

YOUNG GUNS The Ones To Watch

BUSINESS WOMEN Reach For The Stars

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Welcome to the Q3 Spring Edition of CityLife Magazine. Spring racing is upon us and fashion fever has set in! Cairns Amateurs is celebrating its Jubilee and mixing things up a bit with many new offerings. Read all about it in our cover story.

This edition is extra special as we are very excited to re-launch KIDSLife. After a 15 year hiatus, CityLife is bringing it back as a dedicated supplement. We couldn’t be happier to have some of the nation’s biggest names as our guest contributors for this edition as well as some of our favourite locals who have a wealth of knowledge to share. Check it out – just flip the cover to view the revitalised KIDSLife.

of planning our festive editions - watch this space as we bring you even more exciting content to round out the year.

Check out our new COMMUNITY NEWS section in this edition, where we celebrate locals doing us proud. If you’ve got some news you’d like to share, please drop us a line.

We’d love to hear from you and know what it is that you’d like to read about, so feel free to email us your feedback: operations@citylifemedia. com.au

Enjoy our Spring Edition, and revel in the many colourful events on offer at this beautiful time of year in our little piece of paradise. CityLife

We are fast approaching the end of the year and as we only have one more quarter to go we are already in the advanced stages

WHAT’S ON

AUG 25 - SEP 2

CAIRNS FESTIVAL Cairns City

Afternoons and evenings

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

AUG 26

CAIRNS FESTIVAL FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR

Cairns Esplanade

7:30 pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

AUG 26

CAIRNS FESTIVAL GRAND PARADE

Cairns Esplanade

5:30 pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

AUG 27

ALIVE PHARMACY WAREHOUSE RIDE FOR ISABEL

Norman Park Gordonvale

7am

www.fnqhf.org.au

AUG 28

STRING SYMPHONY BY SPARE PARTS PUPPET THEATRE

Lagoon Plaza Cairns Esplanade

5:00 pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

AUG 29

LIGHT MOVES BY BONEMAP

Lake Placid Recreational Reserve

Session 1: 6:30pm - 7:15pm

Session 2: 7:30pm - 8:15pm Session 3: 8:30pm - 9:15pm www.cairns.qld.gov.au

AUG 30

ENERGY EXHIBITION

Tank 4 Gallery, Tanks Arts Centre

Open: 9.00am – 4.30pm weekdays, 10:00am – 2.00pm weekends

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

SEP 1

FREE OPEN AIR MOVIE: BLUE BACK

Norman Park, Gordonvale

6pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

SEP 1

SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR - HOPE

CPAC Theatre

7:30 pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au/festival

SEP 1 – 2

MAREEBA DRIVE-IN: SOUND OF FREEDOM AND ON THE LINE SCREENING

Mareeba Drive-In

Gates open 5:30pm, Screening 6:45pm www.mareebadrivein.com.au

SEP 2

DOG ADOPTION DAY

Aeroglen Dog Park

9am- 1pm www.cairns.qld.gov.au

SEP 2

FNQ LEGACY GALA

Pullman Cairns International

6:00pm -11:30pm fnqlegacy.org.au

SEP 2

TRASH TO TREASURE FAIR

37-51 Lyons St, Portsmith QLD

9:00am - 1:00pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

SEP 2 - 24

REFRAME – QUEENSLAND REGIONAL ART AWARDS

EXHIBITION

Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre

6pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

SEP 2 – 9

ULTIMATE GIRLS WEEKEND AWAY RETREAT

Crystalbrook Riley

www.ultimategirlsweekaway.com

SEP 10

HOLLOWAYS BEACH MARKETS

Holloways Beach Esplanade

8am -1pm www.cairns.qld.gov.au

SEP 8 - 9

CAIRNS AMATEURS CARNIVAL

Cannon Park

Gates open 11am

www.cairnsamateurs.org.au

SEP 12

SEPTEMBER BUSINESS LUNCHEON

Cairns Convention Centre

11:30am - 2pm www.cairnschamber.com.au

SEP 16

MOYAMOYA AUSTRALIA SMOKEY BLUE RALLY

Ravenshoe

9:00am - 4:00pm www.moyamoyaaustralia.org.au

SEP 16 -18

THE 2023 QSUPER CARDIAC CHALLENGE

Cairns – Cooktown

6am

www.fnqhf.org.au

SEP 22

360 ALLSTARS

CPAC Theatre

7:30pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au/CPAC

SEP 24

TANKS MONTHLY MARKETS

Tanks Arts Centre and Cairns Botanic Gardens

9am – 2pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au/tanks

OCT 1

PALM COVE MARKETS

William Esplanade Palm Cove

8am – 2pm www.cairns.qld.gov.au

OCT 5

2023 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE

AWARDS VIP FINALIST EVENING

Whiskey & Wine, Crystalbrook Flynn

5:30pm-7:30pm

www.cairnschamber.com.au

OCT 6-8

SAVANNAH IN THE ROUND

Mareeba Rodeo Arena/ Kerribee Park

www.savannahintheround.com.au

OCT 8

ALL OF US FESTIVAL Fogarty Park, Cairns Esplanade

1pm – 8pm www.cairns.qld.gov.au

OCT 13

CBWC OCTOBER LUNCHEON CELEBRATING MENTAL HEALTH MONTH

Pullman Reef Hotel Casino 11:00-2:00pm cbwc.org.au

OCT 20

2023 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE

AWARDS GALA BALL

Cairns Convention Centre

6:00 pm - 11:59 pm

www.cairnschamber.com.au

Queensland Training Awards

Images by Skills for Queensland

New Party Pavilion

To Sway The Next Gen Of Racegoers

By The CityLife Editorial Team

The Cairns Amateurs Carnival are mixing things up a little in their 65th Anniversary year with a fun party vibe to attract the younger generation. DJMoose will add ‘club’ flair to racing fare for young party people. Cairns Amateurs next generation of racegoers has the edge at this year’s Sapphire Jubilee race meeting with the new Vodka Cruiser Party Pavilion a sure bet promising views of the home straight, indoor, airconditioned surrounds and cool tunes from resident DJMoose. From outdoors on the lawn to indoors in the cool, the Vodka Cruiser Lawn Party of old has been revamped into a day-club-vibe, albeit complete with all the spring racing feels that make a day at the track, an event to remember. One of Cairns’ hottest and most sought-after musicians, Brit-born, DJMoose, aka Reuben Grant, can be found on the decks of the city’s nightclubs, igniting the dancefloor with his signature swagger delivering a mix of styles, that combined with his Caribbean heritage, have greatly contributed to his ascent throughout Australia and Bali.

In 2023, The Vodka Cruiser Party Pavilion will utilise the Cannon Park venue that was formerly known as the ‘Silks Pavilion’ for naming partner, CUB’s corporate entertaining.

“With CUB moving their race meeting headquarters trackside to the Aviary we were able to invite the young people inside,” he said.

The Vodka Cruiser Party Pavilion is now on sale for both Friday 8 and Saturday 9 September Cairns Amateurs Carnival race days. Tickets are $110 each and are available only to racegoers who are 18 years of age plus. Includes:

• Gate entry

• Access to The Vodka Cruiser Party Pavilion

• Undercover, air-conditioned venue with tables and chairs and access to bookmakers

• Premium Beverage area serving beer, wine, spirits & seltzers (not included in price)

• Live entertainment by DJ Moose from Thursday 7 September to Saturday 9 September 2023 the Carnival marks 65 years with its three-day Sapphire Jubilee program of fun, fashion, and racing events.

PARTY PAVILION

• Vodka Cruiser Party Pavilion goes undercover for a cool racing vibe

Cairns Amateurs Carnival President David Goodman said 12 months between race meetings is an opportunity to debrief and finesse the event program and offerings. We pride ourselves on listening to customer feedback and constantly striving to deliver an event that heightens the racegoer experience. This new location offers our younger guests a great party atmosphere with the benefit of cool comfort.

“We have worked hard to integrate new and existing event infrastructure at Cannon Park to please all racegoers, in this case, the young social-set wanting a fun day out with friends,” Mr Goodman said.

• Air-conditioned venue at the southern end of the home straight

• DJMoose is on the decks all-day Friday 8 and Saturday 9 September 2023

Tickets to Cairns Amateurs Carnival Sapphire Jubilee events are now on sale and can be purchased via the website at www. cairnsamateurs.org.au

Carnival Style

As Cairns Amateurs Celebrates Its Jubilee

Cairns Amateurs Carnival Ambassador and Fashions on the Field judge Emma Scodellaro is joined by visiting first-time Cairns Amateurs judges and multi-award-winning FOTF competitors, Neil Carpenter, and Crystal Kimber. With new season styles and bursts of spring colour adorning rack and rail within its vibrant retail hub, Cairns Central has been awarded the coveted naming rights and sponsorship of Cairns Amateurs Carnival’s hotly contested Fashions on the Field.

The city’s one-stop destination for race-ready looks on track and glittering gowns and suits after dark, Cairns Central will endow the winners of this year’s style stakes with prizes from fashion and lifestyle retailers within its popular precinct. “The city is already buzzing with excitement in anticipation of this year’s spring racing season and our retailers are ready to go with fashion and accessory options to suit every style and budget,” said Cairns Central Marketing Manager, Louise Struber. In advance of this year’s sartorial clash, Cairns Amateurs’ Fashions on the Field Committee and Cairns Central went to first place on the style podium to assemble its 2023 judging panel who each boast impeccable qualifications both on and off the track.

Setting the fashion pace across both days will be this year’s Carnival Ambassador and racing style icon, Emma Scodellaro, Australia’s multi-award winning “Gentleman

of the Day” competitor Neil Carpenter, and Melbourne’s racing fashion enthusiast, many time Fashions on the Field winner, former Myer Fashions on the Field Ambassador (2019) and Victoria Racing Club Ambassador and fashion judge, Crystal Kimber. Adding to the judging panel in 2023 is Sydney milliner and guest judge, Kathryn Lee who will choose the millinery awards at the Fashion High Tea and Fashions on the Field event.

After many decades supporting the Cairns Amateurs Racing Carnival, CityLife Magazine has taken up pride of place as naming rights sponsor of the Fashion Precinct alongside Cairns Central to create a luscious VIP Lounge and Beauty Bar area for fashion fillies to enjoy throughout the racing festivities. The fashion stage will be emceed on both days by Triple M breakfast radio presenter and experienced event manager, Tammy Barker and is set within shady, open-door surrounds of Cannon Park replete with photo walls, seating, and pop-up bars within the heart of Amateurs’ social and racing activity. Cairns Amateurs Carnival Vice President and fashion committee member Bella Kullack said Emma, Neil and Crystal have been vested with an all-important task to ensure the event continues its tradition of lifting Far North Queensland’s racing fashion benchmark with winners a true reflection of individuality, contemporary trends, style, and elegance. “Cairns Amateurs contestants regularly take line honours at Randwick and

Flemington, and we know Cairns is up there and can mix it with the best,” Ms Kullack said.

Competition criteria are based on style and originality, interpretation of latest trends, appropriateness of race wear for a spring carnival in Cairns, attention to detail, style, design, and quality of workmanship of millinery, grooming and deportment.

According to Cairns Amateurs Carnival Ambassador Emma Scodellaro, she will be looking for something completely unique. “I am attracted by originality, colour and an outfit that suits the wearer’s individual style. I am also influenced by a ‘wow’ factor with personal touches that make it stand out from the crowd. Interesting accessories such as bags, jewellery and unique millinery can help your outfit pop. Most of all, I’m looking for every person to have fun with their outfit, enjoy the process of putting it together and bring it to the stage with a big smile. Cairns Amateurs is all about fun, colour and having the opportunity to show off your individual style,” said Ms Scodellaro.

A previous winner of Cairns Amateurs’ Open Men’s Fashions on the Field category, and holder of many racing fashion awards, Neil Carpenter has an eye for detail and if he had one piece of advice for contestants, it would be “confidence is key”. In 2023 Cairns Central will present goody bags to all finalists and will contribute to the major prize packages for

the winners and runners-up of seven judging categories and special awards across the twoday Carnival with goods from select lifestyle and fashion retailers within its precinct. In 2023 the Cairns Amateurs Carnival Fashions on the Field committee have added an extra category to Friday’s competition just for local ladies living anywhere between the Cassowary Coast, the tip of Cape York and Torres Strait.

In what is its biggest Fashions on the Field competition to date, Cairns Amateurs Carnival in conjunction with Cairns Central and major event partners have joined forces and resources to promise winners a share in its biggest and most aspirational prize pool to date valued at more than $30,000.

In 2023 Cairns Amateurs Carnival Fashions on the Field judging categories are as follows:

LADIES DAY, FRIDAY 8 SEPTEMBER:

Gold Class Racewear, Open Ladies Racewear, Local Ladies Racewear and Millinery (special award).

CAIRNS AMATEURS CUP DAY, SATURDAY 9 SEPTEMBER:

Best Dressed Couple, Open Classic Racewear, Open Contemporary Racewear, Open Men’s Racewear and sashing of ‘Carnival Champion’ (special award) for the overall winner across both days.

ABOUT CAIRNS AMATEURS CARNIVAL

Cairns Amateurs Carnival, The Far North Queensland Amateur Turf Club Inc, was established 63 years ago by the late Sir Sydney Williams OBE and Les Gallagher to introduce a coastal version of the historical Oak Park races as a way of bringing city and country people together. The committee of 10 members spanning representatives from outback stations and Cairns businesses, presented the first ever Cairns Amateurs Carnival on 18 and 19 September 1959. In its early days, the Cairns Amateurs ran six races on each day of the two-day program and from the very outset was held under Vice-Regal patronage, with the then Governor, Sir Henry Abel Smith. Jockeys were, as the club’s name suggests, amateur riders and came mainly from the inland stations. Professional riders were not present until many years later due to changes in race regulations. While the club expressed disappointment at the mid-1990 ruling which disallowed amateur riders from competing, the ‘amateurs’ tradition has been retained and is deeply instilled within the spirit of the club’s culture.

Today, the mission of the club is to operate a sustainable and accessible annual racing carnival showcasing the social, cultural, and commercial attributes of Cairns and the tropical north.

“Cairns Amateurs is all about fun, colour and having the opportunity to show off your individual style”

THE JUDGES

Scodellaro Emma

Emma Scodellaro is Cairns Amateurs Carnival’s 2023 Ambassador and Fashions on the Field (FOTF) judge. Emma’s first judging role at Cairns Amateurs Carnival was in 2019. Ms Scodellaro is excited to return this year and fly the flag via her extensive FOTF community. Ms Scodellaro is a seasoned FOTF competitor and the creator and administrator of Facebook and Instagram pages, It’s All About the Sash @ itsallaboutthesash. Ms Scodellaro first started competing in FOTF in 2009, predominately around Victoria but also travelling interstate on occasion. She has won several ‘Lady of the Day’ titles and has also placed in many events all within Victoria. Emma Scodellaro’s notable FOTF wins include: • 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes FOTF at Caulfield Racecourse • Longines Award for Elegance on Derby Day at Flemington in 2014 • Overall Country Racing Victoria’s ‘Best Dressed’ competition in 2013, 2nd in 2012 • 3rd place at Oaks Day, Flemington in 2017 • Runner-up at Caulfield Cup Day in 2019 • Top 10 finalist at Flemington, Caulfield, and Interstate on numerous occasions.

THE JUDGES

CARPENTER Neil

Neil Carpenter is no stranger to Fashions on the Field (FOTF). However, it was by only chance that Neil first stumbled across the world of racing fashion after being approached to enter his very first competition in 2017. Fast forward six plus years and not only has his suit, shoe, tie, socks (the list can go on) collection grown exponentially but also his keen interest in keeping abreast of both men’s and women’s racewear fashion trends, globally. Neil has been awarded many ‘Gentleman of Day’ sashes in his home state of NSW and across the country.

Neil Carpenter’s notable wins include:

• Cairns Amateurs, Cannon Park (QLD) • Magic Millions Polo, Doug Jennings Park (QLD) • Stradbroke Handicap, Eagle Farm (QLD) • The Everest, Royal Randwick (NSW) • The Championships Days 1 & 2, Royal Randwick (NSW) • Moet & Chandon Stakes, Royal Randwick (NSW) • Derby Day (Top 3), Flemington (VIC) • Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Racecourse (VIC) • Adelaide Cup, Morphetville (SA) • Launceston Cup, Launceston Racecourse (TAS) • Black Opal, Thoroughbred Park (ACT) • Dubai World Cup (Best Dressed Couple), The Meydan (Dubai).

According to Neil, he gets more enjoyment from putting outfits together and ‘scouring’ Instagram pages for race wear ideas and concepts coming out of Europe than winning the illustrious sash. Away from fashions, Neil’s other hobbies include long-distance running, being the occasional TV game show contestant and judging show horses at a state and national level. Neil is honoured to be officiating at the Cairns Amateurs Sapphire Jubilee Carnival and offers this small piece of advice for entrants, “confidence is key”.

THE JUDGES

KIMBEr Crystal

Crystal is a Fashions on the Field (FOTF) devotee known for creating and styling her own outfits. Her passion for design and the FOTF competition culminated in her winning the coveted national Myer Fashions on the Field 2017 title. In 2019, Crystal became a Myer Fashions on the Field Ambassador and continues to have a long association with the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) as its Ambassador and FOTF judge. Between 2012 and 2019, Crystal’s racing style and sophistication snagged 28 FOTF wins.

Majors include: 2012 Sandown Guineas winner • 2013 Myer Cranbourne Cup Lady of the Day winner • 2013 Brisbane

Tattersalls Day Winner • 2013 SA Fashion at the races Oaks Day winner • 2013 Caulfield Carnival Preview Day Winner • 2013 Myer FOTF Qld State Winner • 2014 Geelong St Patrick’s Day Women’s winner

• 2014 Caulfield Carnival Preview Day Winner

• 2015 Fashion at the Races Clare Valley winner

• 2014 Caulfield Cup Carnival Winner • 2014 Ballarat Cup Winner

• 2015 SA Fashion at the Races Grand Final winner

Geelong Cup winner

• 2015

• 2016 Geelong St Patrick’s Day winner

• 2016 Caulfield Cup Carnival winner

• 2017 Myer FOTF NSW State winner

FOTF National winner

• 2017 Myer

• 2016 Geelong Cup winner

• 2018 ATC The Championships Day 1

winner

• 2018 The Everest Fashion Chute winner

• 2019 Black Opal Millinery winner

THE JUDGES

Lee Kathryn

The owner and namesake of Kathryn Lee Millinery, Kathryn’s hats have adorned the heads of racegoers and Fashions on the Field competitors for more than 10 years. Her millinery creations, that span modern, couture and vintage styles, have been featured in both the Australian Turf Club Style Guide and more recently in the Brisbane Racing Club Style Guide, and have been worn by celebrities and featured in magazines. Kathryn has a long history with fashion and style starting her career as a hair and makeup artist, at her own image consulting business in Chicago USA before settling back down in Australia in 2013 at the helm of a women’s fashion boutique in Potts Point, Sydney which she closed in 2020 to dedicate her time to millinery. Kathryn believes there is a hat for everyone; “Don’t be scared to play with shapes and sizes, you will find one that suits you!”

“Don’t be scared to play with shapes and sizes, you will find one that suits you!”

Photo by Veronica Sagredo

Photo by Wendell Teodoro

Models Lucy Miller & DJ Moose dressed by Cairns Central

Hair and Makeup: Tokunai Hair

Photography: Veronica Sagredo, Blueclick Photography

Stylist: Chantal Togany, Empowered By Style

Because

Butcher’s Brew on the Menu

EDGE HILL BUTCHERY

Theiconic Edge Hill Butchery on the bustling Collins Avenue is now selling its own beer to complement their extensive range of premium meats.

This now makes them your craft beer and artisan distiller destination.

This innovative concept is considered to be the first in North Queensland – the sale of award-winning meats combined with lager in a one-stop shop.

years of planning and a desire to have a unique point of difference and to expand their offering, making them a leader in their industry.

the Atherton Tablelands and this family business has been crafting Australian spirits since 2017. Rod and Julie wanted to pass on their thanks to Wes and Amy for allowing them to be a part of their journey.

If your tastebuds are not already excited, the butchery is honoured to be the exclusive outlet for Taha Distillery in North Queensland.

Taha Distillery was created in 2021 by brothers Andre and Logan Howe.

The convenience of being able to shop at the destination store and purchase dinner which can be paired with your choice of alcohol from their extensive range will no doubt appeal to their broad range of customers.

For owners Rod and Julie Leaver, Butcher’s Brew came to fruition after

In the ever-changing economic climate, they are also making the best possible use of their retail space.

The decision to collaborate with the multi award-winning Aether Brewing brings their art of craft to the butchery and their core range reflects their passion and creativity.

The range is all natural, vegan, low sugar, preservative and additive free, while the Ginger Beerd is gluten-free.

The options are not limited to beer, they also stock the full Wild River Distillery award-winning spirit range. If you have not already tried their Gold Medal Australian Rum, Rod and Julie highly recommend it.

The Wild River Distillery is situated on

Growing up in New Zealand and now living on the east coast of Australia, their intention is to showcase the unique flavours of the South Pacific islands.

Edge Hill Butchery stocks the entire range of gin and vodka for your enjoyment.

The range available at the iconic store has been chosen by Rod and Julie to reflect small family business with great core values and a sense of community.

Edge Hill Butchery has collaborated with Aether Brewing in Brisbane to produce their very own boutique lager – Butcher’s Brew.

Images by Aether Brewing

Nutra Organics

ESPRESSOCARAME L BANANASMOOTHIE

Breakfast, a glow dose and your morning coffee all in one? That’s what we call working smarter not harder right there.

This Espresso Caramel Banana Smoothie will leave you feeling fully satisfied and ready to espresso yourself for the rest of the day thanks to a balanced breakfast with carbs, natural sugars, good fats and protein from Collagen Beauty.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp Collagen Beauty Caramel

1 shot espresso

1 large frozen banana

¾ cup almond milk

2 tbsp almond butter

1 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp ground cinnamon Coffee beans for topping

METHOD

1. Add all ingredients (except maple syrup and coffee beans) to a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Drizzle maple syrup around the inside of a glass.

3. Top with coffee beans and a dust of cinnamon.

For more healthy wholefood recipes go to: www.wholelife.com.au

Thinking Outside of the Queensland Box

LARA WILDE

: (07) 42 761 866

: ceo@fnqfoodincubator.com.au

Chief Executive Officer

FNQ Food Incubator

Far North Queensland is a special place. As Cairns locals we often complain that our Government forgets us and just how special we are.

Since 1897, there has been more than one suggestion of the Far North separating and creating a new seventh state. We look to the South East corner for allies in all things. We think of Brisbane as our closest capital city. But is it?

Brisbane is almost 1700 kilometres from Cairns. Every day we send truckloads of our fresh produce and manufactured products south to those markets, who then send them further south or overseas. We seek their approval and consumption to keep our business resilient and sustainable.

But in reality, how close is Brisbane?

In reality, Brisbane is not our closest capital city – not even close. Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is just 845 kilometres away, almost half the distance to Brisbane and the people there want to be our friends. With a population of nearly 400,000, they are not as large as Brisbane. As proud Australians and even prouder Queenslanders, it is easy to think within our state border when looking for business opportunities or learning environments. It takes more than two hours to fly to Brisbane but just 90 minutes to fly to Port Moresby.

In recent times, the FNQ Food Incubator has been working closely with the team at Tradelinked to connect with PNG based businesses and to assist them to develop their food manufacturing industry. Tradelinked Cairns-PNG-Pacific is a regionally focused network established to facilitate the engagement of like-minded businesses trading between Cairns and its nearest international neighbours. Tradelinked’s business to business network plays a key role in further developing business and trade activities between the Cairns region and the Pacific. Since 2011 Tradelinked has developed many contacts throughout industry and government with which it can partner to deliver on international projects.

The Cairns Regional Council acknowledges this PNG opportunity having partnered with Tradelinked on at least three projects in the last few years. The success of those projects has spurred Council to sign a new five year deal with Tradelinked to further develop PNG markets; strengthening Cairns as a gateway to the Asia-Pacific region for trade and investment. The opportunities for us to share food with our neighbours is bountiful.

The simplest option for us to work with PNG is through the provision and development of expertise and services; both ours and theirs. While we are working with them to develop a food manufacturing plant in Port Moresby, they are teaching us about the many ways to process

and manufacture tropical foods such as taro and cassava. While they are connecting us with their cacao and coffee growers, we are teaching them about food safe handling practices, labelling and packaging options.

Tropical foods are not like every other food commodity. We face unique challenges, farm in a unique environment and work with a unique population. Cyclones, wet seasons, many wild harvested crops that are not commercially farmed in the traditional sense, and an exotic appetite for spices and fresh flavours. Perhaps it is time for us to look to our neighbours in the north outside of our Queensland border who share so much of our tropical food, rather than our family in the south. Have you explored the food opportunities of PNG?

https://www.tradelinked-cairns-png.com/

A Papua New Guinea trade delegation discussing food manufacturing at the FNQ Food Incubator.

Reducing Inflammation

VINCE PAPPALARDO

Co-Founder and Pharmacist

It’s important to manage the inflammation in our bodies for many reasons. Inflammation is a natural process of the body caused by injury or infection. It helps protect the body by removing harmful stimuli such as bacteria or damaged cells. It helps initiate the healing process. However, when inflammation becomes chronic, it can lead to a host of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. So it is important we keep it under control.

What we eat can help reduce inflammation in the body. And it’s not really a question of which foods are the best to eat to reduce inflammation, it’s about which foods are the best to avoid. What’s inflammatory for some people won’t be for others. So the key is to identify what’s inflammatory for an individual person, and try to remove that. In the meantime, if someone is suffering inflammation, there are

supplements we can use to help them get through that inflammation while we find that inflammatory source.

In terms of supplements, there’s probiotics, there’s things like turmeric and ginger, which help with inflammatory processes. But I guess the key is to optimise the gut microbiome.

By doing that, we get the maximum nutrients from our food we eat, and we prevent leaky gut syndrome.

Leaky gut can develop over a period of chronic inflammation. This affects nutrient absorption and suboptimal health.

There’s not a one size fits all when it comes to inflammation. Some people will benefit from certain greens, fruits and vegetables - others will find them inflammatory. So, it really is finding your own journey and finding what

works for you and what doesn’t.

If they’re suffering chronic inflammation, it’s a matter of narrowing down what’s causing that inflammation and that is quite a process. So talking to a health professional, a dietitian, GP, pharmacist, can definitely help you get on the right road.

Avoid certain types of foods if you suffer from inflammation. Firstly start with processed foods, those high in sugar, salt and fat. Secondly, refined carbohydrates, which hold very little nutrient value. And thirdly, your trans fats, like your polyunsaturated monounsaturated fats, which can cause chronic inflammation and should be avoided.

Kerri-ann Hope may only be 38 but a genetic heart issue has meant she’s had two pacemakers installed in the past 13 years. Diagnosed in 2010 with left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy, Kerri-ann has had two pacemakers installed. For now though, she’s not letting it stop her and has signed up to ride this year’s QSuper Cardiac Challenge, with her doctor’s permission. “Most cardiologists won’t come across someone like me during their whole career so I guess I’m pretty special,” Mrs Hope said.

Diagnosed at the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane, Mrs Hope counts herself lucky that a young technician performing her contrast echocardiogram “saw something odd” but is now grateful to come under the care of Cairns Hospital cardiologist Dr Greg Starmer. “I had my first automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in 2013 and my second in 2020 and if it were not for the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation and all of the work they do, I would not be able to live in Cairns, I would have had to have stayed permanently in Brisbane.

“I have several family members with different types of heart disease and genetic abnormalities that like myself would quite literally not be alive had

Heart Of Hope

By Robyn Rankin

it not been for all of the Foundation’s tireless work to get the right staff and the right lifesaving equipment up here. “I am now a mum of 3 boys, I love my cycling having gotten into it about a year ago, I live a very active life with martial arts, cycling, weight-lifting and exploring our great outdoors with my children. I am hoping to raise $100K so the Foundation can further improve heart services in the Far North and fund more remote clinics to help diagnose and treat things like rheumatic heart disease in our First Nations Peoples.

Foundation CEO Gina Hogan said Kerri-ann’s story was shocking but inspiring at the same time. “You just don’t realise, until people like Kerriann come out of the woodwork, what sort of difficulties people in our society face. Our role is to do what we can to help improve their lot in life through better technology and research for our clinicians. Kudos to Kerri-ann for saddling up to help others in a similar situation,” Mrs Hogan said.

The partnership with QSuper, part of Australian Retirement Trust, enables 100 percent of funds raised in the QSuper Cardiac Challenge to support the purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment in the region. Australian Retirement Trust Chief Executive

Officer Bernard Reilly said, “Australian Retirement Trust is passionate about supporting our members and the community, including in rural and remote areas where we have a strong heritage. It’s incredibly rewarding for us to see the impact the funds raised for the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation have on increasing access to vital health services in these communities,” Mr Reilly said. “The QSuper Cardiac Challenge is a great example of the community coming together to improve the outcomes of those in the region. This year is also special for Australian Retirement Trust, as we have a team participating for the first time. We look forward to cheering them, and all of the other participants on,” he said.

Registrations for the QSuper Cardiac Challenge, September 16-18, are open at www.cardiacchallenge.com.au Australian Retirement Trust, through the QSuper Cardiac Challenge, shares the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation’s passion for providing quality healthcare to regions that would otherwise need to travel hundreds of kilometres to receive life-saving care.

Register for the QSuper Cardiac Challenge at www.cardiacchallenge.com.au

Why Do You Need An EAP In Your Organisation?

: www.selectability.com.au

General

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing almost half (44%) of Australian adults have experienced a mental health condition in their life. Fifteen percent of Australian adults are currently experiencing high levels of psychological distress and 1 in 6 adults are experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviours. They are startling figures that we all need to sit up and take notice of. Mental health is everybody’s business. And as employers we need to ensure we are providing a psychologically safe workplace for our employees. Not only is it the right thing to do, it is now legislated for businesses of all sizes to provide this.

• 3.4 million Australians saw a mental health professional for their mental health

• Nearly 30% of those reported were not having their counselling needs fully met

• These results once again illustrate the high prevalence of mental health concerns that are unaddressed

It could be extrapolated that there is a proportion of our workforce that currently have unaddressed mental health issues which can affect the workplace:

• Interpersonal relationships

• Team dynamics

• Productivity

• Absenteeism

WHAT ARE THE KNOWN BENEFITS OF AN EAPS?

Supports the health and wellbeing of our workforce

Enhances productivity and effectiveness

Creates a provider of choice (recruitment and retention)

Supports quality outcomes

Reflects a values based organisation in action

An EAP not only provides support for your employees, it ensures that you as business owner or manager are meeting the legislative requirements. How much

does it cost you ask? With selectability, it doesn’t cost you anything. You can have a tailor made EAP program implemented into your business tomorrow that won’t cost you a cent. The only time it will cost you is if a staff member needs to access the service for work related distress.

WHAT ARE SELECTABILTY’S EAP OFFERINGS?

No lock in contracts – pay as you go

45 mental health professionals

Telehealth Australia wide – video calls, Skype, Teams, Zoom, Coviu

Face to face sessions in regional Queensland locations such as Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Mackay and Bowen

No wait lists – appointments within

1 week

No administration retainer fee

With Selectability, it doesn’t cost you anything to sign up!

Manager Clinical Services BA (Nursing) MACN AIAM (mediator) MAICD

Chamber Prepares to Celebrate Excellence

PATRICIA O’NEILL

: (07) 4031 1838

: info@cairnschamber.com.au

Chief Executive Officer

Cairns

Chamber of Commerce

It has been a very productive few months at the Cairns Chamber of Commerce as we work to ensure our business community are kept across the issues that matter in the day-to-day running of their businesses.

Industrial relations reforms have resulted in the introduction of the new Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022. Understanding the legislation surrounding this policy is so important that we conducted an informative workshop with three expert speakers who specialised in Industrial Relations Policy, WorkCover Claims and Rehabilitation/Returning to Work.

In keeping with tradition, July is always the month we turned the spotlight on gaining an insight into the region’s economy. Economist and partner at Conus Business Consultancy Services, Pete Faulkner, once again provided our sell-out audience with an in-depth analysis of the current economic environment as well as valuable insights into what is predicted for the year ahead.

We are now preparing for the night of nights where we all get together to celebrate excellence across our business community at the annual Cairns Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence awards, proudly sponsored by James Cook University.

The awards recognise the outstanding achievements of businesses in our region, acknowledging them for their hard work, exceptional business acumen and outstanding contributions to the local community. With 10 categories open for nomination, ranging from people management to customer service, sustainability and environment to marketing and communications, there is something for everyone, regardless of business size, industry or structure. Whilst winning is the ultimate goal for all entrants, participating in the awards can be a very beneficial process for all businesses. It is an excellent opportunity to stop, reflect on how far you’ve come, celebrate your wins and plan for future growth.

Participants are also provided with valuable opportunities to network with a broad range of business and industry leaders.

Finalists will be announced at the VIP Cocktail Evening on Thursday, October 5 at Crystalbrook Flynn’s Whiskey and Wine Bar – one of the city’s exceptional venues. The winners will then be announced at the Gala Ball on Friday, October 20 at the Cairns Convention Centre. This prestigious and unforgettable evening is an opportunity for the whole community to get together to celebrate business excellence in our region. This year’s event will be hosted in the spectacular new Trinity Room and Trinity Terrace at the Cairns Convention Centre. This venue boasts uninterrupted views of the Trinity Inlet following its recent$176 million renovation and expansion.

Ticket sales will be capped at 450 people, as opposed to the 500 we had last year, therefore, we are expecting an early sellout crowd, so don’t delay and secure your tickets today!

Dancefloor at the 2022 Business Excellence Awards Gala Ball

2022 Customer Service Excellence Award (Trade & Retail) Winner –OMG Decadent Donuts FNQ

Cairns Suncorp Bank Team at the July Economic Forecast Luncheon

International Recovery Well Under Way

MARK OLSEN

: (07) 4015 1201

: ceo@ttnq.org.au

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ)

TropicalNorth Queensland’s international recovery is well under way with the significant milestone of 10,000 passengers reached in July quickly climbing to more than 12,000 by the end of the month. This is 72 percent of the international capacity Cairns had prior to the pandemic.

The growth in international numbers is being assisted by the revival of the Japanese market. The first International Visitor Survey since the pandemic recorded just 10,000 Japanese for the March quarter, which was 10 percent of arrivals for the same period in 2019.

With the launch of Virgin Australia’s Haneda flights on June 28, Cairns now has three direct routes for Japanese travellers to choose and we are seeing very strong signs that the number of Japanese arrivals is climbing steadily.

Skyscanner flight search data for May to July shows Osaka, Narita and Haneda in the top six origin searches for Cairns internationally. The inbound flight

searches from key airports in Japan are higher in 2023 than they were in 2019. This is higher again if you just look at Tokyo (Haneda and Narita). International mobile phone data from the same period suggests Japan is the third most prevalent market in the region.

Virgin Australia introduced their new Boeing 737-8 aircraft on the Haneda to Cairns route last month, ushering in a new era of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort that saw it operating at full capacity.

The narrow-body fuel-efficient planes mark the start of a new era in aviation for Cairns as their range is ideal to service our region from North Asia paving the way for opportunities to tap into the world’s fastest growing middleincome class.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland has activated PR teams in each of our key global markets and is rolling out campaigns to encourage bookings to the

region. Our tourism industry members are joining us on a series of missions internationally to educate the tourism trade about the diverse experiences our destination offers.

The industry’s international recovery will help to create more direct and indirect employment in the tourism industry which before the pandemic supported one in five jobs in Tropical North Queensland. The Regional Satellite Accounts released last month showed this fell to one in seven jobs in 2021-22 when international borders were closed. The industry directly employed 18,300 people and supported 24,600 jobs in the region that year, with both jumping almost 47 percent from the previous year.

With work under way to promote Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef to our key global markets, the Satellite Account should look very different in two years’ time when we aim to boost tourism expenditure from $4.3 billion to $5 billion in 2025.

Chief Executive Officer

Resilience of Economy Highlighted

JACINTA REDDAN

It's hard to believe we are now into the back end of 2023, a year which has seen the region move well and truly beyond the ravages of Covid. While Covid hit and hit hard, the past three years have also highlighted the resilience of the economy as it continues to expand out the other side.

Indeed, the regional economy is now more diversified than ever - and the most diversified in Queensland - with the health sector now well and truly our largest sector, employing more than 25,000. As the region continues to attract an increasing number of residents, the pressures on the health sector will only grow. We will continue to keep a strong focus on the critical funding needed to ensure that plans to expand our clinical and research facilities at Cairns Hospital remain at the top of our priorities.

We were delighted to hear the Cairns Marine Precinct Common User Facility (CUF) is now fully

funded following the announcement of an additional $30 million investment from the Queensland State Government. This brings the total funding commitment from the Queensland Government and Australian Government to $360 million. This muchneeded investment will allow our marine sector to expand to meet overwhelming demand and will boost employment in the region. The impact of this catalytic piece of infrastructure cannot be underestimated.

On a personal level, as you may know, I moved here after many years in Hong Kong choosing to make Cairns my home. This story has recently been showcased on a podcast by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) as part of their Move to More campaign that promotes the many advantages of regional life. You know this yourselves but as a newcomer, I continue to be amazed by the many benefits ranging from

the beautiful natural environment to the sense of community, to the global potential of the region, to the vast number of regional locations to explore.

The "You Moved Where?!" podcast interviews several people who have swapped the big smoke for regional areas. I was pleased to be invited to share my experiences of moving from one of the world's largest global cities to Cairns - a move that has been met with more than its fair share of raised eyebrows. What I hope you might hear is that I have had not one moment of doubt - and am now one of the region's biggest advocates.

So, I was pleased to take part and do my bit to showcase what I think is an extraordinary place to live and I feel very fortunate to be in this role where I am working with key business leaders, local councils and others to help build a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come.

Chief Executive Officer

New RDA Charter Released

SONJA JOHNSON

: (07) 4041 1729

: info@rdatropicalnorth.org.au

Chief Executive Officer

Regional Development Australia

Tropical North (RDA)

The role of Regional Development Australia (RDA) Tropical North and RDAs across Australia in implementing regional investment framework for Commonwealth funded projects has been elevated with the release of a new RDA Charter.

Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories the Hon. Kristy McBain MP revealed the revised Charter at the RDA National Forum in Toowoomba on July 28.

RDA Committees will be integral to the delivery of the Regional Investment Framework and the Federal Government’s vision for a strong, connected, economically prosperous and resilient regional Australia.

As part of the Framework, RDAs will provide insights and priorities for regional Australia twice a year to inform Federal budgetary cycles.

The evidence gathered by the RDAs will influence regional development strategies, program design and policy responses requiring RDAs to work with all levels of government to ensure investments deliver better outcomes for regional areas.

A focus of our work will be supporting decarbonisation efforts and the transformation to net zero.

RDA Tropical North has built the evidence base and is already well on the way to delivering on the circular economy aspects of the new Charter through projects such as the TNQ Plastics Industry proposal.

The business data from this proposal was used by Global Fruit Production innovator Marc Jackson to support his business case to process banana waste products in Mareeba. It was one of five Far Northern projects to receive some $1.7 million in grants through the Queensland Recycling Modernisation Fund and the Regional and Remote Recycling Modernisation Fund.

The Compost for a Farming Future Report is another circular economy project that we have delivered. It confirms the enormous benefits of replacing 60 per cent of chemical fertiliser with compost and identified the policy and regulatory changes that need to be made to enable investment in the composting sector.

Through the Charter, First Nations people will have every opportunity to engage in and shape regions where people, businesses and investments thrive.

In the Tropical North, we have this opportunity with large projects like the Lakeland Irrigation Area Scheme which has included extensive First Nations engagement and will create

employment, business opportunities and the prospect of being able to live and work on Country for the Western Yalanji people.

The Business Case for this project is with the State Government after three years of work by RDA Tropical North developing the evidence base for the project.

The new Charter acknowledges the role RDAs play in helping to drive economic growth, innovation and entrepreneurship in regions through facilitating investment in community, industry and the environment.

Our role continues to be bridging the development gaps in regions by working with a broad range of stakeholders across sectors and supporting the delivery of identified Australian Government strategic priorities.

The RDA Tropical North Board is working to set priorities aligned with the remit of the new Charter to guide our strategic planning and the Chair has started accessing Ministers and their senior staff in the relevant portfolio areas.

RDA Tropical North is looking forward to continuing our work in growing the circular economy and driving access to secure water and to create jobs in the Far North.

Our Shameful Defence Truth

KEVIN BYRNE

: 0447 280 923

: exec@enterprisenorth.org.au

Executive Officer Enterprise North

Amidst the recent government sabre rattling of our enhanced defence capacity and our reinvigorated relationships with allied partners in this time of strategic need, one thing is clear. Our defence preparedness is not fit for purpose and won’t be fixed any time soon.

Our manpower ceilings across the three services are too low and even then cannot be fulfilled. People are leaving in droves, particularly the army who now report a shortfall of something like 30 percent across the board, and various hardware acquisition programs are being deferred which is code for cancelled. On election, the Labor government committed to a Strategic Defence Review. Much was expected but the findings left Defence hanging and analysts bewildered. The major recommendation was to cancel a squadron of F-35 Joint Strike fighters designed as our front line long range deterrent. It looks like we’re not going to put Tomahawks on the Collins subs, purely for financial reasons, though the Collins subs will have to last for many years as we await the rollout of AUKUS and would be much more formidable

with them. It also seems we’re not going to move quickly to build corvettes or light frigates instead of the completely militarily useless offshore patrol vessels.

Instead it appears we will build landing craft first with the intended mission of transporting our infantry fighting vehicles (and our ludicrously expensive tanks) to hot spots in the South Pacific as well as humanitarian relief responses. We could buy off the shelf guided missile destroyers, oodles of tomahawk ship mounted missiles, land-based long range missiles, corvettes, more F-35s and F-18s and mid air refuellers, and much else to get better bang for the buck.

Defence is under tremendous political pressure to cancel everything to pay for the AUKUS subs out of a shrinking defence budget. The only specific military capability arising in the near term from the DSR are the HIMARS rocket launchers for the army. These would be useful in any land battle scenario but they do absolutely nothing to provide Australia with any long-range strike or strategic deterrence. Forward force projection was supposed to come

through long-range missiles, swarming drones, long-range fighter aircraft with in-air refuelling capabilities and much else. It is much too late when the bad folks come ashore across our North.

The situation is diabolical at every level of our defence acquisition program as we are unlikely to produce any new surface warship this decade. The result of this is the Labor government, like the Coalition government before it, is so far delivering photo-ops, overthe-horizon vision statements, deft and praiseworthy alliance diplomacy and absolutely no defence capacity of consequence. We continue to cosy up to the diabolical Kiwis who have absolutely no ability or willingness whatsoever to assist meaningfully in any Pacific role spending only one percent of their GDP on defence. They talk the big talk but contribute little.

Apart from the Kiwis there is surely not a country in the world that spends its defence dollars more inconsequentially than we do. As a conscious act of policy, we’ve decided not to defend ourselves for now. I pray our allies stay the course.

Body Corporate Law

: (07) 4046 1118 : rsaunders@wgc.com.au

If you need any assistance contact one of our lawyers at cairns@wgc.com.au or call 07 4046 1111 for a no-obligation discussion and expert legal advice.

After practising in the body corporate sector for more than 10 years, I’ve developed considerable experience in many facets of the industry, which is also known as strata or community living. I regularly assist body corporate committees, managers, caretakers, and individual lot owners to solve problems and to comply with statutory obligations. That includes providing advice about bylaws, caretaking and letting agreements, service contracts, meetings, disputes, insurance matters, and the recovery of unpaid levies. In fact, I cover almost anything that is connected to the body corporate industry.

What is a body corporate?

A body corporate is essentially a group of people or entities that share ownership in property. The property might be an apartment block, or a commercial building, or even a group of houses. But in any of those examples, there will be property that is individually owned, and then there is property, called common property, that is shared jointly by the owners. A good example of common property is a pool or a driveway.

There are many benefits to community living: convenience, size and affordability are just a few. Many thousands of people have embraced community living of late, especially in Cairns and Far North Queensland.

So if you’re part of a body corporate, what do you need to know?

There are lots of rules and regulations that govern bodies corporates. It’s important for lot owners to understand those rules, but a lot of my time is spent assisting committees or managers. Properly running a body corporate can be quite technical.

One thing you need to know is who can make decisions, what can they make decisions about, and how can they make those decisions.

There are generally three decision makers in a body corporate scenario. Firstly, as a property owner, you are generally entitled to make decisions about the inside of your property. Secondly, a body corporate is required to have a committee that is able to make decisions on behalf of a body corporate. And lastly, some decisions are reserved for being made by all property owners. In other words, some decisions are so important that the law does not allow them to be made by a property owner or a committee. Those types of decisions include

spending money on things that exceed the committee’s spending limit, authorising certain improvements to be made to the property, setting the body corporate’s budget and levies for the year, and commencing certain types of legal proceedings.

How are decisions made in those situations?

The law requires that there be meetings to make particular decisions. There are rules about recording decisions that are made and also distributing minutes of meetings where decisions are made. Some decisions can be made by majority vote, others require what is called a special resolution, and some actually require a resolution without dissent (that is, there can be no, ‘no’ votes). It’s really important that those requirements are met. If a property owner disputes a decision that has been made, they can take steps to challenge the decision and possibly to overturn it.

So if I wanted the ability to be part of the decision making process, what do I need to do?

You should contact your body corporate manager to find out if there are any vacancies on the committee and when the next annual general meeting is going to be held. There are processes that need to be followed to be appointed to the committee, but if you make some inquiries, you might find out that there are some vacancies, or on the flip side, that the committee is full, and you need to wait until the next general meeting to be appointed. Being on a committee requires time and care. There’s a lot of responsibility involved, but I’ve seen many bodies corporate thrive when there is a hardworking, active committee on board.

If you’re on a committee, what do you need to know?

If you’re on a committee, you’re required to have a commitment to understanding the legislation that governs bodies corporate. You need to be aware of your responsibility to act fairly, honestly, and in the best interests of the body corporate. Most bodies corporate engage a body corporate manager to assist with understanding and applying the legislation. And of course, it can be important to work with your fellow committee members as well. Sometimes it can be useful, if not critical, to obtain legal advice to make sure that your body corporate is following the framework that is set out in the legislation.

What sorts of situations might these be?

I can give you a couple of real-life examples.

The first involves a committee deciding to spend owner’s funds on something without having the authority to do so. In that case, I acted for a property owner who successfully challenged the committee’s decision.

The second is where I’ve acted for a committee who had to consider whether to approve improvements that were requested to be made to common property (that’s the area of property in which lot owners jointly share ownership). There, I worked with the committee to ensure that decisions were made properly and in compliance with the legislation.

Unfortunately, sometimes if decisions aren’t made properly, then a body corporate can find itself embroiled in a protracted, costly dispute that is before the courts, QCAT or the Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management. For that reason, it is important to ensure that decisions are made carefully, and that advice is sought early on.

Beware Of The Overnight Expert

DANAE JONES

: danae@danaejones.com.au

: www.danaejones.com.au

There is no question that social media and the worldwide web have seen the arrival of the overnight expert. For consumers this has created no end of problems as people are signing up for products, services and programs with so called experts that are no more than amateurs with a very captivating social and online presence.

My advice is, do your research before committing to engaging anyone or buying anything from someone you haven’t heard of before. Online and social media reviews are also not sufficient enough research as many of these can be easily fabricated. Google is your friend. Don’t be afraid to Google the company or person’s name and do your research on that platform first. Google is renowned for exposing the good, the bad and the ugly. While you’re at it, Google yourself. Yes yourself. You’ll

be surprised with what you will find. If you or your business don’t rate a mention on Google, than you need to do some serious work in building your online presence.

Now getting back to working out the experts from the amateurs. Don’t be afraid to ask for examples of their work and samples of success stories or contact details of reputable companies that have become their happy customers so you can contact them directly. If someone is as good as they say they are, they won’t be afraid to give you their client list and their contact details.

Legitimate qualifications in their area of expertise is always a good place to start, or if they don’t have the qualifications on paper, make sure they’ve been doing what they say they do for a long period of time. Experience matters.

The other point I would look at is if they practise what they preach. So if someone says they do great websites, but they themselves have a sub par website, then chances are they aren’t what they’re cracked up to be. Same applies for social media and marketing. If someone says they are great at social media or marketing, make sure you take a look at their own marketing collateral and social media platforms and make your assessment that way.

On the flip side the overnight expert phenomenon has a lot of benefits for people who are new to an industry and want to easily dominate and make themselves appear bigger than what they really are. This can be achieved with minimal outlay and a creative strategy to funnel sales.

Danae Jones is Managing Director of PR & Marketing firm Danae Jones Consulting Pty Ltd

CAIRNS YOUNG CHAMBER

Young Chamber Showcases Achievements

BEN COLE

: (07) 4031 1838

: yc@cairnschamber.com.au

Chair, Cairns Young Chamber

At the Cairns Young Chamber, we’re committed to fostering growth, community engagement and professional development and are thrilled to showcase the achievements of our community over these last few months.

a cornerstone of success, and we were grateful to be able to increase our skill set in this space to better serve the CYC community.

Additionally, it was truly inspiring to witness the accomplishments of our members in the broader community. The recent Cairns Post '30 Under 30' article highlighted the exceptional talents of young entrepreneurs and small business owners in our region. Among them, Alannah Brennan, Gordon Peters and Brody Oxenham, valued members of our community, who stood out for their outstanding achievements. This recognition highlights not only the great calibre of young professionals within our region, but also motivates us to continue nurturing an environment that fosters growth.

CYC. We look forward to announcing our new Events Manager to the Young Chamber committee very soon.

One of the recent highlights was another successful ‘Chat and Cheers’ social event hosted at the Crystalbrook Collection’s ‘Whiskey and Wine'. It was an evening filled with great company, laughter and meaningful connections and we were even lucky enough to be centre stage to watch the vibrant array of fireworks that erupted over the Esplanade to kick off the Cairns Italian Festival. Thank you to everyone who came along and contributed to the event’s success.

The CYC committee is committed to the betterment of young professionals across the Cairns region. Jemma Walker and myself recently completed a transformative two-day Mental Health First Aid Course, facilitated by The Cairns Chamber of Commerce and Tobi Schnell from The Mindset Academy. We all know that mental well-being is

Amidst these achievements, we also bid a bittersweet farewell to Penny Seaniger, our Events Manager. As Penny embarks on a new journey and career path, we wanted to thank her for her immense contributions and express our sincere gratitude for shaping the success of the

Looking ahead, we are excited to extend an invitation to all our members to participate in the upcoming Business Excellence (BEX) Awards in Cairns. These awards celebrate exemplary leadership and business practices within our community. We’re looking forward to seeing young professionals in our network recognised through the Emerging Leadership Excellence Award for their dedication, achievements and leadership skills on a prominent platform.

To learn more about becoming a CYC member, our upcoming events, sponsorship opportunities, or the Emerging Leaders program, please visit the website and follow us across socials. We look forward to welcoming you at our next event or as a valued sponsor.

Stay inspired,

Ben Cole

Chair, Cairns Young Chamber

Michelle Commins

Biggs

OF HOPE

Cairns Business Women Reach For The Stars

The stars came out for the annual CBWC Businesswoman of the Year Awards Gala Ball in celebration of the achievements of women in business across Far North Queensland.

The sellout 2023 event, held at Pullman Cairns International, is the signature event on the Cairns Business Women’s Club event calendar and the much anticipated culmination of the awards journey for the 40 finalists across eight highly contested categories.

Winner of the prestigious Business Woman of the Year Award for 2023, Suzanne Rath from Wellness Embodied joined Danielle Erskine, also from Wellness Embodied, who took home the Manager in Business Award for 2023.

Club President, Kearley Dent describes the awards as incredibly worthwhile for participants for their personal and professional growth.

“The finalists undertake quite a remarkable journey over the course of a few months in our awards process. From initial nomination, to submitting their application, attending workshops and networking, to being interviewed by a judging panel.

“With a phenomenal calibre of finalists, judges from each category had the unenviable task of selecting the winners from a truly talented line up of women representing a diverse range of industries,” says Kearley.

‘Promise you the Stars’, as the theme of the 2023 event, guaranteed plenty of glitz and glamour on the night and also provided a guiding philosophy for the event with the board and awards subcommittee members working tirelessly throughout the process to ensure its success.

When asking club President, Kearley Dent to comment on the success of the evening she said “It was truly fabulous, the support and celebration of each woman for her strengths and successes was great to see, and it was wonderful to see so many men also supporting the women in their lives. It has been a massive team effort from our dedicated board members, awards committee, and event sponsors.”

The Cairns Business Women’s Club Annual Awards recognise the achievements of women in Far North Queensland, from Cardwell to the Torres Strait and west to the border of the Northern Territory. From the entrepreneurial, industry leading and visionary, to authors, coaches, athletes, community leaders and everyday heroes, women from all walks of life are recognised and celebrated for their success and contribution.

CBWC AWARDS

Photos by Every Moment Photography

WINNERS & FINALISTS

Michelle Commins Legacy Award

Margot Biggs | HOME OF HOPE LIBERIA

Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year

Jedess Hudson | JEDESS HUDSON

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Georgia Ayris | DREAMY AESTHETICS

Sole Entrepreneur of the Year

Anneke Andrews | DISABILITY SPECIALISTS

Collaboration of the Year

Kirsty Nancarrow & Suzie Cray | EMOTION VIDEO TRAINING & PRODUCTION

Manager in Business of the Year

Danielle Erskine | WELLNESS EMBODIED

Small Business Owner of the Year

Colleen Holmes | COLLEEN HOLMES LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

Businesswoman of the Year

Suzanne Rath | WELLNESS EMBODIED

FINALISTS

Michelle Commins Legacy Award

Sari Lorner | CAIRNS CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year

Samantha Martin | TRIBAL VOICE CONNECTIONS

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Alice McCaffrey | ALICE MAKEUP ARTIST

Jenna Minchin | THE SECRET JUNGLE CAIRNS

Kristen Fixter | ALL DOGGIE

Taylor Byrne | LUX WAX & TANNING

Sole Entrepreneur of the Year

Amanda Fritz | AMANDA FRITZ AESTHETICS

Amanda Iacovella | YOUR HAIR LOUNGE

Crystal Leonardi | BOWERBIRD PUBLISHING

Donna Patane | DRIPL

Joy Weston | CREW PACIFIC

Renee Cashman | CONNECT MAGAZINE NORTH QUEENSLAND Tegan Rein | TEGAN REIN COACHING

Collaboration of the Year

Stevie Russell-Farnham & Sue Farnham | EMPOWER MORTGAGE & FINANCE SOLUTIONS

Lia Pa’apa’a, Merindi Schreiber & Johanna Maza | NGAMUMU (FOR MOTHERS)

Manager in Business of the Year

Deanne Baker | HUMAN RESOURCE DYNAMICS

Margaret McDonald | SPINAL LIFE HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE (SPINAL LIFE AUSTRALIA)

Tracey Donaghey | CRYSTALBROOK COLLECTION, CAIRNS

Small Business Owner of the Year

Amber Dolphin | DOLPHIN ELECTRICAL

Jodi Allen | TRADING MATE

Julie Goleby | SMART BIZ HQ & SMART TRAINING AUSTRALIA

Mary-Louise Eagle-Frith | KNIGHTS BODY WORKS

Natalie Raben | EVERY MOMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Samantha Jones | CAIRNS PERSONAL TRAINERS

Businesswoman of the Year

Jeska Maunder | FUSION FIGHT AND FITNESS

Carolyn Wearne | THA FISH

Heidi Jonsson | NORSAFE

Sarah Thorne | FNQ DANCE ACADEMY

CBWC 2023 AWARD WINNERS

Double celebration for dedicated practice

WELLNESS EMBODIED

WellnessEmbodied, a leading physiotherapy, injury rehabilitation and Allied Health practice in Cairns, celebrates its outstanding achievements at the prestigious 2023 Cairns Business Women’s Club Awards. Owner and visionary founder of Wellness Embodied Suzanne Rath was honoured with the coveted Business Woman of the Year award, while employee Danielle Erskine received the esteemed Manager in Business award.

The Business Woman of the Year award not only celebrates Suzanne’s exceptional achievements within her own business but also acknowledges her influence as an influential figure and role model in the Cairns business community.

“I am humbled and honoured to be named the Business Woman of the Year,” she said. “After a life-changing accident 10 years ago, I set up Wellness Embodied in 2017 to be a physiotherapy practice I would want to go to – one where we catered to each patient’s unique needs rather than just their injury. I’m proud to have established a team of highly qualified professionals with a range of specialities to manage clients’ health journeys throughout the life cycle.”

Organised by the Cairns Business Women’s Club, this awards ceremony recognises the remarkable accomplishments of women in business across Cairns and Far North Queensland. It serves as a platform to showcase exceptional contributions and entrepreneurial spirit.

Danielle’s win of the Manager in Business award highlights her exceptional leadership, strategic acumen and unwavering dedication to Wellness Embodied. Her outstanding performance has propelled the practice to new heights, earning recognition among her peers.

These accolades affirm Wellness Embodied’s unwavering commitment to excellence, client-focused care, and

the advancement of women in business. With a wide range of physiotherapy, rehabilitation and Allied Health services, Wellness Embodied empowers individuals to live their best, healthiest lives.

As Wellness Embodied celebrates its double award win, the practice remains focused on delivering outstanding services, expanding its reach, and making a positive impact in the Cairns community.

For more information visit www wellnessembodiedcairns.com

Exercise

Myotherapy • Remedial Massage

CAIRNS 1ST COMPLETE CONCUSSIONS PHYSIO.

Shockwave Therapy • Gait Scan- custom orthotics

Bone health classes • Strength & Conditioning

07 4231 9777 admin@wellnessembodiedcairns.com

Images by Every Moment Photography & Captured by Catherine

Making a positive difference to health and wellness

WELLNESS EMBODIED

SuzanneRath started Wellness

Embodied in 2017 three years after a serious accident where she was hit by a car in Sydney while cycling, which resulted in multiple fractures to her jaw. Her accident and recovery prompted her to help others, which is why she opened the clinic six years ago. Since then, her highly skilled team of Allied Health professionals has been making a positive impact on the lives of all their clients.

They work together to provide comprehensive, individualised assessments, personalised treatment plans, hands-on therapy, evidence-based rehabilitation, treatment and support.

Included among their highly skilled team are physiotherapists, osteopaths, an exercise physiologist, an occupational therapist and remedial massage therapists.

“Our aim is to work with clients to create actionable, sustainable steps to health and wellbeing,” Suzanne said. “Every client has a different body, history, story and symptom. They each respond differently to varying treatments.”

Her team’s aim is to prioritise health, healing and wellbeing for women, men and children of all ages.

Using a hands-on approach, their services include physiotherapy, osteopathy, exercise physiology, women’s health, strength and conditioning coaching, clinical pilates, naturopathy, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy, remedial massage, vestibular rehabilitation, osteoporosis exercise classes, running and movement assessments, GLA:d hip and knee treatment and custom orthotics. They also provide mental health management, chronic disease management and more.

Wellness Embodied has expanded since it first opened in 2017 to now include four locations – Sheridan Street, Parramatta Park, Mount Sheridan and Cooktown. Their services, facilities and expert Allied

Health team are always expanding to provide clients with comprehensive care, testing, treatment and rehabilitation at all their clinics – including the region’s only accredited Complete Concussions Clinic (CCC) and Dizziness Clinic (CDC).

At CCC, they provide world-class, evidence-based concussion care from baseline testing to treatment and rehabilitation. If you have suffered concussion or have post-concussion syndrome, their team can help you recover safely and provide a pathway to return to usual activities and lifestyle.

Dizziness, vertigo and feeling off balance can be very debilitating and if they become a chronic condition, have the potential to impact your day-to-day life and activities. Wellness Embodied know first-hand the impact these symptoms can have on individuals and are committed to providing first-class treatment at their CDC.

They can support you with treatment at their clinics, at the pool, in your home and via video consults for remote clients. They also offer workshops, packages and classes and provide helpful resources to support their clients.

“Collectively, our focus is to provide supportive treatment to maximise your movement and lifestyle, given your individual circumstances and capabilities, while minimising pain and discomfort,” Suzanne said. “We utilise the latest technologies to support you, including shockwave and gait scan.”

Wellness Embodied provides hands-on treatment and individualised assessment, exercise and rehabilitation with care and compassion. They communicate closely with their clients to gain a clear understanding of their presenting symptoms and possible causes.

They complete thorough assessments to develop personalised treatment plans to

deliver best outcomes. They collaborate with their clients, empowering them with information and instruction, enabling them to continue their wellness journey outside of appointments.

Their team of Allied Health professionals are here to ease your pain and can treat headaches, sprains and strains, osteoarthritis, post-concussion syndrome, whiplash, vertigo, motion sickness, functional neurological disorders, hypermobility, TMJ dysfunction as well as pain presenting in various joints and limbs of the body.

In addition, they provide stroke rehabilitation and support women’s health, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism, development delay, longCOVID and more.

“Our team understands the biopsychosocial model of pain,” Suzanne said. “We know that so much more than ‘tissue damage’ goes into someone’s pain presentation. We emphasise education with our clients, ensuring they understand their injury, so they can care appropriately for their body during the recovery process.

“At Wellness Embodied we pride ourselves on going the extra mile for our patients. We don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach because we know that doesn’t work.”

They treat and support clients throughout the life cycle, from birth to the twilight years. Referrals are not necessary.

For more information, visit www.wellnessembodiedcairns.com

Images by Every Moment Photography & Captured by Catherine

Hooked on Books

CRYSTAL LEONARDI BOWERBIRD PUBLISHING

Words by Janie Barton

Images by Every Moment Photography & Captured by Catherine

Crystal Leonardi’s road to publishing her first book in 2021 took her on a journey through the challenging publishing minefield that saw her achieve success not only for herself but for hundreds of other budding authors.

Following the publication of her awardwinning debut novel ‘Boy of Steel’, the mum of four and farmer’s wife who lives in Julatten established Bowerbird Publishing to provide writers throughout Australia and New Zealand an opportunity to publish their books.

“My journey started as a self-published author, and I realised very quickly through networks with other writers and writers’ groups that there are so many talented writers out there who simply aren’t sharing their story because they can’t secure a book deal,” said Crystal, who was a finalist in the 2023 Cairns Business Women’s Club Sole Entrepreneur Category.

“So, very early on I found a lot of the work I was doing with Bowerbird Publishing was mentoring writers to get back on track and freshen up their manuscripts, grow their confidence and realise that their manuscript does hold merit and is publishable. Just because no one said yes doesn’t mean it’s not credible work.”

Crystal explained that the major publishing companies in Australia do not respond to the

majority of submissions they receive. When writers don’t receive feedback, she said many tend to give up on their publishing dreams.

“The reality is there are 6000 books published in Australia every month,” she said. “I know myself how many manuscripts I get across my desk every month; I can’t even imagine how many the major publishing companies get.”

“I don’t think writers realise that when setting out to find a publisher. They’re very excited about the potential of their work for publishing. However, when they don’t get the validation they seek from a publisher, they give up.”

When Bowerbird Publishing started, Crystal’s aim was to help people self-publish.

“What I was trying to do was help writers recognise that getting a book deal isn’t the only way to publish,” she said. “You can absolutely become successful through self-publishing.”

She wrote a handbook called ‘6 Steps to SelfPublishing’ and started workshops around Cairns, Mossman and Mareeba. What she discovered was a common demand for her to do the publishing for them. That’s when she became a fully-fledged publisher.

“I take on writers, edit their work, do all the design work for their book including the cover,

distribute the book and become their publishing agent,” said Crystal, who recently increased her skill set by studying editing and graphic design. “I’m hands-on with every step of the publishing project.

“It’s not like the author is working with a whole team of people who they don’t really know. The author has a direct line to me, so it’s a personalised professional service that’s as good as, if not better, than a traditional publisher because the author gets exactly what they want.

“I’m not manipulating manuscripts, designs or styles to be more marketable,” she added. “Bowerbird Publishing ensures that all books are a true representation of the author’s vision, while preserving their voice and style.”

Furthermore, Crystal does not take ownership of the book’s copyright, nor does she profit from the sales of the books.

Bowerbird Publishing distributes the books (both hard copy and eBooks) to Amazon and IngramSpark, which gives her authors global exposure. Her authors are listed with the National Library of Australia and suppliers to Australian and New Zealand libraries, which also market books to retailers throughout Australia and New Zealand each month. She also registers the books with Australian Library Catalogues and Lending Rights, which give

authors payment when their book is borrowed from the library.

Also included in her publishing packages is marketing which includes help with a book launch, press release, website and social media announcements. All books are then listed on the Bowerbird Publishing online bookshop. Crystal, likewise, showcases authors at various events she is involved in, giving them an opportunity to speak and promote their books.

To help budding writers, Crystal offers a manuscript appraisal where, for a small fee of $150, she will read their work and present them with a comprehensive report offering advice on how to make their manuscript publishable. She provides authors with a 1000-word sample edit to further enhance their work. A publishing quote is then offered to the author, depending on their needs.

“After a manuscript appraisal, some writers come back to me for publishing, or they pitch to the leading publishing agents,” Crystal said. “Whether they choose Bowerbird or decide to go elsewhere, it helps them improve their work, and makes me very happy to have helped them bring their books to life.”

She has recently added a new service to her publishing company by working with author and scriptwriter Samantha C Ross, who has been involved in scriptwriting for television with Village Roadshow. Sam is the author of three novels and offers screen appraisals alongside script-development consultation. A Far North local, she likewise has plans to create a casting agency/talent management service to accommodate Queensland’s new world-class TV and film production facility in Cairns.

“She has lots of experience in the industry, so she brings a really amazing wealth of knowledge in an area I had no idea about,” Crystal said. “I am excited to see Samantha bring her knowledge to clients of Bowerbird Publishing, allowing

authors to convert their manuscripts into screenplays and pitch their work to production companies.”

Crystal’s journey into publishing came about from writing about her twoyear-old son’s diagnosis with brain cancer in her book ‘Boy of Steel’. The book landed her in the spotlight as it quickly became a beacon of hope for many.

“Only three and a half years ago we were in Queensland Children’s Hospital with a critically ill son, and now I’m flat out running a business,” she said, adding that her son is doing well, has just finished chemo and started prep this year. The family travels to Brisbane every 12 weeks for his check-ups.

Crystal has received many accolades, including being a winner in the 2022 AusMumpreneur Author of the Year Award. In 2023, she has been named a finalist for CBWC and Woman of the Year for BEAM in Business awards.

“I joined CBWC last year when I was really looking to spread my wings, and I was just blown away by the camaraderie, support, connections and networking opportunities,” she said. “I definitely recommend it.”

While she’s a one-person business right now, she has plans to employ someone soon so she can help more authors.

“There are manuscripts across my desk that are incredible, and I think to myself, why have these not been snapped up by one of the major publishing companies,” she said. “I genuinely get really excited about new talent and some of the incredible books I am privileged to read.

“I’m really passionate about my business, and it really does bring me so much joy to help other writers.” Learn more about Crystal and Bowerbird Publishing by visiting her website www. crystalleonardi.com

“Bowerbird Publishing ensures that all books are a true representation of the author’s vision, while preserving their voice and style.”

Skills Development a Winner

COLLEEN HOLMES LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Colleen Holmes was thrilled to be named the winner of her category in the Cairns Business Women’s Club, Businesswoman of the Year Awards.

Colleen Holmes Learning and Development was the proud winner of the highly contested Small Business Owner of the Year award.

“It was great to be involved and it was really super to know that we won. It’s been extraordinary.

“Some of the judges spoke to me later and they said that it was extremely inspiring for them to see that this kind of work was being carried out and to see the success stories that we had provided and they believed it was heartwarming to produce the business out of it.

“We’ve stretched a long way outside of Cairns. We’re working all over Australia and lots of different places now, but it was just amazing to know that our work was recognised and validated.

“Every single woman that was in my category had such fantastic businesses and fantastic motivation and drive, I felt very honoured to be included in that group.”

career prospects or return to work, with programs designed to fit each person’s individual needs.

The business provides online LLND resources that are designed to support employment services, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and people involved in ‘closing the gap’.

Colleen said she was shocked when she found out she had won her category.

“It was amazing!” she said.

“It was so great, and I was very, very lucky that a lot of our clients and people we’d worked with in the past and our current clients were with us on the evening.

Colleen has been operating her business for four years, assisting hundreds of adult learners to develop their Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Digital (LLND) skills.

She works with businesses and organisations to help adults enhance their

Colleen works with indigenous adults in regional and remote communities. She also provides foundation skills training for new migrants, as well as other disadvantaged adults seeking to enhance their employment prospects.

Colleen Holmes Learning and Development will change its name to Skills Explorer in October, with a

Words by Stacey Carrick Images by Every Moment Photography & Captured by Catherine

greater emphasis on literacy skills development and digital learning.

“We deliver targeted skills that support the reading, writing, numeracy, oral communication and digital competencies of adults,” Colleen said.

“Our experience spans a broad range of groups and learners. This includes upskilling existing employees, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, job seekers and non-English speaking immigrants.

“We want to do it online specifically so that people will be able to use computers and digital devices, because the people we work with and the people that we connect on Skills Explorer come from all sorts of backgrounds, such as disengaged youth, refugees, migrants, people who have struggles in school, early school leavers, and people who are working but have gaps in their literacy.”

Skills Explorer features more than 200 courses that can be individually tailored to the learner’s specific needs.

Learning pathways can even be contextualised to a variety of industries including hospitality, retail, construction, marine and office administration.

Colleen moved from Ireland to Australia in 2009 where she relished the idea of swapping grey skies for Far North Queensland sunshine.

“I too am a migrant, which gives another perspective,” she said.

“Then, when we moved to live in Cairns, I was working in a lot of remote, different places all over Australia that people would never get to. Very closed Aboriginal communities, the Torres Strait, the Central Desert, Tasmania, Western Australia, all over. So that’s when we started to think that really we should be doing something to help people who are struggling with their literacy.”

Colleen developed the platform and the content herself, which she then had to adapt due to Covid. Her son now assists her on the technical side while her husband works with her on a

voluntary basis. The business continues to grow and more people will be employed.

“We believe we are not a ‘cookie cutter’ approach whereas a lot of other literacy supports certainly are,” she said. “Some digital providers say, ‘plug yourself in, off you go’, and you just tick and flick. That doesn’t happen with us. We guide and support and build the confidence of the individual learner as individual literacy needs.

“We’re there all along that journey, and thankfully the people who support our learners think that that’s what makes us special and different. That we really give full commitment.

“Skills Explorer is so very different to what is out there at the moment with other providers, because we make it as far away from school or education as possible.

“We also keep our pass rates at zero. Because as far as we’re concerned, everything above zero is a pass for that person. It’s not like when we were all going to university and we had to get 80 percent, 90 percent, pass rates in various assessments. It’s the person who’s struggling and if they get 10 percent this week and 20 percent the next week, well that’s amazing and it’s fantastic for them.”

Colleen believes her role is extremely rewarding.

“We’ve seen such great growth in the individuals and the people we work with,” she said. “Sometimes people are extremely stressed and worried about losing their jobs, and then to see them blossoming and thinking, I can do this, easy.

“I think just seeing the person at the other end and seeing what they have achieved, that is what I find rewarding.

“We have been very successful, thankfully, and each year we are doubling and doubling. So, something must be going right.”

For further information, phone Colleen on 0457 944 211, email colleen@ colleenholmes.com.au or visit www.colleenholmes. com.au (or the new website after October 1www.skillsexplorer.com. au)

“I think just seeing the person at the other end and seeing what they have achieved, that is what I find rewarding.”

CBWC Awards 2023

Photos by Every Moment Photography

What is Your Skin Microbiome? Everything You Need to Know

The largest organ in our body is the skin, and it is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that are invisible to the naked eye. Sounds creepy? Don’t worry— their presence is crucial to your overall health. They make up what is called the skin microbiome. At DMK Skincare, we want to ensure that your microbiome is balanced and healthy by providing products and solutions that match your body’s chemistry.

What is a skin microbiome?

The skin microbiome is the skin’s flora, which does not merely offer protection but also maintains pH balance and boosts immunity. Together with the lipid or moisture barrier and acid mantle, it creates a protective barrier to shield you from the effects of the elements and external factors like pollution, aggressive skincare, sun, and stress. With this in mind, it’s crucial to consider quality skin care to help protect your microbiome. How does your skin’s microbiome work?

The answer still requires further research, but experts understand that the different microorganisms on the skin can help protect it. These organisms interact to help fight bad bacteria and prevent infection. This makes your skin microbiome your first line of defence against bacteria, and the acid mantle beneath that layer prevents the growth of other pathogens like fungi and bacteria. Any disruptions to this ecosystem can impact skin conditions and cause changes in the skin.

Benefits of a healthy skin microbiome

Some microbes function like natural antibiotics to fight infection while keeping your skin acidic, which harmful pathogens do not like. A healthy microbiome can boost your immune system, control inflammation, and promote proper wound healing. Breaching the microbiome barrier can result in skin problems like psoriasis, acne, and eczema. DMK Skin aims to promote a healthy skin environment that effectively protects you while working to maintain moisture. We will work closely with you to provide the best skin care to help maintain or enhance your microbiome.

Demystifying the connection between your gut and skin microbiomes

The microbiomes in the gut and skin are fairly different, but while it’s uncertain whether changes in the former can affect the latter, there is a known connection between them. This conclusion is based on the fact that some oral probiotics have been shown to improve skin inflammation caused by conditions like eczema.

Researchers continue to explore connections between the skin and gut, examining how they impact skin conditions like atopic dermatitis, acne, skin wounds, rosacea, psoriasis, and ageing. Likewise, they are looking into how diet could improve the symptoms. What can damage the skin microbiome?

While the skin microbiome is relatively resilient and stable, certain things could harm it. These include harsh

beauty products, cleansers, a poor diet, and environmental factors. At DMK Skincare, we offer carefully formulated cleansers to gently remove impurities while addressing skin problems like acne.

Are you familiar with the saying that “too much of a good thing can be bad”? This certainly applies to skin care. Popular treatments like probiotic skincare may do more harm than good when it disrupts the balance of the microorganisms. Oral antibiotics may also kill your skin’s healthy bacteria. Taking antibiotics unnecessarily or inappropriately also makes you susceptible to developing antibioticresistant bacteria on your skin.

Keeping your skin microbiome healthy

Choosing gentle skincare products and cleansers can help protect your skin microbiome and keep it healthy. Abrasive cleansers can invite more bacteria and other pathogens to thrive on your skin. This is why DMK Skin offers gentler solutions that are easy to use and won’t harm the good bacteria. Deep Pore Cleanser flushes out impurities and may be used as a makeup remover or shaving foam. It’s a gentle, non-stripping cleanser for congested, oily, or normal skin, with natural toning and detoxifying capabilities to protect and brighten the skin. For troubled skin, we recommend Acu Klenz to control breakouts. It’s an anti-bacterial gel that deeply cleanses to decongest clogged pores while penetrating deep within to rebalance oil levels, reduce irritation, and regulate skin turnover.

THE ICONIC AND FIRST NATIONS FASHION & DESIGN

Photos by Pat Stevenson

Incubator Participants left to right Briana Enoch, Cheryl Perez, Glenda McCulloch, Elverina Johson, Jaunita Doyle

Far North Queensland designers Elverina Johnson and Briana Enoch were two out of three designers selected from across the country to take part in the new THE ICONIC and First Nations Fashion + Design (FNFD) Incubator Program that promotes First Nations fashion brands.

First Nations designers and creatives from around Australia were shortlisted by an expert panel from the fashion, design and First Nations communities. The successful designers were handpicked from the shortlist for their outstanding craftsmanship and unique designs.

The pilot program will span over seven months, aiming to support First Nations designers through hands-on learning experiences, network expansion, business guidance and industry and manufacturing development. At the conclusion of the Incubator Program, designers will take part in an eCommerce shoot and be invited to sell their collections on THE ICONIC.

Elverina Johnson is a well-known Gunggandji woman from Yarrabah. Her brand Pink Fish is all about representing her community and the Gunggandji people and the stories that have been passed down from her Ancestors. Elverina’s pieces encapsulate boldness, bright colours, the reef, rainforest and her life growing up in Far North Queensland.

Briana Enoch is a Kuku Yalanji, Quandamooka and Kaantju woman from Kuranda who founded Jarawee (meaning pretty little bird), a brand that started out as products of hand-painted accessories. In 2021 Briana debuted a collection of high-end fashion at Australian Afterpay Fashion Week, including ‘The Quandamooka Collection’. Following her debut, one of the dresses was included in the Powerhouse ‘Eucalyptusdom’ exhibition. Briana draws inspiration from storytelling, with her Eucalyptusdom dresses being inspired by elements of her Father’s Quandamooka Country, healing stories on Stradbroke Island and the eucalyptus and its many uses and benefits.

The third selection includes Mt Isa designers and sisters Glenda McCulloch, Cheryl Perez, Jaunita Doyle and Dale Bruce of the fashion label Myrrdah.

Over the seven-month period, the designers will participate in workshops, events and experiences developed by a range of industry experts and educators, such as The Hanes group and Epson, with ongoing feedback from the indigenous creative community. Topics covered will include branding and business plans, design and product development, merchandising, marketing and commercialisation, delivered through tours, classroom sessions, e-learning and one-onone meetups with mentors. At the conclusion of the program, the designers will have the opportunity to take part in an eCommerce shoot and will be invited to sell their collection on THE ICONIC in the future.

FIRST NATIONS DESIGNERS AND CREATIVES FROM AROUND AUSTRALIA WERE SHORTLISTED BY AN EXPERT PANEL FROM THE FASHION, DESIGN AND FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES.

Briana Enoch of Jarawee

“We are thrilled to welcome the designers into our first ever Incubator Program in partnership with FNFD,” said Gayle Burchell, THE ICONIC’s chief commercial and sustainability officer. “As incredibly talented creatives who have already made their mark on the fashion industry, we’re honoured to share our e-commerce, tech and retail experience with them to further support the commercial scaling of their brands.

P.E Nation Pip Edwards, founder and creative director of BY JOHNNY Johnny Schembri and Kinga Csilla’s creative director Laura Liles and director Tristan Liles.

They will be joined by highly respected cultural mentors Shonae Hobson, who is curator at First Nations Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, Julie Shaw, founder and creative director of Maara Collective and Yatu Widders, who is the general manager at Cox Inall Ridgeway and a board member of the Australian Fashion Council.

“I am excited to be involved in THE ICONIC and FNFD incubator program this year as an industry mentor,” said Ms Edwards. “It is an honour to be able to bring my working knowledge of the industry to this next generation of design talent, fusing this experience with their passion and interpretation of print, colour and texture which is so special and unique.”

THE ICONIC and FNFD have also announced the industry and cultural mentors who will provide invaluable expertise and guidance to the designers throughout the duration of the Incubator Program and beyond. The industry mentors include Australian designers and fashion industry icons, co-founder of

Grace Lillian Lee, FNFD’s founder and chair said, “When we were creating the program in partnership with THE ICONIC, we wanted to ensure first and foremost that it was a two-way learning experience for everyone involved. We are grateful for the support from THE ICONIC and our industry and cultural mentors who will dedicate their time to help guide our participants, and we look forward to seeing their development over the course of this exciting program.”

“WE’RE ALSO HUMBLED AND EXCITED TO LEARN FROM THESE TALENTED DESIGNERS AND OUR PARTNERS AT FNFD TO BETTER FACILITATE THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND VIABILITY OF THE FIRST NATIONS FASHION INDUSTRY.”

Cultural Mentors L-R - Julie Shaw, Shonae Hobson, Yatu Widders Hunt

Cairns Fashion Week

Photos by Momento Road Photography

In our Young Guns feature we shine a light on Far North Queensland’s young aspiring leaders of tomorrow across numerous industry sectors.

CityLife Magazine in collaboration with the Cairns Young Chamber showcase these young people and all they are contributing to our region to shape the future of our great city.

Passion for Business

Noah Hodgson has a passion for business. As an accountant and advisor, he works with companies in a range of industries every day through his role as a Manager in the Private Business Tax and Advisory team at Grant Thornton.

Noah, 27, enjoys working with business owners to ensure their success by providing tools and numbers to make better decisions.

“I also enjoy the interaction with my clients and being a trusted advisor to them,” he said.

“You are constantly learning and adapting in a changing landscape, there are new techniques, market movements and changes to legislation to keep on top of.”

Noah completed a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) at Queensland University of Technology, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Chartered Accounting from Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

His study stood him in good stead for his role as treasurer at Cairns Young Chamber, where he oversees their financial aspects and provides input towards the generation and implementation of their strategy.

Noah describes himself as extroverted, energetic, driven and a big picture thinker.

He also has a curious mind and loves learning new things, which he recommends to people wanting to follow in his footsteps.

“Always move forward, learn something every day, and be persistent,” he said.

“Lean into curiosity. Move out of your comfort zone,

Marketing Leader

Rosie Mitchener is a marketing leader who joined the Cairns community in 2021, after realising the power of remote work postpandemic.

Rosie, 28, made the tropical dream a reality with her partner Ben and their border collie, Moose.

“Living in this paradise while working remotely to orchestrate international customer marketing initiatives for one of Australia’s fastest-growing Software as a Service (SaaS) companies is a true privilege,” she said.

After a rewarding stint managing the marketing and communication efforts for Brisbane-based mutual-bank, MOVE Bank, Rosie pursued her love for customer-centred marketing by taking on a new position as Customer Marketing Manager at the Aussie tech unicorn, Employment Hero, in 2021.

“Working in the mutual banking sector fuelled my passion for customer-focused, purpose-led marketing, and today I’m proud to lead the global customer advocacy strategy for Employment Hero’s 200,000 customers across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia,” Rosie said.

“I’ve always been passionate about professional development and supporting the growth of others.

In my spare time I co-manage Employment Hero’s Future Leaders community, helping launch our first company-wide mentorship program and hosting monthly professional development events.” Rosie said she loves blending creativity with business strategy, which is what drew her to the world of marketing.

“In my current role, the ability to tell powerful customer stories, create impactful advocacy campaigns, and foster genuine connections with our incredible customers is what I thrive on,” she said.

that’s where the personal growth is. Ask questions, reflect, and discover the ‘why’.

“Surround yourself with great people, work together to reach your goals.

“Give yourself a goal and work towards it every day. Envision where you want to be in three to five years’ time and develop a plan of how you will get there. Start on the journey and adapt as you learn and progress.

“Educate yourself whether that be formally through university or through books, podcasts, or lectures. “Develop your network and surround yourself with people who will bring you up.”

Noah moved from Brisbane to Cairns two years ago.

“I like that the region is small enough to have a community feel, but big enough to have enough for enterprise to thrive,” he said.

“Of course I love the weather and incredible surroundings, the reef, Esplanade, Tablelands, and beaches.

“I enjoy training at the gym, and I also like having a hit of golf and tennis, poorly. I love frequenting Cairns cafes and restaurants with my wife. I am a big beach fan too and enjoy a swim.

“I would like to say thank you to all the people who have helped me to be the person I am today - my wife, family, friends and colleagues.”

For more information, visit www. grantthornton.com.au

EMPLOYMENT HERO

“Plus, witnessing the tangible business impacts of these efforts only fuels my drive.”

Beyond her role at Employment Hero, Rosie has taken a deep dive into the Cairns Young Chamber (CYC) community, where she holds the position of Head of Sponsorships and more recently Vice-Chair.

“I collaborate with local businesses to accelerate the success of the CYC community and our mission to provide impactful professional development and networking opportunities for emerging leaders across the Cairns region,” she said.

Rosie said her secret to success is constant learning.

“I’m always seeking out mentorship from industry leaders and learning from those who’ve gone before,” she said. “Being authentic has also been a big learning for me, and I focus on leading with heart and authenticity in everything I do.

“My advice for aspiring professionals is to immerse yourself in diverse roles, network with those in your local and international community, and keep learning. Each experience adds to your toolkit and new connections can open doors you never imagined.”

Since her move to Cairns in February 2021, Rosie has loved exploring the region and is a big advocate for our community.

“Cairns has truly captured my heart. It’s more than just a location – it’s a way of life that’s unparalleled,” she said.

For more information, visit www. employmenthero.com

Revolutionising the Secondhand Industry with their Unique Service

After noticing numerous valuable items being taken straight to the dump, Pip Buhler was inspired to create a solution.

She recognised that many people didn’t have the time, ability or know-how to resell their items online. In 2020, she launched Cairns Property Clearances (CPC). Since then, CPC has assisted their residential and commercial clients in selling over 15,000 items, established a dedicated buyers’ group of 8000 members and actively facilitated the donation of unsellable items to organisations like the Cairns Homeless Hub and Yarrabah Council, significantly diverting waste from landfills.

“It’s a win-win-win,” she said. “Our clients profit, the community benefits from quality items and the environment sees less waste.”

Pip and her team are revolutionising the secondhand industry with a modern solution that leverages technology. They specialise in downsizing assistance, deceased estate management, commercial refurbishments and business closures.

To ensure a seamless experience, the team attends properties to capture high-quality photos of each item, provides pricing suggestions based on local market research and lists the items on platforms such as their exclusive buyers’ group and Facebook Marketplace. They then regularly visit the property to facilitate the collection and payment processes. “I

James Breaks the Mould

While many people may think that working with a lawyer is a formal, stuffy and serious experience, James Harding of Harding Property Law quickly dispels that idea.

First off, you’ll probably never see him wearing a suit except in very rare cases when he is in court. His friendly personality makes you feel like you’re meeting up with an old friend and, most importantly of all, he’s an excellent in-demand lawyer specialising in property law conveyancing.

James, who has been a lawyer for 10 years, started his own practice in 2022 to deliver practical legal services and solutions in residential, commercial and rural property transactions including conveyancing, off-the-plan developments, projects and intricate property development issues.

He previously worked for a national law firm in Cairns for four years doing conveyancing and property work for government and other national clients and before that had worked with another smaller firm that dealt directly with everyday people buying and selling houses and subdivisions.

“As it turned out, I really missed working face to face with everyday people,” said the local lawyer. “So, I started my own practice to help people in the way that I think best, making that access and conveyancing process easy for everyone.

love what I do,” Pip said. “We see so many cool and unusual items, and for someone who enjoys scouring op shops and flea markets it truly is a dream job.”

Recognising the undeniable demand for her unique services, Pip’s innovative approach with Cairns Property Clearances quickly gained national attention.

“Over the years, I’ve had numerous people say to me, ‘What an incredible business! If only there was one like yours in my area’,” she said.

The overwhelming response and her desire to make a bigger difference led to the recent inception of Resale Empire. Pip is determined to empower others through online courses and coaching, offering her distinct blueprint for sustainable success in the resale industry. “Even before its official launch, we already have resale businesses operating successfully in four states across Australia,” she said with pride.

“Every piece of positive feedback and each success story drives me even more. This isn’t just a business to me; it’s a movement. I’m thrilled to collaborate with passionate entrepreneurs who are committed to fostering a circular economy, ensuring clients nationwide can access a service just like ours.” For more information, visit Cairns Property Clearances on Facebook or Google.

HARDING PROPERTY LAW

“There are very few law firms in Cairns where you can call up for help with a conveyance and talk directly to the person who runs the firm, does the work and has been doing this work specifically for 10 years.”

His forensic approach to conveyancing along with his friendly nature assures his clients that they are in good hands. He’s easily accessible and is well known for answering his phone anytime.

While he is passionate about his work, he also loves supporting the local professional community such as sponsoring the JCU Law Ball, working with the Cairns Young Chamber and hosting social and professional functions for other conveyancers and lawyers in Cairns.

Since opening up his firm a year ago with his wife Morgan, he has completed over 500 matters, and the phone keeps ringing which is why he’s now looking for new staff.

For more information visit www. hardingproperty.law or phone 0435 854 011.

Elevate your career, build lasting connections, and shape the future of our region.

cairnsyoungchamber cairnsyoungchamber cairnsyo

Passion for Law

Words by Stacey Carrick Image by Captured by Catherine

It is a career she finds rewarding as she assists people in navigating complex situations and issues that they face that require legal advice and ultimately achieves the desired results for her clients.

The senior associate at MacDonnells Law specialises in commercial law, with a passion for complex succession planning and business transactional work.

Kayla was thrilled to be promoted to senior associate earlier this year.

“I am honoured to be part of such a progressive firm that continues to support both my personal development and career progression,” she said.

“I look forward to continuing to guide the commercial team to deliver an exceptional standard of service and work for our existing clients and new clients.

“I strive myself on delivering results for clients and always ensuring any advice given is practical in the real world.”

Kayla said she finds her position at MacDonnells Law to be one that she is proud of, with that pride translating to her work and giving her the motivation to want to deliver an exceptional level of work for her clients.

“The best part of my job is having clients come in with issues they are seeking help with and being able to give them a

pathway and the support to help them get to a solution and provide them with a bespoke set of documents (such as a Will) that is tailored to their circumstances and instructions,” she said.

“This saves them and their families a lot of heartache and issues later down the track, especially in estate matters. Because I’m a people person, I also have the ability to develop strong professional relationships with my clients as well.

“Clients want to speak to someone that they understand and that doesn’t overcomplicate things, especially with legal matters. The majority of people also want to be able to speak to someone that they find relatable or that they can understand in simple terms so that they can make an informed decision about what is usually a matter that is very important to them.

“I pride myself on being able to adapt the advice I give to every client and to give them each advice that they can interpret, that is practical and is what they need. I love being able to break down complex legal issues and strategies into something that clients can understand and make a difference for them.

“Coming to see a lawyer, no matter what it may be for, can make people feel uncertain. When my clients come to see me, they know that I will help them in their matter without overcomplicating the process.”

Kayla is particularly passionate about succession law.

“I take the time to actually get to know what that particular client wants to do with their estate, instead of throwing legal terms at them,” she said.

“Once I understand what that client wants, then I can sort out how to legally make it work and give them what is needed to achieve their objectives. A lot of the time I actually spend with the client is going in depth with them about their background and their current situation, so that I can understand them, which assists me with the work I then need to do.”

Kayla chose a career in law due to her desire to help people and her love of legal studies

A true local, Kayla has lived in Cairns her entire life, she attended St Mary’s Catholic College and James Cook University prior to working at Farrellys Lawyers before her current position at MacDonnells Law.

Kayla said her local knowledge assists her in her position, including being able to make her service tailored to local clients.

“I’ve been in Cairns my entire life, I went to university here, so I understand the region and the people who live here,” she said.

Kayla also loves working in the team environment at MacDonnells Law.

“The team here is very friendly,” she said. “We strive for excellence and being the best in our fields of practice. Our office is one where open communication is promoted and practised, everyone’s always very approachable. You can go to anyone with any queries. I supervise a team who also see me as a mentor and know they can always come to me for guidance at any time, which is great. This gives me the opportunity to be able to pass on what I know to others. I feel very supported by the directors here and my team and I’ve learnt a lot from them over the years.”

Kayla’s secret to success is to have faith in yourself.

“I think you always need to back yourself,” she said. “At the end of the day, whilst you have a team to support you, you backing yourself is an important thing. You’re in charge of your own destiny. People can give you the tools to succeed, but at the end of the day you’re the one that has to use them. You’re the one who has to actually take that and turn it into success.”

For anyone considering a career in law, Kayla recommends that believing in yourself and getting your foot in the door are the first steps.

“Exposure is always great,” she said. “Get a job at a law firm no matter what it is. Then just work your way up, put in the hours. Just go out and meet people through networking. It’s always good to get yourself out there with other people, but also builds your confidence as well.

“To be successful in something like law, I think one of the main things that you need to have is a good mindset, which includes backing yourself and removing any kind of self-limiting thoughts or doubts.

“My aim now is to continue to progress and establish myself as a trusted advisor in commercial law, including namely business advisory and succession law. Being promoted to senior associate was a massive milestone that I wanted to achieve as part of this plan.

“When I first started at MacDonnells, I was just a lawyer, then two years ago, I was promoted to Associate, now with this promotion to Senior Associate, I have definitely hit some personal and professional goals with a firm that I know supports me fully.

“In terms of my next career goal, it would be for me to continue to expand my own personal brand as a lawyer and also hopefully one day to be a director and part of the leadership team of the firm.”

Kayla Sinnott is passionate about law – both professionally and personally.

Personalised Service

STORK DISTRIBUTORS

Words by Stacey Carrick

“We offer old-fashioned service, we get to know the businesses we service,” James said.

“This allows us to serve our customers better, as we keep track of what products and volume is required, so we can ensure we have the stock ready to go when needed.

“We will visit new customers and take the time to find the right products for them. There is a large variation with new and more environmentally friendly products coming on the market, so it’s a good time to see if your business is using the best products available.

“We will source whatever products our customers need, so they can get everything conveniently from one supplier and we will ensure we offer the best pricing.”

Products are sourced from a range of different suppliers, which means there are a variety of options available.

Stork

The company is proudly operated by James Stork and his wife Kelly.

James’s role is operations-based, while Kelly does bookkeeping and accounts and also runs a gift hamper business, Tropical Treasures Gift Hampers.

Stork Distributors offers a variety of products, including disposable dinnerware, food service packaging, cleaning products, washroom consumables, bulk batteries and Duracell carded batteries.

They mainly sell wholesale, but now offer direct to customers through their online store.

“We also try to source as many Australian made products as we can, it’s important to support Australian manufacturing,” James said.

“We offer bulk purchases, as well as warehousing bulk amounts and offering our customers smaller deliveries to suit their business needs.

“We can also provide new complimentary dispensers for businesses that want to use our range of washroom products.”

James said Stork Distributors offers a number of benefits to its customers.

“The biggest advantage of using us to supply your business is that it’s like having your own personal purchasing officer and warehouse,” he said.

“You can give us a call and let us know what you are trying to achieve - we will find the products you need, warehouse and deliver as required.

We offer free delivery to Cairns and the Tablelands with a low minimum spend.”

Stork Distributors has been operating for more than five years.

“We love doing what we do and are looking to grow our business substantially over the next couple of years,” James said.

“We have four of us working in the business, ourselves along with two employees. We have Jamie who looks after our milk run out of Malanda and Paul who helps out with the orders and admin.”

Stork Distributors personally delivers to Cairns and the Tablelands.

“We are looking at extending our delivery area to Port Douglas and Innisfail and further west as we grow our business,” James said.

“Stork Distributors also distributes to the whole of North Queensland. We send a lot of bulk battery orders out as far south as Mackay, it’s substantially cheaper to buy larger orders of batteries from us than to pay for freight from down south.

“We stock all the products our customers use to ensure the product is ready to go when needed. We have access to a range of suppliers, so we can offer you the best products at the best prices.

“Stork Distributors offers competitive pricing and we can offer bulk discounts. If you are paying less for any products, we will go back to the manufacturer and get pricing support so we can match or beat what you are currently paying.

“We can come out to your business to discuss your needs and give you a quote, just send us an email and we’ll book it in.”

Distributors is a locally owned distribution company offering personalised, old-fashioned service.

Photos by FrontRow Foto

Innovative Design

NEATER HOMES

Established 1982

Neater

Homes is a locally owned construction company, respected as a long-standing Master Builder within the housing industry, for excellence in their field of design and construction of individual luxury homes.

The company was established in 1982 by Col Neate, who has been building in Far North Queensland for more than 40 years. Col and his experienced team have earned a strong reputation for their dedication to innovative design and continuous commitment to exceptional craftsmanship.

As one of the longest-standing home builders in Cairns, their industry success has been acknowledged over the decades with more than 50 housing and construction awards including Housing Industry Association Awards, Best Tropical Design for Northern Australia, Queensland Master Builders Association Awards, and Home of the Year.

Neater Homes provide a complete architectural design and construction service. Their in-house architect works collaboratively with Col Neate and his wealth of design knowledge. All designs

are tailored around your ideas, lifestyle aspirations, your property terrain, and to work in harmony with our tropical climate. No site is too complex for the Neater team.

Their aim is to transform your vision into a breathtaking reality that reflects your unique style and taste, and exceeds your expectation.

Experience the Neater difference with Neater Homes Cairns.

Col 0418773772 | P. (07) 4031 0351 |

neaterhomesnq.com.au

QBCC #21788

Featuring the Escape Collection

The Boutique Collection boasts an eclectic collection of hand-picked boutique accommodation offering resort style rooms, luxury villas, premium apartments & homes.

Locations: Port Douglas, Palm Cove & Cairns To

Cherish Women Through the Magic of Bollywood

Jess Kumar lost her mother to ovarian cancer in December 2021. This devastating loss led to her desire to honour her mother’s memory while making a positive impact on others.

Jess is proudly organising the much-anticipated Bollywood Charity Ball on Saturday, October 14 at Pullman Cairns International.

She is looking forward to raising funds for the Cherish Women’s Cancer Foundation and raising awareness for early detection while celebrating Indian culture just in time for Deepawali (Indian New Year).

Jess said her mother, Chandra Kumar, was an extraordinary woman, known for her kindness and passion for life.

hysterectomy and chemotherapy. Her family was by her side supporting her every day until she passed away in December 2021.

“It still angers me that we didn’t know one small symptom could change a woman’s life,” Jess said. “I want to raise awareness, especially in multicultural communities, that gynaecological cancer is deadly. In the Fijian Indian community, you never hear of someone getting or passing away from cancer – it’s not spoken about and goes undiagnosed for too long.”

Jess is now determined to make a difference and spread the Cherish message – she is fundraising to help find a kinder treatment and to help women enjoy a longer life.

Cherish has helped fund some breakthrough clinical trials which have improved women’s lives through fewer hospital bed days, less radical surgery and complications, lower treatment costs and providing choice to women to retain fertility options.

One important project is the IMAGE trial, which compares different types of scanning to determine the most effective medical imaging tool for patients with ovarian cancer outside the abdomen.

Jess decided to follow her passion – she started an event management company, Let’s Create Events, specialising in Bollywood themed events. Her first big event will bring together her love for Bollywood and the community.

“I hope my charity ball will also spread awareness about gynaecological cancer in the community and help fundraise for research,” Jess said. “If this event inspires just one woman to see her doctor before it’s too late, it will all be worth it.”

The ball will include a three-course dinner, keynote speakers, an Indian DJ, a Bollywood dance workshop, live music and dance performances in a night of glitz and glamour.

“Mum was diagnosed with one symptom – bloating in her stomach,” Jess said.

“We were shocked when she learnt she had stage four ovarian cancer. Mum was my best friend.

“From being such a positive, lovable, caring, kind, compassionate woman, she became anxious and depressed, asking ‘Why me?’.”

Chandra endured aggressive treatment, including a

Jess said women should be aware of the nine most common signs and symptoms of gynaecological cancer, which include abnormal or persistent bleeding, unusual discharge, pain, pressure or discomfort in the abdomen, swelling of the abdomen, weight loss, change in bowel or bladder habits, pain during sex, itching, burning or soreness in the pelvic region and lumps, sores or growths.

After her mum passed away at her Brisbane home, Jess embarked on a solo road trip up the east coast. She fell in love with Cairns and decided to start afresh.

Tickets are available at www. letscreateevents.com.au. For further information, email hello@ letscreateevents.com.au.

Sponsors include CityLife Media, Every Moment Photography, Cairns Calendar, Boon Creative, Manexo Media, Spicy Bite, Five Rivers Constructions, Finn Business Sales, Instant Alloy Scaffolding and Snap Printing Cairns.

Words by Stacey Carrick | Images by Every Moment Photography

Cairns Art Teacher Recognised With Life Membership at Queensland Art Teachers Assoc. Conference

David Marsden’s passion for the arts and commitment to arts education has been acknowledged with a Life Membership Award presented among peers at the Queensland Art Teachers Association (QATA) Annual State Conference in Brisbane this month. With a teaching career in the realm of visual art and design spanning three decades, Mr Marsden is Cairns State High School’s Arts – Head of Department and President of the Peninsula Art Educators Association (PAEA).

According to QATA a Life Membership Award is for outstanding service to visual art education in Queensland and is presented annually at the state conference by the QATA committee. Award criteria

require the recipient to have made a significant contribution to the advocacy of visual art education in Queensland and be a role model within the profession. Mr Marsden is the fifth in Queensland to have received a life membership for arts education.

St Monica’s College art teacher, and Artview Gallery & Café owner, Leanne Shead, who nominated and presented the formal submission befitting QATA’s peak recognition, was thrilled to see Mr Marsden’s dedication, excellence and long-time service rewarded to someone who has created many legacies and made a significant impact in the art space – not just at Cairns State High School but across the region and Queensland.

Winner of the QATA 2023 Life Membership Award is Cairns State High School’s Arts - Head of Department, David Marsden pictured with QATA Treasurer, Dani Towers (left) QATA President, Victoria Boulter Groening and QATA Conference Director Jo-Anne Hine (right).

Deadly Women Graduation

Photos by Danae Jones Consulting

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre

Deadly Women Success Celebrated

This month marked a significant milestone for many Indigenous women from Northern Australia as they celebrated their graduation from the Indigenous Women’s Leadership & Development Program (Deadly Women). An official ceremony was held at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino with local dignitaries and Indigenous leaders to celebrate the exciting occasion.

participants of the 2023 IWDLP Deadly Women Program from all over North Queensland including Cairns, Mapoon, Napranum and Thursday Island were awarded their graduation VET accredited certificates for Certificate 1 in Workplace Skills and Certificate 1 in Tourism (Australian Indigenous Culture).

The free two-week program they took part in was held in various locations in Queensland over a two-year period and was open to any Deadly First Nations Women over the age of 18 years who had a desire to learn and grow new skills, meet other Deadly Sisters and achieve nationally recognised qualifications.

“We admire these graduates’ willingness to learn and succeed despite the family commitments and demands many of them faced. It is testament to their resilience and desire to become leaders in their communities,” said Sheriden Morris, Managing Director, Reef & Rainforest Research Centre.

Some of the graduates of the program

have already gone on to establish their own businesses and progress their careers which is an exciting outcome from the training.

“Inspirational women are important because they offer an aspirational and empowering message for young girls and women. They provide a positive example that can make all the difference. Role models provide a face and identity to the goals and ambitions that many women may have, and they inspire us to believe that it is possible to realise those goals and dreams and not be defined by the expectations that society has set for them, but to strive for greater things and achieve their potential. Inspirational women offer a needed message of hope and ambition to women everywhere. We Are the Change,” said Deadly Women, Program Director, Lydia Miller.

Throughout the program participants were inspired by guest speakers and site visits as well as theoretical study. Many positive outcomes have resulted from the program’s delivery in regional and remote Queensland, including:

• An agile and flexible learning and leadership program in a community setting, to enable all women over 18 years of age to have access and participate in an entry-level program to acquire skills and qualifications.

• Since commencement of the program in 2022, some 30 women aged 21-61 years of age have participated and achieved completion of the nationally recognised VET-accredited Certificate 1 in Workplace Skills and Certificate 1 in Tourism (Australian Indigenous Culture). Delivered in four (4) locations Cairns, Thursday Island, Mapoon and Napranum.

• Participants have gone on to further learning and leadership opportunities and have felt confident to apply to other leadership programs, knowing that they can achieve their goals.

Just some of the participant case studies included:

• Rosemary Ambrum applied to do a Rangers course, a goal she always wanted to achieve, to build towards her dream of having her own eco-business.

•Georgina Dorante initiated her business idea of a coffee van on Thursday Island. “My experience attending this workshop has really made a big change for me. I gained and learnt a lot from this workshop

especially on how to manage and operate Small Business. Today with all the knowledge I have taken on board, I am now a Small Business Owner of a Mobile Food & Drink Cart call KirrRock Munchies’.

• Sandra Scott’s confidence grew stronger and is now pursuing her creativity and creative artworks.

• Two of the graduates, Leah Warrior and Rosemary Loban, were already employed at Gab Titui Cultural Centre on Thursday Island in back-of-house roles. Thanks to their new training, both now have the skills required to greet tourists and run tours of the galleries. Their first tour was on behalf of their fellow graduates and instructors, but they are ready to greet the expected influx of visitors interested in Indigenous tourism in Queensland in the lead-up to the Olympics.

“The Deadly Women Program helped greatly, it provided an opportunity for Indigenous women to learn, build and gain knowledge of basic workplace procedures and practices as well as business in tourism,” said Leah. The course was “a fantastic opportunity to build on my skill sets as well as self - personal development, especially as a woman who would one day like to take lead in some form in my community, surrounding communities and my workplace.”

Community visits took place in the following locations:

• CAIRNS

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Umi Arts, Cairns Regional Gallery, Indigenous Studios, Wuchopperen Health Service, Cairns Museum and Historical Society, Bumma Bippera Media

• THURSDAY ISLAND

Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Green Hill Fort Museum and Look-out

• MAPOON

Cultural Centre and Gallery

• NAPRANUM

Napranum, Achimbun Culture Centre-Western Cape

The Indigenous Women’s Leadership & Development Program (Deadly Women) was funded by the Federal Government, Queensland Government, Reef & Rainforest Research Centre and INLOC and moves are afoot to secure ongoing funding to continue the program and achieve even more great outcomes.

Cairns Bodybuilder and Personal Trainer, Tracey Defferrard has placed second in the pro figure category at the WBFF World 2023 Pro

One of our resident CityLife Fitness Gurus, Tracey Defferrard, has placed second on the world stage at a Pro comp in America.

After a gruelling 12 months of preparation for the global event, Tracey placed 2nd in the pro figure category at the World Beauty Fitness and Fashion Inc (WBFF) world championships held in Las Vegas.

As a proud mother of an eight-year-old son, and a dual business owner, the commitment and determination she had to draw upon was incredible to reach this achievement.

Tracey is now eyeing off the top prize as she says she’s got a taste for the world stage now. So watch this space in 2024. Tracey said she had been consistently weight training for 10 years and competing for eight, going pro in 2019.

“This WBFF achievement has been 10 years in the making for me and something I am so proud to have been honoured in receiving,” she said.

Stage shot by Denis M Cruz Bikini and coral themewear - All4Me

Red dress - FNQ designer Dadastep

Hat and black dress by FNQ designer - Sonlia Fashion

Cairns Café’s Double Triumph At Restaurant & Catering Industry Awards

Caffiend has been named the winner in both the “Breakfast Restaurant” and “Cafe Dining” categories at the 2023 Queensland and Northern Territory Awards for Excellence.

Caffiend was nominated in the Breakfast Restaurant and Cafe Dining categories earlier this year, alongside sister cafe Guyala in Cairns North. This marks the first-time owner Oliver James has submitted Caffiend for awards since resuming ownership of the cafe in 2022. James initially opened Caffiend in a laneway location in 2009, before relocating to a larger space on Grafton Street opposite Rusty’s Markets. The cafe has since changed ownership - before the original team returned just over a year ago. James says, “We are incredibly proud of what the team has achieved in the short time since we returned to Caffiend last year. While our

other venue, Guyala Cafe is no stranger to industry recognition, this is the first time we’ve done anything like this with Caffiend. I must admit that I didn’t know what to expect - certainly not winning across both categories! We couldn’t have hoped for a better result; it’s a testament to how hard the crew has worked to enhance every aspect of the Caffiend experience and we’re looking forward to receiving the judges’ feedback.”

The Awards for Excellence is a nationally recognised program celebrating exceptional service and culinary talent across the state. Restaurants are assessed on the entire dining experience, including food, beverage, service and restaurant presentation by anonymous judges. R&CA CEO Suresh Manickam says, “Caffiend should be proud of this achievement and their commitment to food and service excellence.”