Profile Magazine TNQ November

EMMA LOUISE blinded by the light SCOTT BROWN the fire within AARON COSHAW an eye for style DIANA CROOKE art with heart KIER SHOREY the last word

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26 stacey mundraby-king

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56

aaron coshaw

bernard lee long

features 14

homegrown – blinded by the light Emma Louise

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people – the fire within Scott Brown

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success – an eye for design Aaron Coshaw

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view – art with heart Diana Crooke

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lads at lunch – the meet market … the rebuttal How do you meet a woman in the Tropical North?

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cover – no place like home Stacey Mundraby-King

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the last word Kier Shorey

a rydges cairns escape on page 60

regulars

november 2011

6 editor’s note

36 life

56 milestones

8 pinboard

40 travelfile

58 rsvp

10 he says, she says

42 on the table

60 win

32 profile loves

44 abode

61 on the road

34 style counsel

50 business

special feature 30 cairns business women’s club feature

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editor’s note

T

here is no way to break this news gently … I am leaving Cairns.

I am not just leaving my treasured Profile Magazine, but also the nature-rich ‘city in a garden’ I have called home for eight years.

Sometimes, opportunity knocks. But in our case, it knocked twice within the space of a few months. I leapt upon the editor’s job when TNQ Profile Magazine launched in August. And then, just last month, when everything was perfect, my husband accepted a gas supervisor’s position in Melbourne. An offer too good to refuse. What would you miss about the region if you were faced with leaving? It’s a long list.

I am now one of those silly Mexicans returning from where I came. Yes, you can laugh at my expense. But I do promise to sell the Tropical North like crazy. Living in this amazing place surrounded by tropical beauty has been a pleasure. It has driven me to achieve every day, and I am determined to spread the word. Simply waking up in Cairns has been my passion.

What’s yours? It can be easy to forget what your passion is – life is so busy and cluttered. Are you living your passion? Do you allow time in your life for what you love?

Our cover person, Stacey Mundraby-King, has her dream job; working for her people, in her homeland.

Read how Stacey went from Yarrabah to the hallowed corridors of Parliament House in Canberra, and is now happily back on her home turf. Today, Stacey is making a stand just as her grandfather did – by empowering her people to work ‘on country’, with future plans to share East Trinity with tourists.

This month, read about more passionate locals, including artist Diana Crooke, family man Scott Brown and design king Aaron Coshaw. Find out how former Cairns musician Emma Louise is making her passion work for her, and also about live music reviver, Bernard Lee Long.

Goodbye for now, and see you when I return for our annual holidays – just like those ‘other’ Mexicans who come to share your piece of paradise!

visit us on facebook.com/profilemag follow us on twitter.com/profilemag watch us on youtube.com/user/profilemagazine

www.profilemag.com.au group managing director / publisher Genine Howard

group general manager / publisher Hamish Rose

group editor-in-chief / publisher Alli Grant

publication manager Coral Florian, 0419 483 183

account manager Jodie Sherman, 0431 066 057

sub editors Phyl Grant, Stacey Carrick

creative director Kara de Schot

graphic designer Johanna Jensen

mystyle contributor Pip Addison

profile writers Mia Lacy, Sarah Sheehan, Juliana Doupe

photography Stuart Frost, Veronica Sagredo, Carly Whouley

email Sales: tnqsales@profilemag.com.au Editorial: tnqeditorial@profilemag.com.au General: info@profilemag.com.au

call / fax (head office) 07 5451 0669 / 07 5475 4405

post (head office) PO Box 1065, Cotton Tree, QLD 4558

distribution

THECOVERSHOOT We chose the picturesque natural setting of Crystal Cascades for Stacey Mundraby-King’s shoot, where photographer Stuart Frost and assistant Katie Archer lugged their gear through water and up steep rocks to get to the perfect location. Stuart went above and beyond to get the look (www. frostyphoto.com).

Kylie Ferrier traipsed the town to source ‘tribal print’ Camilla kaftans to suit Stacey’s heritage (The Eye, Cairns, phone 4031 4675 and Port Douglas, phone 4099 5526). Accessories were sourced from Diva in Cairns Central Shopping Centre. Stacey’s hair and makeup was designed to be as natural as she is, with the team at Pulse Hair and Beauty (Spence St, phone 4051 4212) staying true to her beauty by using earth-toned mineral makeup, and accentuating the natural curl in her hair. It’s a look so close to nature and in touch with the land.

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14,000 copies printed monthly.9,300 are home delivered and 4,700 copies are street delivered to high traffic areas such as high-end cafes, boutiques, hairdressers and professional offices across the TNQ region (from Cairns to Port Douglas), monthly, and online along with an eMAG to 6000 inboxes regularly.

subscriptions

www.profilemag.com.au/subscriptions, $65 + gst (12 issues)

accounts Katherine Allan – accounts@profilemag.com.au Profile magazine is a free publication (subscriptions available) published 12 times a year by Brisbane Profile Publishing Group Pty Ltd. All rights are reserved and the contents are copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of The Publisher, Brisbane Profile Publishing Group Pty Ltd (“The Publisher”), their related companies and officers hereby disclaim, to the full extent permitted by law, all liability, damages, costs and expenses whatsoever arising from or in connection with copy information or other material in this magazine, any negligence of The Publisher, or any persons actions in reliance thereon. Any dispute or complaint regarding placed advertisements must be made within seven days of publication.

Inclusion of any copy must not be taken as any endorsement by The Publisher. Views expressed by contributors are personal views and they are not necessarily endorsed by The Publisher.

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RECRUITMENT CONSULTANTS WITH EXPERIENCE AND PASSION

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Sam

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Chris

Executive & General Management | Finance & Accounting | Information Technology | Legal Sales & Marketing | Human Resources | Engineering & Technical | Secretarial Office Administration | Government | Community Services

Temporary and Permanent Recruitment Specialists

4051 9699

Level 1, 42 Spence Street PO Box 4986, Cairns QLD 4870 apply@cbcstaff.com.au

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with Jennifer Thompson A List Events International To register your event email jennifer@alistevents.com.au

1 november melbourne cup

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Cairns Jockey Club presents Melbourne Cup Day at Cannon Park racecourse. www.cairnsjockeyclub.com.au

mathinna dance show Bangarra Dance Theatre Company presents Mathinna – a girl’s journey between two cultures – at the Cairns Civic Theatre. www.ticketlink.com.au

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marathon festival port douglas Join Steve Moneghetti in beautiful Port Douglas for the Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival. Events range from a 74km ultra marathon right through to a 5km fun run. www.greatbarrierreefmarathon.com.au

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5-6 november brass concert Brass Sweat and Tears concert at Cairns Civic Theatre. Music chosen from the best of the ‘show’ selection, film classics and from around the world. www.ticketlink.com.au

6 november day for daniel Wear red, support child safety and raise funds for the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. Walk begins at 9:00am at the grassed area on The Esplanade, just near the old pirate ship playground. Sausage sizzle and family activities.

Phone Claire Desat on 0419 785 812 www.dayfordaniel.com.au

11-19 november cairns little theatre Black satire Popcorn written by Ben Elton and directed by Lynn Cropp at the Rondo Theatre on Greenslopes Street. www.ticketlink.com.au

13 november taipans v wildcats See Cairns tackle Perth in the National Basketball League action at the Cairns Convention Centre. www.nbl.com.au/taipans

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pinboard 19 november directions in groove

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Celebrate DIG’s 20th anniversary by recording its first studio album in more than a decade and hitting the road again. www.tanksartscentre.com

michael wheeler psychic medium

20 november the grates The Grates are at the peak of their playing – and are again set to play great music at Brothers Leagues Club.

As seen on the Channel Seven series The One, internationally-renowned psychic medium Michael Wheeler presents an inspiring and incredible evening of mediumship and audience readings. Tickets $55 at the Centre of Contemporary Arts.

www.brotherscairns.com.au

22 november chamber of commerce lunch November lunch meeting with guest speaker ‘Dr Karl’ Kruszelnicki to discuss renewable energy from 12:00pm to 2:15pm.

www.artscairns.com.au

www.cairnschamber.com.au

24 november great debate The AIM Cairns event of the year is back. The Cairns Great Debate will look back on the best from the past 10 years. Tickets $77 at the Cairns Convention Centre.

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Bookings call 1300 882 895 or www.aimqld.com.au/events

fashion parade

26 november talent finals

TAFE Queensland presents its annual graduation fashion parade at the Hilton Hotel at 7:00pm.

North Queensland Talent Quest finals at the Centre of Contemporary Arts, Abbott Street. The region’s best are set to shine in this any act, any age quest for talent. Tickets available at the door.

www.ticketlink.com.au

www.artscairns.com.au

30 november chicks at the flicks Birch Carroll and Coyle have a special screening of Breaking Dawn. Tickets are $24 with a gift bag. www.eventcinemas.com.au

next month 7 december cairns young chamber Cre8 Network’s event date claimer for the Cre8 networks strategy. Details to be revealed shortly.

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tim finn at the tanks

After a cracking show in October last year, the master of music, Tim Finn, returns to the Tanks for another fabulous performance. www.tanksartscentre.com

www.youngchamber.com.au

november 2011

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he says, she says

ll photography veronica sagredo

AN OFFICE ROMANCE IS ALWAYS FROWNED UPON BY THE BOSS, BUT WHAT IF THAT PERSON IS ‘THE ONE’? WE ASK DAVE AND INKIE FROM THE ZINC FM MORNING ZOO FOR THEIR TRUE THOUGHTS ON OFFICE ROMANCES – WHICH OFTEN blossom AT THE STAFF CHRISTMAS PARTIES.

he says

kie and

dave

She says

L

ove come in all sorts of currencies; it has no borders, it has no curfew.

Your emotions and chemistry can’t be clocked on or off when you walk in or out of the workplace.

The thing about office romances (i.e. lust) is the high level of passion that drives them. Passions that see grown adults throw caution to the wind and indulge in flirtatious, romantic, sexy and sometimes crazy and foolish ways that could jeopardise their careers, their prospects and their futures – but what if this is The One? What job is worth a lifetime without the one you’re meant to be with?

Of course, like any social construct, there’s a time and a place to keep it in your pants, but what you do in your personal life is completely up to you regardless of the place and circumstance that brought you together.

I’ve had my fair share of office romances; the result of one romance recently celebrated his 17th birthday. Wouldn’t change that for the world! I’ve also worked with many people who were involved in office romances; sure, many of those were colleagues who were simply in love with themselves, but the odds on a business not having at least one office romance are shorter than Black Caviar’s.

Many employers in today’s politically correct, litigious and OH&S mad world strongly discourage office romance and relationships. They believe it can create problems, cause distractions and lead to embarrassing moments at the staff Christmas party.

If you want your staff to spend two-thirds of their life within those four walls drinking instant coffee and being shouted at, then I have no issue with them hooking up with the hot chick in accounts. It’s called the perfect work / life balance.

F

ishing off the company pier, getting your nookie where you eat your cookies – there are different ways of saying it, but is an office romance a good idea?

In the spirit of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who met on the set of the movie Mr and Mrs Smith, let me set the scene on an office romance scenario.

Quiet on set. And … action. It’s the end of year Christmas party and everyone’s had a little too much fruit punch spiked with vodka.

Getting rid of the year’s stresses by letting their hair down, well, everyone apart from Bill, who has only got a few Homer Simpson-style strands. Jenny, the receptionist, is on repeat with the karaoke singing Bette Midler’s Wind Beneath My Wings. But what’s happened to the boss’s wife and Mike from the mail room? They’ve been missing for most of the night! The boss walks into the photocopying room where he busts them trying to change the ink cartridge.

Does it have anything to do with ‘dipping the pen into the company ink?’

I have never had an office romance myself. However, one friend fell in love over the phone with a co-worker because he thought she had a sexy ‘1800 call now’ style voice – turned out she actually had a cold that week but now they are blissfully married.

You can’t help who you fall in love with. It could be the boy who sits in the next cubicle who keeps putting cute post-it notes messages on your computer.

Or it could be the bus driver who drives you home every day, and on rainy days, goes off route to drop you off out the front of your unit so you don’t have to walk too far in the rain. Or it could be the guy who spilt his beer over your white dress and proceeds to embarrassingly try to clean it off, but ends up touching you in all the inappropriate stranger parts. At least you’ve found love!

MUSIC • ARTS • COMMUNITY • EVENTS • CULTURE

Pecha Kucha

collard, Greens & Gravy dIG

TIM FInn

Join us for a night of laughs, insights and thought provoking tales delivered by a range of presenters, speaking to 20 images x 20 seconds.

One of Australia’s hottest blues trios bring their gritty, driving, down home s ounds to Tanks.

Finale act for the inaugural Blues Series.

The master of music (Split Enz + Crowded House) brings his band to Tanks to play old favouites and new tunes from The View Is Worth The Climb album.

WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER

I COST: $5 ON THE DOOR ONLY SHOW: 7.30PM

FRIDAY 11 NOVEMBER

SATURDAY 19 NOVEMBER

I COST: $30 / $25 (CONC) (PG) SHOW: 7.30PM

I COST: $40 / $35 (CONC) (PG) SHOW: 7.30PM

46 Collins Avenue, EDGE HILL - 4km north of CBD profilemagazine

Flagbearers of the 90s acid jazz craze, DIG celebrate their 20th anniversary with their first studio album in a decade and national tour. Catch them at Tanks.

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SATURDAY 26 NOVEMBER

I COST: $45 / $40 (CONC) (MA15+) SHOW: 7.30PM

All tickets sold through

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TaNKs arTs cenTre

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ZINC’S in

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change photo

november 2011

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AU D I C E N T R E CA I R N S

ll photography veronica sagredo

AUDI DRIVERS CHOOSE PRESTIGE AS A WAY OF LIFE. THESE LUXURIOUS CARS ARE FAR MORE THAN JUST A MODE OF TRANSPORT. EACH MONTH WE MEET A REFINED TNQ DRIVER. WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES AND HEAR HOW THE AUDI PERFECTLY SUITS THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES. THIS MONTH, THE AUDI CENTRE CAIRNS WELCOMES TONY BLACK OUT FROM BEHIND THE DASH.

TONY DRIVES AN AUDI T T 2.0 FSI S-TRONIC

LET’S MEET TONY …

TONY’S REVIEW …

Tony Black, from Whitfield, is the founding partner of Black & More civil engineering and management consultancy. Cairns-based and owned, Tony and his team work throughout North Queensland, with the majority of work in Cairns, Cape York and the Torres Strait.

From one to 10 (10 being the highest), individually rate your car...

Tony is a chartered professional engineer and was awarded the title of Cairns Professional Engineer of the Year in 2008. Tony adores his wife Cathy, and three adult sons. His interests lie with spending time with his family and friends, scuba diving, underwater photography, health and fitness, yoga, chess and travel.

On any given Sunday, me and my car go ...

Safety: 10 Value: 8 Design: 10. Amazing!

Technology: 9 Practicality: 6 Fuel economy: 10

for a drive up to Port Douglas or around the Tablelands – these drives are at the top of the list for Cathy and me.

TONY’S CAR

My car’s best interior gadget is …

Acceleration: Front wheel drive 0-100 km/h (sec) 6.0

the driver-car interface, sports seat, and the steering wheel dash.

Car featured: Audi TT 2.0 FSI S-TRONIC

My favourite exterior asset of the car is …

Transmission: S-Tronic six-speed dual clutch gearbox

I just love the way she looks.

Fuel Consumption: (1/100 km) 7.1

The vehicle I learnt to drive in was …

Engine: FSI direct fuel injection with turbo charging

my dad’s Austin 1800 … sorry about the damage, Dad.

Capacity: 1984cc

Being behind the wheel makes me feel ...

Power: (kw/rpm) 155/4300-6000

privileged. It appeals to the engineer in me; everything is as simple as it needs to be, but no simpler … and then it adds a huge dose of style.

Before I had this model, I also loved my Audi A4.

Safety: Four airbags, Audi space frame (ASF), electronic stabilisation program (ESP), incorporating ABS, electronic differential lock (EDL) and traction control (ASR) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD), and hydraulic brake assist. Electro-mechanical, speed-sensitive power steering, sports suspension. Standard equipment highlights: Wheels/tyres 17” aluminium wheels, auto dimming rear-view mirror, automatic airconditioning, cruise control, bluetooth, sports front seat, leather upholstery and a driver information system.

The stretch of worldwide road I would choose to drive my car on is ...

Naples to the Amalfi Coast in Italy would be nice. However, I can’t go past Cairns to Mossman along the coast road then up the range to Mount Molloy. Then return to Cairns down the Port Douglas Road to Mareeba, via the Kuranda Range Road. Great beauty and diversity in our back yard.

My car and I are similar because … there is no answer to this question that my mates would not exploit!

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with TONY BLACK

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Cost: Tony’s car is $87,000. A basic model is $74,784.

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The vehicle I learnt to drive in was … my dad’s Austin 1800 … sorry about the damage, Dad.

AU D I C E N T R E CA I R N S

tony black and his audi tt

www.audicentrecairns.com.au november 2011

Audi Centre Cairns 303-309 Mulgrave Rd Phone 07 4046 6322 profilemagazine

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homegrown

Emma Louise

words sarah sheehan ll photography carly whouley

AMERICAN DRAMA GREY’S ANATOMY HAS PLAYED THE MUSIC OF CAIRNS’ HOMEGROWN TALENT, EMMA LOUISE. SARAH SHEEHAN SKYPED HER FRIEND TO TALK WITH THE MUSICIAN BEFORE SHE EMBARKS ON A NATIONAL TOUR. THE FORMER CAIRNS GIRL HAS TWO ‘QSONG’ AWARDS UNDER HER BELT AND IS A BRIGHT SHINING STAR IN THE MAKING.

T

he first Emma Louise gig I went to was in my brother’s bedroom.

I walked in as my brother lay gingerly in bed following an operation, to find a 16-year-old Emma Louise sitting at the end of his bed with her guitar, attempting to soothe the pain of the audience of one.

My brother likened the effects of the voice that so many have fallen in love with to that of happy gas; a pleasant distraction from an unpleasant hernia repair.

The second time I saw Emma Louise perform, my friends and I were gathered on my parents’ front deck at Trinity Beach. 17-year-old Emma Louise played a newly written song to us. Her lyrics were beautifully simple, about the nicer side of human nature.

The last time I saw now Brisbane-based Emma Louise play, it was for a hometown crowd in Cairns at the magical Tanks Arts Centre, on the final leg of her first headlining tour.

Her debut EP Full Hearts and Empty Rooms entered the AIR Independent music charts at number one with her debut single Jungle on high rotation on Triple J.

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I nearly choke on my cup of tea on a Saturday morning when I spot her in a film clip on Rage. Her song Jungle was heard on American drama Grey’s Anatomy. Her face stares at me from the cover of The Courier Mail after cleaning up at the Queensland Music Awards.

At the ripe old age of 20, it is safe to say the career of this Cairns artist is on song.

I arrange a Skype date for this story, as people do in the 21st century, and ring in.

Emma Louise tells me there has never been a plan B. “I was never particularly passionate about school work,” she confesses, as she reminisces about the early days where she wrote songs instead of sums.

Misuse of school time at Cairns State High School all added up when she won two QSong Awards at the tender age of 15 for her song writing.

Her attempts at working outside of the music industry have been spectacularly unsuccessful.

Most recently, Emma Louise was named ‘Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year’ at the Australian Independant Music Awards in Melbourne in October, a phenomenal achievement. profilemag.com.au

Emma Louise’s career history involved one day at an ice cream shop, two days at a pet store, and a very brief stint working for a hair salon in Brisbane that involved trying to solicit clientele.

“One day, I had to get a complimentary haircut from the salon, to show people that they had styled my hair,” she groans.

“They dyed it pink and shaved one side. They sent me home crying. The next morning I shaved my head, and I went back to work. I got fired. I’m not very good at jobs.”

Don’t mistake this career history for lack of drive and ambition. Emma Louise knew she was a songwriter, and knew what she had to do to get there.

Her lyrical genius and musical arrangements were well beyond her years.

After high school, she made the move from her hometown of Cairns to Brisbane to try her luck in the big smoke.

She walked from restaurant to bar in Brisbane with her guitar in hand and a stack of demo CDs, offering live auditions to try to get some work.

Securing some residencies, she also busked at the West End Markets.

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I guess from someone else’s perspective it looks like things happened really quickly for me.”

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Given Emma’s young age, her success may appear to be relatively instant, and a dream start. However, to Emma Louise, she has been working hard for a quarter of her life.

“I guess from someone else’s perspective it looks like things happened really quickly for me,” she says.

“Since I moved to Brisbane, and even before that, from when I was about 16, I’d been writing and recording, and I’d been working towards this for a really long time.

“It is so exciting that it is all starting to happen for me.”

Emma Louise is about to embark on her first national headlining tour. Such growth in popularity does not equal a swollen ego for this humble young lady.

As I watch her on the stage in front of a sell-out crowd, she throws a wave to her family like a four-year-old in a ballet recital, but then continues to perform with the depth and professionalism that shines out of her like sunlight.

The future is so bright for this young local talent, it hurts my eyes.

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Emma Louise

november 2011

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people

lachlan, kerri and scott brown

words sarah sheehan ll photography veronica sagredo

SCOTT BROWN KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE AT ROCK BOTTOM – IN BOTH HIS HEALTH AND HIS FINANCES. SCOTT TELLS SARAH SHEEHAN Emma Lodge HOW LIFE CAN BE TURNED AROUND IF YOU JUST LIVE IT WITH PASSION.

I

truly believe that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger – and thank the heavens for that. But some people seem to be dealt more than their fair share of challenges, more than their fair share of grief. Thankfully, I also believe that sometimes you have to reach the lowest of lows before you can truly soar to the highest of highs.

With these theories in mind, I met local businessman Scott Brown – living proof of both my hypotheses.

Scott was once described by his footy coach as one of three types of petrol.

“You have your normal, standard petrol, and then you have your unleaded, and then your high

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octane. And he described me as being high octane … because I was always peaking,” he said, with eyes wide open.

There is no doubt that Scott is one hardcore character. I learnt that he played two rugby league grand finals in Darwin, one with a haematoma and a fractured leg, the other one with a broken hand.

At a guess, I’d bet Scott didn’t present his injury at half time with the team doctor for fear of not being on the field at that awesome moment when the siren sounds in a grand final.

I also learnt that Scott once chased down an attacker in Darwin after neighbours screamed for help. Scott tackled the man and restrained him

until police arrived at the scene, only to learn that the man was armed with a hunting knife and later admitted in court that he intended to abduct, rape and kill a woman.

That man is still in jail, and Scott received a letter of commendation from the Northern Territory Police Commissioner for initiative and courage.

You can then imagine what happens to the spirit of someone like Scott Brown when debilitated by a sudden injury.

A move to Brisbane in 2004 to forge his career came crashing to a halt when Scott was the innocent victim of a motor vehicle accident.

Scott was left with back and neck injuries that profilemag.com.au

people

stopped him working for 11 weeks. On a 10-week return to work program, Scott struggled with work restrictions, left his job, and from there discovered that finding work proved near impossible.

“For someone who had a back and neck injury like I had, I wasn’t employable. No one wanted to employ me,” he said.

Scott was idle, in pain, and slipped into a depression.

“When you are totally laid-up, there is a lot of uncertainty in life, and you hit some of the lowest lows. You are on very heavy medication, so you see the darkness of everything as well.”

Scott, his wife, Kerri, and son, Lachlan, relocated to Cairns where they could be supported by family.

“I told my wife, Kerri, that I was going to buy myself a job and I’d be right,” he chuckled cynically. Desperate for work, Scott purchased the business that is now Allsigns Print And Design.

The business the Browns walked into was not the business they thought they’d bought.

“I was on medication and was not seeing things clearly. The business was heavily run down and wasn’t as it was presented to us – we got caught,” he said.

Scott and Kerri were running blind, in an industry that was totally new to them.

The business needed to be rebuilt from the ground up, including the purchase of new equipment and nearly an entirely new client base.

Scott, Kerri and Lachlan were forced to live with Scott’s parents at Trinity Beach for 12 months to survive. They lived off $100 per week and put every other penny back into the business. They worked 80 to 90 hour weeks and Scott often slept overnight at the office.

“We had two options. We could chuck it in, quit and lose everything, including the family home and everything we’d worked for, or we fight and make a go of it,” he said.

Scott and Kerri suffered more blows just as they were trying to get the business back up and running. Scott and Kerri suffered another blow just as they were trying to get the business back

up and running, when the woman Scott calls his “rock”, Kerri, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

“Your world just stops,” Scott said.

“There are no words that can describe how you feel when you hear those words over the phone.”

While Scott battled to keep the business afloat, Kerri flew to Brisbane for radiation treatment.

Scott said they received great strength from applying the law of attraction principles when Kerri’s aunty sent her a copy of book The Secret.

As they visualised, Kerri beat her cancer and the business began to recover.

We had two options.

We could chuck it in quick and lose everything, including the family home and everything we’d worked for, or we fight and make a go of it.”

Scott pulled a ‘gratitude stone’ out of his pocket.

“The stone has been with me every single day for the last five years. Every day I will acknowledge it, talk to it, be grateful, and visualise something.

Kerri and Lachlan are what drives me.”

I could see the fire in his eyes when Scott talked about the success of his business and his constant endeavours to get bigger and better. It didn’t surprise me when Scott told me that as far as coaches go, he had chosen the top dog, American motivational speaker, Tony Robbins.

“I am a firm believer that even if you are the best athlete in the world, or you’re the most successful business person in the world, you still need coaching,” he said.

Scott and Kerri travelled to a Tony Robbins seminar this year unleashing the power within.

At the end of the seminar, participants were

encouraged to walk across 1500 degree coals. ‘High octane Scott’, of course, was in his element.

“If you can walk on fire, what else can you do?

It’s all about your state of mind. I was psyched up, I was psyched for months. Already in my mind I was walking on fire.”

As Scott and Kerri stood in the queue watching people hesitate with fear and some with feet buried in ice buckets, they had no hesitation in walking across the burning coals not once, but twice.

“I felt a little tingly feeling, but I didn’t burn my feet. I wanted to go back and do it again. All of the staff and crew were saying I couldn’t, but I was that pumped and psyched, I had to do it again.”

Both Scott and Kerri snuck through a barricade and did it again. When confessing to Tony Robbins what they’d done after the seminar, he threw his head back in disbelief and screamed, “You Aussies are crazy!” Impressing Tony Robbins with an act of mental strength? Not bad!

With this sort of passion and enthusiasm for life it is no surprise that business is now booming.

On top of what is often a 60-hour working week, Scott is involved with the Australian Institute of Management, Business Network International, is chairman of a body corporate, a Taipans supporter, a member of the Redlynch Basketball Club committee, and gives his time, money and services to a number of charities.

“I am a big believer in giving back to others, with all the hard knocks I’ve had over the years. It’s easy to walk past and ignore, but when you’ve hit the lows and the highs yourself, you try and give back a little bit where you can,” Scott said.

“Now, we have a solid business, we have a great life, we have our dream home, and we even have synthetic grass.

“With the little spare time I have, I’m not coming home to water, whipper-snip or mow the lawns.

“We work hard and play hard, that’s what makes our life so much fun.”

And what’s the secret to his success?

“I live with passion,” he said.

Mediterranean and Seafood Restaurant

november 2011

profilemagazine

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success

words juliana doupe ll photography stuart frost

after working for tv and publishing legend don burke in fast-paced sydney, AARON 18COSHAW profilemagazine is most at home in laid back cairns

profilemag.com.au

success

AARON COSHAW’S CO-OWNED BUSINESS WITH RICHIE STEVENS, INSIDEOUT PROPERTY STYLISTS, IS ALL ABOUT ‘THE FINISHED LOOK’. BUT WHEN AARON SPOKE TO JULIANA DOUPE ABOUT RENOVATING, SEA CHANGE AND THE SHEDDING OF BURDENS – HE DID IT ALL IN THONGS.

O

n my first assignment for Profile Magazine, I’m going to see a designer, a decorator, someone who will look me up and down and decide (in an instant) whether I have it, or whether I am a bit of a mock leather sofa. I’m going to be interviewing Aaron Coshaw, co-owner of Insideout, property stylists and campaign designers.

I need to find a car park, close enough to walk to their Martyn Street office in my patent leather boots (Sachi, knee high, black, three inch heel, eBay) but not so close that anyone hanging out the front of their offices will see me getting out of my car and putting the boots on (I can only drive barefoot).

The boots are necessary (despite the horrible, hot, windy day), because I want to make an impression. The right impression.

Inside the bright green door of the office is a young man with gravitydefying hair sitting behind a white counter. He tracks down Aaron, who is wearing thongs, shorts and T-shirt. Aaron is dressed sensibly for a hot Cairns day. Aaron, it seems, has had it with trying to convey a corporate image.

Understandably.

There’s a reason for this and it starts on golden beaches. Aaron grew up in Terrigal, on the picturesque central coast of New South Wales, and after finishing school, decided to take a gap year before heading off to uni to do an environmental science degree.

“I needed a year off after I finished school – I was going to work for six months and then head overseas,” Aaron explains.

“I walked into Park Street, Sydney, the home of Packer’s Australian Consolidated Press (ACP) two weeks after I left school and they said, ‘We’ve got something for you, you can be the mail boy, come back in two months,’ and then rather than go to the Gold Coast where everyone went for Schoolies, I came to Cairns with a couple of my mates. We caught the train up and had a blast. After that Cairns stuck in my mind as somewhere cool, somewhere I liked.”

Aaron took the job at ACP and quickly moved up the ranks. In only five years, the teenage mail boy had become picture editor and then art director for magazines like Harper’s Bazaar. He says he has no idea where his talent for art came from.

“It’s always just been in me, and at some point, someone noticed.”

Aaron eventually left Park Street to work for News Limited, becoming creative director for Men’s Health and other Murdoch titles. Leaving News Limited, Aaron became group creative director for Don Burke’s stable of magazines and television programs including Burke’s Backyard and Backyard Blitz.

“With Don, I worked in print and TV,” Aaron says. “It was a real change for me, as I’d only ever worked in print. Don created Backyard Blitz, so I started to do a lot of design work for the TV show as well as the magazine, design work for the gardens, all that sort of thing. Don would come to me and ask me what I thought needed to be done to make a house and garden look good on TV and that’s where the seed of Insideout was born.

“There was all the print and media work on one side of my job and on the other, making people’s houses, backyards and front yards look incredible.”

While the job was rewarding, the workload was enormous. In Aaron’s five-year stint at Burke’s he was responsible for the design work of Don’s magazines, television shows and gardening books.

“It was pretty full on and I got to a point where I said, ‘Mmm, a place in Cairns would be nice.’” Luckily, a place was waiting – not being able to afford a property in Sydney, Aaron had purchased an investment property in Cairns. november 2011

Don [Burke] created Backyard Blitz, so I started to do a lot of design work for the TV show as well as the magazine, design work for the gardens, all that sort of thing.”

“So one day I just thought, ‘You know what? I’ve had enough of this, I’m going to kick the tenant out of the apartment and I’m going to stay there for six months and then go back.’

“I never went back and have never looked back.”

Aaron got a job at The Cairns Post where he met his business partner, designer Richie Stevens. The pair renovated some houses and people liked what they saw, and somewhere between Richie’s modern, clean lines and Aaron’s love of gardening and eye for style, their business was born.

Despite the success of their business, Aaron says he’s not interested in further expansion. With offices in Cairns and Sydney, and a satellite office in Brisbane, there’s enough work coming in to keep him happy. He is also renovating a house at the beach.

“We call it ‘Beirut by the Beach’ because it’s just a bomb site,” Aaron laughs.

“It’s in a really good spot. We go by the old adage, ‘worst house on the best street’ ... it’s at the top of Trinity Beach. We’ve basically ripped it back to the shell. No doors, no windows, dust everywhere – we love it.”

Living and breathing design as he does, his house needs to be a retreat, somewhere quiet and peaceful.

“I’m inspired by nature, I’m a … I don’t want to say tree hugger, because I’ll cut any tree down if it looks like it’s got nice wood in it, but I think I’m very nature-orientated. I think that’s why Rich and I work so well together.

He’s very clinical and modern, whereas I’m more earthy and into greenery, even if it’s fake. I’ve got to see green, I would have trees growing through the middle of my house if I could.

“We’re surrounded by so much design influence all day, that home is very quiet, understated, the bathrooms are a bit funky but the living areas are very relaxed and neutral, there’s no bright green walls, no pink walls, because we just need a space to chill and look out at the ocean.”

“We absolutely love our house but … it will be good when it’s done.”

While he’s happy turning this particular ugly duckling into a swan, his dream house is something else again.

“My dream house is a cross between a tropical hut held up by coconut trees and an ultra-modern glass box,” Aaron says. “I haven’t quite worked out how it’s all going to go together, but I’m sure I will one day.”

Other ‘one day’ projects include textile design, “I love fabric and have actually hand-printed fabrics when I’ve had the time … I love bold tropical design ... one day I’d like to do this.”

Add to the list “writing a book”.

“Not sure if it will be a best seller, but it sure will be interesting!”

These days, Aaron says, “I don’t have time for hobbies ... except for coffee,” he laughs. In other words, keeping it simple. For Aaron, it’s the same thing as keeping it happy.

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view

Diana crooke

words stacey carrick ll photography carly whouley

LOCAL ARTIST DIANA CROOKE IS CELEBRATED THE WORLD OVER FOR HER ABILITY TO CAPTURE THE PEACEFUL SPIRIT AND BEAUTIFUL SOULS OF THE ISLANDER PEOPLE. STACEY CARRICK LEARNS HOW HER UPBRINGING ON THURSDAY ISLAND AND IN YORKEYS KNOB HAS DRIVEN DIANA’S CLEAR PASSION FOR HER CRAFT.

A

s a child, I dreamt of being an artist.

I pictured myself living high in the mountains, with nothing but flora and fauna as my inspiration. I studied art until the completion of year 12, yet I have barely touched a paintbrush since. Perhaps I needed someone to inspire me?

Meeting local artist Diana Crooke certainly helped reignite my desire to put paintbrush to canvas. As Diana greeted me at her home, I felt instantly at peace.

“Painting keeps my mind active and is the perfect escape – I just lose myself in it,” she explains. “There would be a huge gap in my life if I wasn’t painting.

It is a lonely existence being on my own all day and not interacting with other people, but I don’t mind.”

The self-taught artist tells me she sometimes wishes she had attended art school because she could have learnt to work faster and studied techniques. The point is moot – her natural talent is clear. Diana’s father is well-known artist Ray Crooke. Ray is an Archibald Prize winner, with many of his works in Australian galleries, and one in the Vatican Museum collection.

“I was surrounded by art all my life,” Diana says.

“Dad didn’t teach me, but he did provide tips and let me pick his brain.”

Born on Thursday Island and brought up in

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Yorkeys Knob, Diana’s upbringing in the tropics was colourful and free, just like her work – the perfect foundation to nurture her artistic spirit.

“We had a house on the beach and I used to spend time with the locals and Torres Strait Islanders. I’d swim every day and enjoy feasts, dancing and music. It was so free and lovely. They were such friendly people who lived such simplistic lives.”

There would be a huge gap in my life if I wasn’t painting.”

She definitely loves the island lifestyle – her trips to Fiji have provided the basis for the majority of her pieces, as did a recent trip to Cape Verde.

Diana has a deep understanding of the people and their cultures.

“I love Fiji, it’s timeless and the people are so friendly. It’s such a lovely lifestyle. Their existence is based on catching fish and tending to their garden.

It’s a lot less complicated. Sometimes I think our lives are too complicated and too stressful.”

Diana attended the Shillito design school in Sydney, but she was drawn back to the warm climate

‘fijian woman in green dress’ by diana crooke

of the Tropical North where she experimented with screen-printing and clothing design before embarking on a career as an artist. She has now exhibited her artwork in every Australian state, except Tasmania, and her work is also represented in many national collections and galleries.

Diana is a celebrated artist with own website generating sales of her original paintings and prints world-wide.

While Diana still lives to paint, it’s a very different environment for an artist today. When times get tough and budgets tighten, discretionary items like art are the first things scratched from the shopping list. Like any profession, it has its challenges.

Diana also suffers from a bad back following a slip down stairs six years ago, something she is looking forward to rectifying in the near future after a planned operation on the Gold Coast. But, despite the challenges, she’s a happy soul.

Art is Diana’s passion. Her friends include the late Helen Wiltshire whose passing left a big gap in Diana’s life. “Not only was she an inspiration, but she encouraged my painting from the beginning, some 40 years ago.”

Diana spends her days creating beautiful work – pieces with heart, pieces that evoke feelings of freedom, pieces that represent a simple life, a happy life.

profilemag.com.au

business promotion

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT This year certainly has flown by and you would have noticed an unprecedented level of activity and events by the Cairns Chamber of Commerce. The level of engagement by our members at these events has been at an all time high and we are proud to have provided an exceptional program for the benefit of Cairns businesses.

The Cairns Business Leaders Alliance Report Card campaign led by the Cairns Chamber of Commerce is proving to be a great success as we lobby for action on behalf of our members.

Keep an eye out for the breakfast briefing on the digital economy from NBN Co which we are co-hosting with Cairns Regional Council and the Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (FNQROC). Read more below.

For further information please visit www.cairnschamber.com.au, phone 07 4031 1838, or email info@cairnschamber.com.au

Anthony Mirotsos President Cairns Chamber of Commerce

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki presenting to Cairns Chamber members this month

We are pleased to announce our guest speaker at the November lunch will be Dr Karl Kruszelnicki discussing renewable energy and we hope to fill the Hilton Cairns to hear about this very topical and important issue.

AT THE CAIRNS CHAMBER? City Trader Gives Report Card Full Marks

Building Business Through Renewable Energy Forum “Far North Queensland is considered to be an emerging renewable energy zone and investment in clean energy projects could generate new jobs and help diversify the local economy” – Cairns and Far North Environment Centre, 2011 So what are we doing about it? The Cairns Chamber of Commerce is bringing ‘Dr Karl’ Kruszelnicki to Cairns.

Dr Karl will present the keynote speech over lunch on November 22 as well as sit on a panel with local experts to engage in renewable energy discussion and debate.

Be warmed, his enthusiasm for science is totally infectious! Discussion points include:

Third generation city trader Chris Van Dorssen is just one Cairns Chamber member who has had his say on the five report card topics currently being scored on the Cairns Chamber website. The Cairns Business Leaders Alliance, consisting of the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, the local branches of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland and the Urban Development Institute of Australia, has selected infrastructure development, regional development, small business, red tape reduction and tourism development as the areas that need priority focus in terms of action and accountability.

“It’s absolutely critical that we start to have proper infrastructure delivery by the state and federal governments, so the money really starts flowing through the city and the region,” Mr Van Dorssen says. “More than ever before we have to hold our elected representatives, and those who aspire to be, accountable for their promises and party commitments.”

Mr Van Dorssen, whose family-owned tobacco and gift business on the corner of Abbott and Shields Streets has served the community since 1935, believes the Cairns Business Leaders Alliance (CBLA) Report Card deserves grassroots business support.

“Local business owners really need to join the Cairns Chamber to make sure their voices are heard loud and clear by anyone looking to get elected around here.”

To check out the CBLA Report Card visit www.cairnschamber.com.au

•• TNQ as a regional energy hub •• Transitioning to 100 per cent renewable energy in the most economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner

Digital Economy – High Speed Broadband

•• Planning required to achieve a sustainable energy future for TNQ

This event follows our July high speed broadband breakfast and the formal submission this region made to NBN Co in September calling for early rollout of the National Broadband Network in Tropical North Queensland. We look forward to welcoming NBN Co back to Cairns to update our region’s businesses and wider community on the National Broadband Network and high speed broadband in the region.

•• What does this mean for our high quality wind and solar energy resources?

Book online today at www.cairnschamber.com.au november 2011

The Cairns Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Cairns Regional Council and FNQROC to host the Cairns High Speed Broadband for Lunch business event on November 14.

To book for the lunch, visit www.cairnschamber.com.au profilemagazine

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lads at lunch

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2

3

4

5

“I reckon Sundays are the best. Sunday session ‘two for ones’ … and the drinks are, too.”

BRETT JEFFREY

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1. Brett Jeffrey 2. fish plate 3. Peter Dodds 4. Robert hussey 5. Dundee’s interior 6. dessert tasting plate 7. the dining outlook

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profilemag.com.au

lads at lunch

words mia lacy ll photography coral florian and mia lacy ll venue dundee’s, cairns

WHEN AN ATTRACTIVE, PERSONABLE, LOCAL FARMER WENT ON A NATIONAL TV PROGRAM TO FIND A WIFE, MANY ASKED THE QUESTION ‘WHY?’ IS IT HARDER HERE TO MEET A MATE OR EVEN GET A DATE? OR ARE THE LOCAL LADS TRAPPED IN AN EPISODE OF HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER? MIA LACY DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OVER LUNCH.

“C

an anybody find me somebody to love?” sang Freddie Mercury. The mating dance today is an interesting one for sure, but the basis of attraction doesn’t alter, apparently. A survey of both men and women recently rated these qualities as the top four sought by both sexes in the quest for a mate: personality, sense of humour, common interests and intelligence. But what does the male of the species in Cairns think about meeting a significant other?

And are they looking for The One or are they just happy to play the field?

The single lads about to loosen their lips at Dundee’s Restaurant today are Peter Dodds, 47, who has been in Cairns for the past six years and manages the Nissan brand at Westco Motors, Brett Jeffrey, 31, who manages the Crown Hotel and has been in Cairns for eight years, and Robert Hussey, 31, a stockbroker at Bell Potter who relocated about five years ago.

They’re fit and fabulous. Robert plays AFL, Brett boxes, and Peter goes to the gym. They all arrive on time, dressed beautifully, and they speak easily and naturally. These are three really top blokes. What more could a lady possibly want? profile: Is it harder to meet ladies in Cairns than elsewhere? brett: No. I grew up in country Victoria and the ratio of females to males is much better up here.

And you get a lot of people on holidays. So they’re in relaxed mode. peter: I totally agree, there are many, many, absolutely stunning women in Cairns. robert: It’s not harder; Cairns is just such a great laidback, relaxed place to meet people. peter: I went to the Ladies Day at the Cairns Amateurs and I was blown away – the ladies of Cairns look the best they ever do on that Friday! brett: Unfortunately, after a day at the Amateurs, you can be a bit misled though, if you, um, lose your clarity. peter: Yeah, but I didn’t even have my beer goggles on, and they still looked amazing! robert: I’m going to make a point of going next year, in that case.

november 2011

profile: Are ladies here more outgoing in a social sense? robert: No, I don’t think they are any different! brett: I think Robert’s editing himself. He’s usually got a lot more to say. peter: I think this place is more romantic – I mean look where we’re dining now – could you get a better setting anywhere? Northern Beaches, Palm Cove for dinner; there’s nowhere like Cairns to get into a great mood. brett: Sometimes up here guys don’t take girls out on dates. It can be just a social scene around the pubs. Ladies can be amazed when you invite them out. I enjoy surprising them with a real date – guys younger than us don’t think to do that. peter: Yes, that holiday scene, social aspect can take over, and I notice that ladies really notice when you put the effort in on a date to take them to a nice place. The ladies appreciate it and you’ll reap the benefits. robert: I agree with you – if you make a bit of effort it goes a long way. profile: How do you meet ladies? peter: Within your circle, or an activity, or online dating – that’s a reality nowadays – there are some lovely ladies online. robert: The internet can be good, I guess, but I find Cairns is full of really cool ladies. brett: There’s a huge social scene in Cairns – you meet ladies in bars, birthday dinners. It’s a holiday place – you can be on the Esplanade having lunch and, if you don’t mind talking to people randomly, it’s easy to meet and hang out. peter: The most beautiful woman I’ve met in the last two years was through online dating. robert: Through sport networks I find is another way; there’s a massive network system through sports teams and clubs. profile: What about social media – do you use Facebook to meet ladies? robert: It doesn’t help you meet them, but it helps you communicate with them. Or, if you just meet someone briefly, they can and do often Facebook you – or you them – to continue to get to know them.

peter: Facebook definitely works well as a way to communicate with people you like – you can develop ongoing conversation with it. brett: It’s a friendship-based network and you’re not expected to be anything other than friends, but if you both choose to take it further then you can and that’s where you can benefit. robert: If you are meeting a group of friends you might notice someone and not get to say much to them that night or ask them for their number, then you might add them as a friend and take it from there. profile: Describe your perfect date – what would happen? robert: Pre-dinner drinks at Ba8 where you can have a chat away from a noisy pub and relax. Then dinner and a walk along the boardwalk. Here you’ve got beaches, rainforest – go for a drive and have a picnic with her. Well, maybe not on the first date but on the second or third one I’d do that. brett: Depends if it’s the first date or not – the first date needs to be casual. I’d do something where you involve a couple of other people first maybe, then the second date it’s more effort, more intimate, like a nice dinner. Or take her away for the day or afternoon – like lunch at Palm Cove. peter: First date: lunch time coffee in a nice coffee bar, then if you click, second date going out to Palm Cove and having a really romantic dinner. It’s a bit of a cliché, but walk along the beach afterwards and just talk to each other. The best date of all is dinner at your place – make a beautiful meal for her and use lots of candles. robert: Geez, heaps of ladies are going to read this – you’re setting the bar a bit high there! brett: Yeah, I’m a bit concerned about that too! profile: Do you really want to meet ‘ her’ or are you happy just looking? robert: Happy looking until you meet her! You’re always looking for The One. profile: So you’re definitely up for it – commitment? robert: For sure, there’d be nothing better than to fall in love – bring it on. Sometimes you have to profilemagazine

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lads at lunch DUNDEE’S RESTAURANT, CAIRNS MARINA Dundee’s Restaurant opened the year I returned to Cairns – 1988 – and I’ve always thought of it as one of the great cuisine institutions in our tropical city. I am chatting to director / manager Tina Wort, and tell her I’m quizzing the single lads about where they meet ladies in Cairns. “Oh, definitely here,” she says. “We have so many gorgeous single ladies dining in.”

mia and the boys enjoy a chat over lunch at dundee’s restaurant

look far and wide to find the right one. brett: Yes for sure, and if you haven’t met her you don’t know who she may be. You just have to have the experience to know, and to be sure. peter: I’m definitely looking for her, without a doubt. brett: He’s such a sweetheart! peter: I’m serious – I’m not here to muck around!

profile: So do you make an effort when you go out, dress-wise? robert: I do, in fact! But not many guys do, I think.

Sundays much. I’m into the traditional Saturday night date – a really nice dinner somewhere. brett: We often go out for dinner, Rob and I, on a Saturday night together – just the two of us (laughs) then go for a walk and meet some girls perhaps and then arrange to catch up with them on Sunday when it’s relaxed. robert: Yes – Saturday nights can go on a bit too long sometimes. brett: That’s right, and we know our alcohol limits so we’re likely to pick the time when we’re not up for a big session of socialising – like Sundays. robert: Sundays are where you meet the most ladies. It’s more laidback and you can talk more and get to know them. brett: We all know what Cairns can produce if you really want it to. When you first get up here, it’s a real novelty – there are so many ladies and it’s so easy to go out and meet them compared with a big city where things are much more ‘clique’ and people stay in their own little networks. peter: It’s the climate – I love the tropics – ladies tend to wear a lot less when they dress up and look amazing. Why would you live anywhere else, seriously? robert: That’s why people end up here after they pitch up for a holiday and end up staying – people are friendlier here – people dance together; there are less obstacles.

profile: Excuse me but where do you go? The ladies reading this would be interested to know the answer to that I’m sure? brett: Aw, usually Salt House and Bellavista.

One week you can go casual if you’re feeling lazy and the next you can put on jeans and a collared shirt. And real shoes. peter: I guess I’m different – I don’t go out on

We’ve wrapped up when one of the guys leans across and says to me quietly, “Mia, do you think women have changed in the current generation – that ladies in their late 30’s are not interested in becoming partners for life any more?” I tell him definitely not, and that if he meets anyone answering that description to try the next date.

profile: What’s the best time to go out in Cairns? brett: I reckon Sundays are the best. Sunday sessions two for ones … and the drinks are, too. robert: That’s cause you’ve used up all the Saturday night girls and you’re on the Sunday girls now. brett: (laughing) No ... but on Sundays, you grab a couple of mates and go for a quiet drink and meet people when they’re relaxed. There isn’t the intensity of a Saturday night cause people are thinking ‘I have to work Monday’ so it doesn’t get out of control. robert: You gotta love Cairns though – Sunday sessions where the guys are in thongs and singlets, while the ladies are still dressed up in high heels and purses.

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After getting to know each other over a tapas plate (red pepper / fetta, black olive tapenade and guacamole with breads), we relax into ordering meals, with the lads happily relishing sirloin and eye fillet steaks (grain fed, 250 grams), and the Taste of the Sea (tempura prawns and soft shell crab, reef fish, scallop and calamari with a rocket, parmesean and apple salad). I can’t resist the Aussie combination (barbecued crocodile and kangaroo satays with a particularly superb Asian salad) because I figure correctly I can indulge my passion for rosè very satisfactorily with such a dish.

The Omrah rosè looks and tastes luscious, and the lads – having had James Boag’s Light for starters – come on board with an Edwards chardonnay and a Mitchell Watervale riesling. Just as you’d anticipate from such experienced restaurateurs, Tina and the team ensure there’s a really good selection of both expected and unexpected wines available by the glass as well as the bottle.

We’re ordering coffees (lads drink fluffy cappuccinos mid-afternoon too, it seems) when a dessert trolley appears. This is a great way to promote your desserts – it seems uncharitable to spurn them when they look so good. Dundee’s dessert taster (a trio featuring a chocolate mousse, a strawberry gelato and a mouth-watering mango crème brulee) is a top idea. The lads are making appreciative noises over their sticky date pudding and triple chocolate cheesecake – very mannish desserts indeed.

Dundee’s is open seven days for lunch and dinner and diners can access the free parking under Harbour Lights. There’s also a private dining room available for your next lunch, dinner or cocktail party and there’s no hire charge. Like the restaurant, it has views forever to the boardwalk to the green and blue hills across the inlet. As Peter says, ‘Could you get a better setting anywhere?’.

4051 0399 Harbour Lights 1 Marlin Parade, Cairns www.dundees.com.au

profilemag.com.au

business promotion

Luckbir, Melissa, Juanita, Miranda, Russell, Donna, Jacqui

YOUR LOCAL LEGAL EXPERTS MacDonnells Law has a long history as a respected Queensland institution, spanning more than 125 years. The firm’s longevity is a result of personalised client service, a reputation for delivering innovative yet practical solutions and the ability to change and adapt with the law.

At the core of MacDonnells Law is their people.

Over 160 staff across their 3 offices in Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane, including 20 Partners and more than 70 legally qualified personnel.

Partner, Luckbir Singh, heads up the firm’s 50 strong Commercial team and is enthused with the direction the firm is headed and the team driving it. “At MacDonnells Law we have a great mixture of up and coming and experienced lawyers who understand our clients’ industries and the need to provide practical and commercially relevant advice, in a timely fashion.”

A strong emphasis is placed on developing and investing in their people and this becomes quite apparent when you look at their ever expanding group of lawyers who are experts in their fields.

This month we are introduced to some of the local members of the MacDonnells Law Commercial team, and in the coming months we will profile them and their expert areas.

Meet the MacDonnells Law Commercial Team …

How long have you lived in Cairns and what do you love most about the region?

recognise value in and the need to protect things like logos and trade secrets.

Miranda: I’m a local from Malanda. I love the fantastic climate and I love being able to live so close to the city and still have a big back yard for the dog.

Jacqui: Succession law is my game, being the preparation of Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, the administration of deceased Estates and succession planning. I get satisfaction from being able to assist clients achieve their goals and in helping manage affairs for families at a time when they need help.

Juanita: I was born and bred in Cairns, although I attended uni in Brisbane. I love the green hills, the blue skies and the fact there aren’t any traffic jams on the way to and from work!

Melissa: I’ve lived in Cairns my whole life, other than a few years spent in Townsville studying law. For me it’s the laid-back feeling of the place and the people, and also the great places we have close-by.

Donna: Twenty-nine years! I love the happy balance between quality work and lifestyle.

Juanita: I enjoy commercial work, particularly business structuring and succession planning as you are able to assist people, their families and businesses and no two stories are ever the same.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about your area of legal expertise?

Tell me about your speciality area and why you get a kick out of working in this area?

Melissa: That all we do is prepare contracts and act for clients buying and selling houses and business. There are so many different areas of commercial law our team specialises in, including body corporate, mining, agribusiness and franchising, to name a few.

Miranda: Property law. It’s an exciting area in dealing with people and corporations, developing, buying, selling or leasing property and it’s enjoyable being able to make things happen for them.

Donna: That there are no rights in or ways to protect intellectual property, so it will always be a fight. In fact, there is plenty of front-end work that can be done to protect rights and save time and money from later disputes.

Melissa: Corporate law, personal property securities law (if you’re in business and you don’t know what this is, you need to find out) and also liquor licensing and gaming. The most enjoyable aspect of working in this area is assisting clients to achieve something, whether its dealing with a corporate restructure or obtaining a liquor licence. I also like the practical nature of what I do.

Miranda: People just assuming that I go to court (which as a commercial lawyer, I hardly ever do) and that my job is like the legal shows on TV - it’s better than that!

Jacqui: Like Juanita, I was born and bred locally. Everything is so close and the people are much more personable.

Donna: Intellectual Property. I am entertained by intangible concepts and I like helping clients

Jacqui: People not understanding the value of having a proper Will prepared correctly for their circumstances, no matter what they own.

Juanita: That you can be a generalist. Also, that it is boring - whereas you really meet the most interesting of people.

You’ll learn more about their team of experienced commercial lawyers and their areas of expertise in upcoming issues of Profile Magazine.

MacDonnells Law Cnr Shields & Grafton Streets, Cairns QLD 4870 | Tel: +61 7 4030 0600 Fax: +61 7 4030 0699 www.macdonnells.com.au

cover story

I swear I was the only black (indigenous) person working in Parliament House. I loved that.

That has been my highlight.”

STACEY WEARS CAMILLA KAFTANS IN THE ‘SPHINX’ FASHION LINE, RRP $599.95, THE EYE (SHOP 8/10 SHIELDS ST, 4031 4675 OR PORT DOUGLAS, 4099 5526). JEWELLERY BY DIVA ACCESSORIES (CAIRNS CENTRAL). BROWN SNAKE SKIN BANGLE RRP $24.99, CHUNKY TURQUOISE RING RRP $14.99, TURQUOISE FLOWER BANGLE RRP $9.99, BROWN WOOD AND FEATHER BANGLE PACK RRP $19.99, TURQUOISE DROP EARRINGS RRP $9.99, PEACOCK FEATHER RRP HEADBAND, $19.99, ORANGE BANGLES RRP $24.99, GOLD CUFF RRP $16.99, GOLD HOOP EARRINGS RRP $14.99, BROWN CAT-EYE RING RRP $12.99.

HAIR BY PULSE HAIR AND BEAUTY (SHOP 9-14 SPENCE ST, PHONE 4051 4212). “STACEY’S HAIR HAD A NATURAL WAVE TO WORK WITH. TO ENHANCE THIS, WE ADDED OSIS PUMP MY CURLS, THEN USED A CURLING WAND TO ADD SOME SOFT TOUSLED CURLS. TO MAKE HER FACIAL FEATURES POP, WE CREATED HEIGHT AND SOFTNESS AROUND THE FACE. FOR THE MAKEUP, WE WANTED TO CAPTURE A NATURAL LOOK USING DEEP, EARTHY TONES TO ACCENTUATE her EYES AND CHEEKS. THE ZAZI MINERAL MAKEUP RANGE HAD THE PERFECT SELECTION OF EYE SHADOWS AND BRONZERS FOR US TO CHOOSE FROM.”

stacey mundraby-king

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cover story

words alana rushton ll photography stuart frost ll styling kylie ferrier ll hair and makeup pulse hair and beauty

O

STACEY MUNDRABY-KING LEFT YARRABAH, AGED 14. NOW 33, STACEY HAS BEEN CALLED BACK TO HER BELOVED TERRITORY, AFTER A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN THE POLITICAL ARENA. TODAY, HER PASSION IS CLAIMING BACK HER PEOPLE’S LAND, THEIR HOME, AND EMPOWERING THEM WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES. ONE DAY SOON SHE PLANS TO RETURN TO THE RAINFOREST NEAR YARRABAH TO LIVE. STACEY IS A ROLE MODEL, JUST LIKE HER GRANDFATHER, AS ALANA RUSHTON DISCOVERED.

ur home has long been our sacred place – it’s where our heart is. But today, it’s a symbol of our success, testament to our own self-worth.

We strive for the best, the biggest, the brightest.

We scour the property pages desperately searching for the designer look. We aspire to a display home standard … something we have learnt to desire and expect.

Our grandparents scrimped and saved to buy a home – the great Australian dream. And when they did, it was theirs for life. They moved into it when they married, had children there, entertained grandchildren there. But for my generation, it’s all about buying the latest open-plan version. Then, a few years later, we upgrade to an even bigger and better house. And so it continues. Home is no longer an emotional place to lay our hat and rest our hearts; it’s where we temporarily reside – until something better comes along.

Sure, we make lasting memories in our homes.

We laugh, we cry, we share dinners with friends and we relax by the television – all inside the structured walls. Yet all too soon it’s time to move on to a new house, new walls and a new plot of land.

Which leads me to ask the question; what constitutes a home? Is it just the four walls or is it the land the home sits upon? Are we so obsessed with the structure itself that we neglect to enjoy the land for the trees, the turf, the birds and the breeze?

Do we make just as many memories on terra-firma as inside the bricks and mortar?

Rarely does the land our home sits on have any family, heritage or cultural significance. Rarely, do we really connect with it. The land to us is simply a patch of dirt.

My own parents still lease a block of bush where we used to camp as children. No hut, no mod cons, just nature. It’s in Campbelltown, in the Victorian november 2011

goldfields. As kids, we hid in the tall grass, sat around large bonfires, woke up in tents surrounded

by Eucalypt trees, learnt to cook spuds on the fire, listened to owls in the trees and whispered about the fabled black puma that’s rumoured to wander the local countryside. This time spent in the bush made me a better person – more down to earth. It’s where materials mean nothing, and the land means everything. You see, land can hold a special place in your heart forever – Campbelltown will be in bedded deep in my being for the rest of my days.

It’s the same for 33-year-old Stacey Mundraby-King.

Her definition of ‘home’ is a little different from most. To Stacey, a home is not about paint and décor. Stacey Mundraby-King’s home is her land. The land of her people in East Trinity and Yarrabah.

And, despite moving away to pursue a career, it is the home she is drawn back to, time after time after time.

“When you get to a certain age it calls you back.

You fret for the bush,” Stacey tells me.

She plans to leave the luxuries of Edmonton in 10 years’ time to return to live in Budabadoo, just past Yarrabah, once she has achieved all she has set out to do.

“My daughter … she is always asking me to go back to country. Every time we go, she says, ‘Mum, this is all my land’. I say, ‘It is’,” Stacey pauses for a second.

“But you want to make sure no one can take it away from them. Luckily, Pop never backed down when it came to fighting for our land.”

Stacey’s ‘Pop’ was Vincent Mundraby, a man who passionately fought for his homelands. Sadly, he passed away just two years before a Native Title Determination was awarded.

Today, Stacey has returned to the region to

continue his work. As administrative officer for the Djunbunji Land and Sea Program, which has a strategic plan for that country, her grandfather’s fight is in solid hands. She tells me about the plan.

“It outlines where we want to be in the future and what my daughter and nieces can do when they are older and in full control of that land.”

The plan aims to protect sacred places, pass on and maintain culture, knowledge and practices, care for the animals, plants and environment, repair damage caused by others in the past, develop an economy that is respectful for their country – and above all else – share it with the rest of the world.

Stacey takes me to the Yarrabah lookout. I watch her as she proudly surveys the countryside. It’s here I realise the huge difference in our ideas as to what constitutes a home. We value our worth by the bricks and mortar, the location of our home and the objects in it. Home for Stacey is “a community”, rather than just a plot of land a house is build upon.

Her goal is to claim back her people’s reason for being – their connection to country.

The passion she has for regaining the traditional land her forefathers fought for is alive. The passion she has for seeing her own people working as national park rangers on their East Trinity wetlands is bursting, ready to fruit. Yes, she wants to see fellow indigenous tribes prosper in the ways of the monetary world, the white man’s world, yet she wants them to stay in touch with their heritage.

She wants the best of both worlds.

On April 24 2006, the Federal Government approved a 1999 application for the Mandingalbly Yidinji Native Title Determination. On this day, her people staked their claim on sections of Grey Peak National Park, varied reserves and certain lots adjacent to Trinity Inlet.

“I always remember, as a little girl, my grandfather going to meetings to get access to profilemagazine

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cover story

Pop started the national title, he initiated that. What we have got today is because of him.”

Stacey Mundraby-King has been called back to her country to complete the work of her late Pop

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ownership of their lands,” she fondly recalls.

Just 37km south-east of Cairns is Yarrabah. It’s where you see a community from a time gone by, a beautiful section of countryside overlooking a palm-lined beach with views of Green Island. Dirt roads, kids on horseback, children running around barefoot, police cars patrolling, loud music. “There is always someone having a party,” she admits.

More than 3000 (mostly) Yidinji and Gungganji tribes have called this region home since the Aboriginal mission settlement was founded in 1892. To date, they have claimed back half of that land, and are awaiting another title outcome around December this year. The town now boasts its own council, hospital, pre, primary and secondary schools (to year 10), a library, leisure centre and community health centre.

Stacey, who has a sister, a brother and two half-sisters, left Yarrabah at just 14. She went to live in Cairns with her mother after her parents separated. Stacey credits her success to the people who have guided her throughout her whole life.

Over the years, she has worked for an indigenous employment consultancy, at a post office, in administration for the former Leichhardt federal member Jim Turnour, as an electorate assistant for Jason O’Brien state MP for Cook, and also in the office of senator Jan McLucas. An impressive resume.

“Working in political offices gave me knowledge I wouldn’t have gained anywhere else … and [helped me] create relationships with people in government departments. I swear I was the only black [indigenous] person working in Parliament House. I loved that. That has been my highlight,” Stacey proudly tells me.

Today, she is more than the administration officer at the Djunbunji office. She works alongside the in-training national park WOC (work on country) rangers. Their work shirts are embroidered with her clan’s black scorpion, a symbol that reminds her people of their ancestry. She also tells me of the native language of the area, which, she admits, she can’t speak fluently.

Stacey has always enjoyed her time in the country.

“On weekends, if I don’t feel like going all the way to Yarrabah, we go to Second Beach and go fishing. Actually, some work days I go fishing. I could never have done that working in other offices. They are more flexible here.

“I don’t want to be working inside the office for much longer. I would love to get into the tourism side of things.”

She reels off a few ideas she has bandied about with her husband, Matthew King (a former navy officer), such as guided bus tours by the training rangers on East Trinity, and she has grand plans for a natural clearing with an art shop and café, “To give people a good reason to come out here for the drive. You can see Cairns from a different angle”.

She explains that this is the reason she has been able to stay in touch with her heritage, as opposed to the normal clock-on, clock-off working week most of us are accustomed to. “It’s a chance to experience country.

When I am given the opportunity to do this, it feeds more passion into me.”

Every morning on the way to work, she says, “Good morning Pop” to a large boulder on Tulbunghi Mountain; a symbol he is always with her.

“Pop would take us to the beach and we would take a spare shirt and collect pipis, cook ‘em up and eat ‘em from the shell. When we went bush, we would only take the basics of flour and oil … everything else you could get off the land. At his house (at Budabadoo, just pass Yarrabah) he had a normal toilet and bathroom with good resources, and he had a lot of fruit trees, like quandongs,” she recalls.

Stacey says her daughter, Shatarna, discovered the merry-go-round and slippery slide her grandfather built years ago after they cleared back the overgrowth.

Her daughter was named after a type of strong wind, translated to “way way”. When Stacey gave birth, her grandfather said he received a sign. “He said, ‘It’s a girl’.

He was lying down in bed and a little whirly-whirly came in, and he said, ‘That’s her’.”

Stacey recalls her Pop with clear fondness and pride.

“Pop started the national title, he initiated that. What we have got today is because of him. Now that I am older and can understand, I think, wow, he did all that for us.

We just couldn’t see it at the time. Pop wasn’t educated and it was hard for him to negotiate with the government departments.

“We are one of the few tribes in the region that has a determination. We are the traditional owners but we want to share it. When Shatarna gets older, she may start a family with a non-indigenous partner and I want him to be treated the same as everyone else. My family is very accepting of everyone.”

Stacey is at home on the land where her office is located.

There are sacred sites over the other side of the mountain where she said you can hear the ‘fighting spot’ if you go there.

“It gives you an eerie feeling. You can hear the fighting.

You have to be connected to the land. Not just anybody can hear that stuff. Sometimes the boys [rangers] go out and I sit here by myself and people ask me if I get scared, but I feel at home. I am not frightened. I am being watched. I am being looked after,” Stacey confidently explains.

She tells me these wars are in the past and that the two clans in the area are now trying to work as one in their land claim quests.

“We are now employing people from other tribes as part of the healing process. Blood has been shed for many years, but we want to move forward now.”

Stacey tells me about her father’s dad who passed away when she was young. “What I have been told of him is that he was very kind-hearted and loved singing and playing the guitar. My daughter now has the musical talent. My two grandmothers are still alive and I am lucky I get to spend so much time with them.”

When we talk of Stacey returning to her homeland as part of her long-term plan, I ask her if it will it be the old-fashioned way – back to basics? “No. It’s not just going bush and that’s it, no luxury. I would like to build a nice big house. I would like to build a mansion; an environmentally-friendly one.”

How ironic. It seems our western world has rubbed off on Stacey. I ask her if her people would disown her for embracing our ‘white ways’.

“I don’t think I can ever go back to the traditional ways.

I think society is changing and you need to keep up.”

I ask her what her people will think about her building profilemag.com.au

cover story

When you get to a certain age it calls you back. You fret for the bush.”

stacey mundraby-king

her dream house.

“It all boils down to jealousy. It’s the crab and bucket syndrome.”

I question the symbolism. “You get the odd ones stuck. Certain ones don’t like to see people succeed. You get that in every community. It’s the mentality.

But, it’s up to us to be role models. It’s up to my generation to change some of the social issues.

“It’s a cycle where the young ones drop out of school and drink and smoke if they don’t have the role models. I want to show people you can have what I have if you make changes to your life. I am not saying that I am the only one with an education. A lot of the indigenous people who went to my primary school have got government jobs, and I am really proud of that.”

Stacey acknowledges that her life is vastly different from those who have stayed on in Yarrabah and had quite a few children. She has just the one daughter, although she has suffered through two miscarriages, which she has accepted as her path. These days, she is busy looking at pursuing a political career, maybe even one day running for council. But for now her plan is to study politics at university. “I would like to get into indigenous policy writing to develop policies that enable indigenous [people] to get quicker access to land management.”

What she loved most about working in the three political offices was that she was able to break down the barriers. “A lot of indigenous people are shy, but when they realise they are talking to another indigenous person it gives them more confidence.” She also loved the pace of the work and being in the thick of the famous ‘apology’, as made by the then Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.

“We are one step closer. My great-great grandmother was part of the stolen generation. Her mother was a full blood from Wenlock Station and her father was a Danish pearl lugger. Because she was half-caste, she was taken away.

“This is just the start. The wall is still there. The government accepted it was wrong, and it gives us reassurance that it won’t happen again in our lifetime.

It gives you more reason to better yourself, because you know you won’t be judged by your colour.”

november 2011

Yarrabah is not that far from Cairns – yet it’s a basic necessities kind of town.

“I was lucky I had the best of both worlds. I could go camping out here, then the next week be in Canberra at Parliament House.”

She speaks of cultural significance of a lot of places, as we sit under a tree where a butterfly lands on us, “A signal”, she says, “of a visitor coming”. Stacey points to behind the office where a humpy has been built and a walking track marked out. She alludes to the sacred sites; “But I am a bit scared to go by myself. The people’s law is that if you go into the bush, you have to go with someone, because if you go by yourself you will follow the voice. The belief is that the old people call you. They take you deeper in the bush and you get lost. That is why I have to watch Shatarna when she is here [at work], because if she hears them call her name, she would go”.

Her office, surrounded by bush, is heavenly. “It’s lovely. I’ve got no words to describe it. It’s paradise out here.”

But her plan is to do more. “At the end of the day we need money to employ people, and we do get funding. But, you can’t expect to get everything and say, ‘Well we don’t need you any more’. I think we all need each other. Our vision for the long-term is to be economically sustainable.

“Yarrabah is one of the most advanced indigenous communities in Queensland. There are a lot of people who work in town [Cairns] at Centrelink, TAFE and government departments. I would like to see more of that. I would like to see every single person in Yarrabah with a job, but we have to take into consideration that not a lot have the opportunity to even buy a car or get a licence,” she explains.

So Stacey continues her quest to fulfil her Pop’s wish – full ownership of the land, and in the process, she hopes to create more job opportunities for indigenous people – jobs for marine biologists, botanists and rangers.

This passionate young woman has a strong tie to her home, her land, her country. She is now the one calling her people home. Leading them back to their sacred place.

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cbwc feature The Cairns Business Women’s Club (CBWC), founded in 1984, brings business people together to offer mutual support, inspiration, networking and professional development opportunities through its monthly lunches, programs and annual awards. In recent years, the club has matured and evolved into a professional body of like-minded business people who understand the power of networking and sharing business experiences. As an advocate of women in business, the club’s Gold Partner, profile magazine, is proud to present its regular quarterly feature highlighting some of the members. To find out more VISIT www.cbwc.org.au.

Williams Graham Carman Solicitors

Naomi de Costa Naomi de Costa is an associate at Williams Graham Carman Solicitors, responsible for their estate administration and estate litigation practice. As Naomi keenly points out though, being a solicitor doesn’t stop her from being a nice person!

Working through the problems that arise when someone has passed away can be challenging.

While most people want to leave things in order for their loved ones, very few people have an appropriate and up-to-date will and clearly identified assets and liabilities. As a result, there can be a lot of work and heartache involved in getting things organised and dealing with any disputes that arise.

Naomi’s approach is to provide clear and accurate legal advice from the start of any estate, but to also understand the people involved.

“Estate administration can be 10 per cent law and 90 per cent people management. If an executor or beneficiary gets offside early in the estate process, it can be very difficult to work through problems amicably later on,” she explains.

Naomi has just returned to Williams Graham Carman after a brief maternity leave stint, and she is looking forward to working again with her clients to achieve positive outcomes.

Phone 4046 1194 www.wgc.com.au

Our Ceremony civil marriage celebrant

Leisel Pisani Leisel Pisani looks forward to welcoming you to ‘Our Ceremony’; something she believes we can all take ownership of. She wants her clients to be proud to share, celebrate and enjoy with friends and family.

This local civil celebrant takes great pride in crafting each ceremony to be a true reflection of her clients’ thoughts, feelings, emotions and personalities. Creating ‘Our Ceremony’ with her clients is a process she works through together with each client, ensuring originality.

Leisel respects different religions, cultures and traditions and will find a way to incorporate symbolisms or other ceremonies into your day.

Warming of the rings, sand ceremonies and unity bowl ceremonies can be woven into the beautiful words shared on your day of celebration.

“Ceremonies are an important part of society.

They allow us to express love and commitment, a milestone birthday, renewal of vows, the birth of a child or the death of a loved one. We need to allow ourselves to enjoy all these moments in life, to love, to celebrate and to grieve with the support of a loving friend and family network.

Our Ceremony can mark all these occasions in your life and I am truly grateful to be able to share these moments with you.”

Phone 0402 392615 www.ourceremony.com.au

Eva & Malia Etiquette

Teresa Jadvick Eva & Malia Etiquette is owned by mumpreneur Teresa Jadvick, the proud mummy to two girls … Eva and Malia.

A qualified etiquette trainer, after receiving a diploma in makeup artistry from the prestigious John Robert Powers Academy in Texas, USA, Teresa worked as a freelance makeup artist and was employed with prestige brands including Givenchy, Nina Ricci, La Prairie, Estee Lauder and Elizabeth Arden. Credits in the industry include American MTV and Channel 9 Australia, where she worked with presenters such as Ray Martin, Max Walker and Ken Sutcliffe. Teresa also has her business etiquette certification from Etiquette Moms in Florida, USA. Teresa now calls Cairns home, where she is happily raising her children and teaching etiquette to businesses and schools. She believes etiquette is not just about protocol – it’s much more practical and relevant. Teresa teaches the importance of respect and civility in everyday life; well-mannered conversations, making others feel welcome and respected, and leaving a great impression.

Using an assessment tool to uncover where etiquette issues impact a business the most in terms of dollars, customer service and morale, Teresa identifies the gaps and opportunities for improvement, with one-on-one and team coaching offered.

Phone 0414 865 889 teresaj@westnet.com.au

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cbwc feature Cairns Business & Leisure Travel

The Community Managers

Charles Esposito

Kylie Moore Kylie Moore joined tcmstrata (The Community Managers), a locally owned and operated body corporate management company established in 1991, in 2005. With more than 500 buildings under its management, tcmstrata is proud of the reputation it has established as both a quality service provider and employer. Many of tcmstrata’s staff have returned to Cairns after gaining experience domestically and abroad.

At the end of 2007, Kylie left Cairns to pursue a career in the evolving Dubai strata industry, managing and consulting on developments throughout the Middle East. During this time, she worked on some of the world’s largest developments, including the Burj Khalifa.

A born and bred local, Kylie missed the laidback lifestyle and friendly nature of Cairns. With her newly-acquired global experience, Kylie was a natural fit for the business development role at tcmstrata.

She is keen to meet with local unit owners to discuss their community needs – give Kylie a call if you would like to talk about your options or are looking for a change in manager for your body corporate.

Phone 0427 155 758 kylie@tcmstrata.com

Charles Esposito is the manager of Cairns Business & Leisure Travel. Born in Zimbabwe when it was still called Rhodesia, he completed his schooling there and travelled extensively all over the African continent. When political unrest pervaded Rhodesia, Charles thought it was a good time to leave and headed north for England. He had already succumbed to the romance of travel and sought his first job within the travel industry.

Always the achiever, Charles won an incentive to escort a group onto the famously luxurious Orient Express from London to Venice. He said it was truly an unforgettable travel experience and was appreciative of the opportunity.

Charles often travelled to Italy to connect with his family heritage and with long-lost relatives. Along the way, he would take diversions over to Greece, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The more he travelled, the more insatiable he became about exploring far and beyond.

Eventually, Charles’ journey took him to Australia, a few years in Sydney and in Brisbane. After many holiday trips up to Cairns from the southern states, he eventually settled here. Apart from his love of travel, the highlights of his life include the birth of each of his three children – he adores his family.

Phone 4080 4000 www.BLT.com.au

Rydges Plaza Cairns

Lisa Krause Lisa Krause is one of those bright, enthusiastic and capable women whose energy is infectious.

Her personality is perfectly suited to her career in hospitality and in recent months, at the helm of Rydges Plaza Cairns.

While the rather glamorous sounding role of hotel general manager might seem a long way from Lisa’s her early days on the family’s sheep station in the red centre of Western Australia, it was the perfect foundation; arming her with a no-nonsense resilience and a love of people that takes centre stage in her day to day work and career success. According to Lisa, “It’s always about the people; customers and staff.”

This passionate hospitality manager has called the Tropical North home since 2006. For the past four and a half years, prior to returning to Rydges Hotels and Resorts, Lisa was employed by the Quicksilver Group as assistant general manager, then general manager of Green Island Resort.

Since February, she has been working her magic at Rydges Plaza Cairns and its signature bar, LILO. Since starting her Rydges Plaza journey this year, Lisa has been working hard on creating weekly events at one of Cairns’ funkiest bars – namely Gin, Jazz and Olives on Friday afternoons after work and chill out Sunday session, Maison.

Phone 4046 0311 lisa_krause@rydges.com

Become Part of a New Era – We didn’t Invent Networking We Made It Better There has never been a better time to become a CBWC Corporate Partner or Event Sponsor • • • •

· · · ·

Benefit from the marketing strategy that is the secret behind big business.

Have a direct and exclusive channel to promote your organisation to the Cairns professional community Align your brand with a professional not for profit organisation Work with a team of professionals who value and respect your commitment

2012 opportunities are now available and strictly limited.

Please email info@cbwc.org.au for further details

november 2011

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profile loves

it’s a girl’s world

with Pip Addison, fashion stylist 0425 756 083 www.modernstyle.com.au

cool chick

Sacha’s in Love, Ginja Australia Padded Bandeau, $89.95, Tie Side Pant RRP $69.95. For stockists head to www.bakuaustralia. com.au or phone 02 9764 3199. Available to purchase in Banana Bender, Shop 1, 55 Lake St, Cairns, phone 4041 2312. Surf Dive ‘n’ Ski, Cairns Central, phone 5507 9384. Palm Cove Resort Shoppe, The Beach Club, Williams Esplanade, phone 4055 3924

Indira camel wedge shoe, RRP $69.95. The Eye, 8/10 Shields St. Phone 4031 4675

(Join me on Facebook for more fashion tips!)

easy on the eye These tortoise shell specs will look fantastic with all your summer outfits from casual to glamour.

DG tortoise shell sunglasses, RRP $259.95.

OPSM, Cairns Central. Phone 4051 1666

colour block Pink and orange block solid woven top, $19.95. Valley Girl, Cairns Central.

Phone 4051 3823

add some pink All that glitters pink fluro bangles, rrp $15.00 (for set of two).

The Eye, 8/10 Shields St. Phone 4031 4675

fashion-forward stylish swimmers

Aurora surf watch in yellow/blue, rrp $99.99.

Rip Curl, 107 Abbott St, Cairns. Phone 4041 7740

Mahalo one piece, rrp $99.99.

Rip Curl, 107 Abbott St, Cairns.

Phone 4041 7740

sterling silver Satin cut out tears sterling silver, rrp $180.

Fuse Silver, Cairns Central.

Phone 0403 075 1304

looking luna Seafolly La Luna strapless underwire bra, RRP $119.95. Available at Tshinta, Shop 7 and 8, Saltwater, Port Douglas, phone 4099 5886.

Summer, beach, bikini, cocktails ... sound like a holiday? We don’t need to go anywhere! It’s all right here in Tropical North Queensland. This month I have put together everything you will need for a day in the sun. Don’t forget to slip, slop, slap!

put a ring on it One ball with loop top sterling silver, rrp $140.

Fuse Silver, Cairns Central.

Phone 0403 075 1304

can’t beat a classic Seafolly Sophia boyleg onepiece, RRP $169.95. Seafolly Sunshiny day hat, RRP $49.95.

Available at Tshinta, Shop 7 and 8, Saltwater, Port Douglas, phone 4099 5886

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kool kaftan

tie dye

nautical flavour

Jendi kaftan, rrp $59.95.

The Eye, 8/10 Shields St. Phone 4031 4675

Indy C. baby doll dress, rrp $89.95. The Eye, 8/10 Shields St. Phone 4031 4675

Stripe navy-cream strapless knit dress with green and gold bow belt, rrp $24.95. Valley Girl, Cairns Central. Phone 4051 3823

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november 2011

t:4093 8441

profilemagazine

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style counsel

ll photography stuart frost

Joan Wilson

THIS MONTH WE MEET SASSI SHOE SHOP DARLING JOHANNA WILSON. BETTER KNOWN AS ‘JOAN’, THIS PASSIONATE SHOP OWNER BELIEVES IN OUR LOCAL DESIGN TALENT AND THINKS THAT CAIRNS IS ACTUALLY VERY FASHION-FORWARD.

profile: How did you get into selling shoes? joan: A love of shoes, of course. Prior to coming to Australia, I was employed by the largest shoe retailer in the UK about 25 years ago. The corporate systems I learnt there allowed me to adapt and apply those to small business.

profile: What is your own fashion fetish? joan: Fetish conjures up extreme or provocative … definitely not me! My own style tends to be the safe, classical look. However, fashion at the moment is leaning more towards the fetish side.

Fantastic, edgy looks.

profile: What is the best way to sum up your store’s style? joan: Sassi, darling!

profile: Tell us something people would not know about you. joan: I am the owner of Liberated adult stores.

profile: What is the best thing about being in retail? joan: Meeting people, building relationships, fashion, style, socialising, getting involved in the community. What’s not to like?

profile: Describe your most treasured pair of shoes. joan: Every pair is, from evening shoes to the ones I wear shopping at Rusty’s.

profile: How do you keep up with the latest looks in the fashion industry? joan: Research – which is easy to do when you love the subject. It’s not so long ago that Australia was three seasons behind European styling. Whether it’s shoes or clothes, Cairns is now up there with the best of worldwide high street fashion.

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profile: What are your hottest looks coming into the store? joan: Definitely wedges. Regardless of age, wedges work for everyone. profile: What is your signature fragrance? joan: ‘j’adore’ by Dior and ‘Flower’ by Kenzo. profile: Describe your personal style. joan: Comfortable.

profile: Who is your fashion icon? joan: Lady Gaga, I love how she pushes the envelope. profile: How did you come up with your trademark ‘absolutely fabulous’ marketing? joan: I had a couple of local friends who fitted the Patsy and Eddy profile perfectly. So thank you ladies, and thank you to my husband, Stuart, for bringing the similarities to my attention! profile: What is your best memory working in fashion over the years? joan: The fashion passport launch for the Amateurs at the Cairns Cruise Ship Terminal.

Fantastic venue, beautiful local models and a showcase of young, local designers whose talent gave me goosebumps. Cairns has so much to be proud of. profilemag.com.au

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During the skin remodelling procedure, energy is directly transferred to the cells. Every muscle and tissue layer is treated. Scientific research has shown that tissues can be stimulated and reprogrammed to resume their natural, youthful functions.

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Waves of energy produced by the system, gently, vibrate and heat the collagen fibres, reorganising the skin’s scaffolding and stimulating new collagen growth. The effect is to tighten and rejuvenate the skin in the treated area.

Simultaneously Therapeutic currents are transferred to the deeper layers to repair muscle tissue and restore muscle tone.

before

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We are your One-Stop-Shop Where every patient matters On-Site we offer:

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The Doctors - 318 Mulgrave Rd - Ph 4044 0444

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life

therapeutic paraffin wax with Tyson Franklin Podiatrists, rehabilitation specialists and medical professionals have endorsed the use of paraffin wax for its therapeutic properties for many years, and have long known that paraffin therapy is a viable way to speed healing and an ideal way to soothe muscle and joint pain.

Paraffin wax is a natural product and has been laboratory tested to be hygienically safe to use.

It is colourless, tasteless and odourless. The heat produced by the application of paraffin wax increases the blood supply to the area being treated and traps moisture from underlying layers of the skin, resulting in rejuvenated and nourished skin.

This type of paraffin therapy reduces pain and stiffness around joints by removing excess fluid from surrounding tissue while providing lubrication.

Within a podiatry clinic, paraffin wax footbaths allow patients to receive therapeutic heat treatment by dipping their foot into a pool of heated, medical-grade paraffin wax. The process involves dipping the foot into the paraffin wax three times, then placing the feet into a plastic sleeve. The feet are then wrapped in towelling to retain the heat and allowed to sit for about 20 minutes.

This penetrating heat is optimal for people suffering from: 1. Arthritis 2. Bursitis and bunion pain 3. Muscle spasms and soreness 4. Chronic joint pain

Therapeutic paraffin wax also aids in the reduction of skin dryness by providing deep moisturising, leaving the skin looking and feeling great, which is perfect for people with cracked heels and other dry skin disorders.

If you’re pain-free and have no dry skin concerns, your feet will still feel better after a therapeutic wax footbath. However, it is not suitable for people with diabetes or other circulatory-type problems.

If in doubt, you should discuss your concerns with your podiatrist prior to treatment.

Proarch Podiatry 1300 776 272 www.proarch.com.au

5. Joint stiffness 6. Ankle soreness and tendonitis.

monitoring your heart with Peter Reynolds What is an echocardiogram?

An ‘echo’ or ‘cardiac ultrasound’ is a specialised test that involves imaging the heart through the use of ultra-high frequency ultrasound. It’s a test that involves moving a small probe over the chest wall to capture images of the heart from different angles. Measurements are taken to assess the function of the heart and blood flow through the valves of the heart. Doppler ultrasound techniques are also employed by the technician to monitor valvular disease.

Why have an echocardiogram?

Your doctor may request an echocardiogram for a variety of reasons. These may include symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pain, through to heart murmurs that are heard when your doctor listens to your heart through a stethoscope. An echo is also performed to follow up certain conditions, monitoring disease progress and after events such as heart attack and stroke. Cardiac ultrasound is the most portable and cost-effective method for diagnosing and monitoring heart disease.

Other studies such as MRI (magnetic resonance

november 2011

imaging) are non-portable, costly and lengthy tests. There is generally no preparation required to have an echocardiogram apart from an appointment.

Is the examination uncomfortable?

No, you shouldn’t feel any pain or discomfort while having your echocardiogram. Generally, the procedure takes anywhere between 30 to 45 minutes depending on the complexity of the study.

Is there any special preparation?

Other than wearing loose fitting clothing, there is no special preparation.

Are there any risks or side effects?

Research has shown that there are no adverse effects or risks with the use of ultrasound technology. No radiation is involved or emitted with an ultrasound.

echo-cardiographers (technicians) to complete the study. In Cairns, we are lucky to have several facilities where echocardiograms are performed.

When making your booking, make sure to ask if the facility uses advanced machines and software programs to help diagnose and monitor your heart condition and has a cardiologist who interprets your results and sends a report to your doctor within 24 to 48 hours after the examination. Timeliness plays an essential role in the provision of your health care.

Is an echocardiogram expensive?

It depends if you visit a bulk billing facility or not – but you must have a referral form from your doctor.

Cairns Radiology 4051 9729 admin@cairnsradiology.com.au

Where can I go to get an echocardiogram?

Echocardiography is a highly specialised area of expertise with a limited number of

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life

fertility takes a team with Dr Bob Miller I consider myself very lucky to have an interesting job I am passionate about. Helping couples conceive is very satisfying. While it can be demanding, I have always believed that one gets out of something what one puts in.

No two days are the same – I never know what medical conundrum will come through the door. There’s always something new to read or research.

Obviously, as a fertility specialist, successful treatment means a baby in the cot, and a whole new meaning and role in life for those fortunate couples.

It’s great to share success with them and the team, but assisting and counselling an unsuccessful couple is in many ways more important. Assisted reproduction treatment is a major life event for those concerned, and they need support.

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We are now in the 21st century and infertility treatment such as IVF is very comprehensive, fairly streamlined and proven. Our investigations can help pinpoint the most likely problem, and treatment can be individualised in order to optimise the best chance of success. Biological ageing is the biggest barrier to success.

It takes a team to be passionate. There is the IVF scientist, clucking over those precious embryos in the incubator. Then there are the IVF nurse co-ordinators. Their roles are to explain and help you through the treatment. They are always just a phone call away. They are the first to give the good news, and also to console. In addition, access to a psychologist is offered to support clients through what is often a very stressful time.

So why is there this major stumbling block preventing you from moving on to the next phase in your life? Unfortunately, you can’t assume that it will just happen or wish the problem away. The chance of a natural conception decreases rapidly as the months roll by.

Hopefully, you will never need fertility services, but if you have been trying to conceive for more than 12 months, six months if you are over 35, see your doctor, and he or she may recommend a referral to a fertility clinic.

Queensland Fertility Group, Cairns 4041 2400 cairnsivf@qfg.com.au

Few goals in life are sought more passionately than one’s desire for a baby. You’ve achieved everything you wished and worked for … now it’s time for another chapter in your life.

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life

finding a passion for exercise with Christina Borzi What changed?

Exercise is one of the things we know we should make time for. We know we feel better when we do it regularly – but often it gets left out of our busy schedules. Personally, I love how energetic I feel when I exercise and I love the feeling of being strong, fit and slim.

I know that life as an adult is far more complex, but some things do not have to change with age.

If you liked soccer when you were a kid, why can’t you play now? If you enjoyed running then what’s the difference now? Run on a treadmill, run along the esplanade, why not run to the gym, lift your weights, then run home?

Unless you enjoy what you do for exercise, you won’t stick with it, and for exercise to contribute in a positive way to your health it has to be consistent. Once you start exercising you need to make a personal commitment to keep it going as a regular part of your weekly routine. Put together a workout plan that works for you, remembering consistancy is the key.

The decision to keep exercising is as simple as a child’s decision to go out and play; you just need to have fun with it. Replace toy stores with sporting goods stores and have gyms become your playground.

you do, you will find that you feel so much better for it and you will wonder how you managed without it.

Sure you will hit a rut, but don’t let life’s circumstances dictate your health. Create fun ways to make exercise work in your world.

Rydges Esplanade Health Club 4044 9010 info@individualfitness.com.au

Stop thinking, “How do I keep this going”. Instead think, “How much fun can I have before I have to stop?” In other words, find your passion for exercise.

Now the enjoyment part …

When you were a kid, did you come home from school, rip off your school clothes and then go outside and run around like a lunatic for a few hours? The only thing that stopped you was your mum calling you for dinner.

Initially it might take some discipline and willpower to get started on your exercise regime, but once

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travelfile

rumba beach resort lap pool

ll words alli grant

It’s a crazy world we live in; a crazy, stressful, busy old world. So surely we’re justified in taking a little time out every now and again? Just a few nights away with a girlfriend or two by the beachside can do wonders for the soul, as Alli Grant and Genine Howard discovered when they escaped to Rumba Beach Resort on a Girlfriends’ Getaway.

C

aloundra. Beautiful, dreamy, sleepy, relaxed Caloundra, on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast. I’ve been holidaying in Caloundra since I was a teenager, and have so many fond memories; wild nights at the local skating rink, strawberry milkshakes and hot chips at the Dicky Beach takeaway, holiday crushes on tanned surfer boys, and long, sticky days followed by long, balmy nights on the beach with friends … the stuff of childhood dreams. My childhood dreams.

Today, what I love most about Caloundra is that it still has that same, sleepy feeling it had in the late ‘80s when I first started visiting, when the most stressful decision I had to make was whether I would wear the hot pink one piece or the fluro green bikini. Decisions, decisions!

While my life is somewhat more hectic than back then, Caloundra has remained the same – well almost. Somehow a little bit more of the new, in the form of swanky apartments and award-winning restaurants, has managed to seamlessly blend with the old of yesterday. In my humble opinion, Caloundra has only gotten better.

On my most recent sojourn back to my old stomping ground, I was to experience a little less of the old and a little more of the new, thanks to a

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Girlfriends’ Getaway at Rumba Beach Resort in Caloundra. Two nights away. Bliss!

I packed all the essentials, including my wonderful friend and business partner, Genine Howard, and headed to Caloundra for a weekend without husbands, without children, without washing that needed to be done and meals that needed to be prepared. But admittedly, not without work – well, a little on the side.

Genine and I had promised ourselves we would perfectly balance overdue business planning with even more overdue R and R. I guess you could call it a ‘working holiday’, but when you’re on a girly getaway with one of your closest friends, with to-die-for views and a bottle of bubbles in the fridge begging to be popped, how could we not enjoy ourselves?

This was my first official visit to Rumba Beach Resort, but knowing managers Bill Darby and Mark Hall as I do, I knew to expect nothing but the best. Bless them. They didn’t disappoint.

The resort itself is just beautiful – while white, sleek and contemporary in both look and feel, it certainly doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb, like new resorts so easily can. It’s perfectly positioned on the Waterfront Boardwalk on profilemag.com.au

travelfile rumba apartment

pool bar

rumba beach resort

Bulcock Beach Esplanade, with divine views over pristine waters. And while it was a little too chilly to partake in a dip on our visit, I was certainly tempted.

Speaking of dips, the facilities in the resort itself are fabulous, starting with the pool. Again, a little too cold during our winter visit for a swim, but we will be sure to return and sample its clear blue waters one day … and that’s a promise.

However, we did enjoy cocktail hour at the pool bar (heavenly) – a must-do for visitors, and checked out the giant jacuzzi and the heated lap pool, two more essential ingredients for a girly weekend away.

The rooms are really well thought-out and perfectly furnished … of course.

We spent many hours ‘brain-storming’ on our balcony – somehow the sea air seems to wash away the stress and make room for clarity and creativity. Or that could have been the bubbles … Whatever the reason, we certainly got a heck of a lot of work done, which meant one thing … time for rest and relaxation.

We started each day with a stroll along the boardwalk and around to Kings Beach – well we had to pretend to do some kind of exercise, and is there a more cleansing way to start the day than with a walk along the ocean? I think not.

Back from our walk, we decided to indulge in a bit of breakfast … the Eggs Benedict kind. Conveniently located just downstairs is a bevy of restaurants, including Hog’s Breath Cafe, La Dolce Vita, The Coffee Club and Channel Sports Bar and Bistro – spoiled for choice on the breakfast front.

Night one we decided to take a stroll and found an authentic little Italian joint in the main street full of old world charm and well-priced pasta. Just as the rumba resort pool at night

I would expect from good old Caloundra.

After another day of serious business planning and strategising (honestly, we got a lot of work done!), we started to feel a little guilty about hogging all the Rumba fun, so we invited the Profile Magazine girls along for a night of champas, cheese and chatter. A girls’ night in on our girls’ weekend away – seriously girly, seriously silly! We ended the night with a bit of Thai takeaway from down the Esplanade and some very bad reality television in our PJs … washed down with bubbles, of course.

Day three and it was time to finish off our planning, pack up and depart – back to reality. Not only did we get a lot of serious work done – in fact, we were staying at Rumba when the plan for TNQ Profile Magazine was hatched – but we really enjoyed ourselves. We talked, we laughed, we relaxed, and we enjoyed being us … good friends staying in a fabulous resort with all the trimmings.

Rumba Beach Resort is a slice of stylish and new, plonked perfectly in the middle of the Caloundra of old; a beautiful escape no matter who you are travelling with … your friend, your partner or your family.

Supporting Queensland Tourism: Profile Magazine, a privately-owned Queensland business, is doing its part to promote Queensland tourism destinations. Next month, we shine the spotlight on super stylish Port Douglas and the Daintree.

THE DETAILS Rumba Resort’s Girlfriends’ Getaway package includes a five-star, two-night stay in a two bedroom resort spa suite (starting from $290 per person) for two persons, twin share, or two extra guests can stay for free (up to four guests can stay in a two bedroom suite). The package also features: • Lindauer Sparkling Strawberry Fraise NV on arrival • A complimentary cocktail at Rumba’s Pool Bar • The finest Swiss chocolates • Beautiful spa gels, lotions and crystals www.rumbaresort.com.au 07 5492 0999

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on the table

chicken and bacon terrine

with Patrick Biddlecombe vice-conseiller Culinaire, Cairns Chaine des Rotisseurs Food and Wine Club

ll photography ron darlington

chicken and bacon terrine (serves 4, or 8 as an entrée) ingredients

equipment

•• 3 chicken breasts

•• Terrine mould or small bread tin

•• 450g bacon

•• Mixing bowl

•• 500ml chicken stock

•• Saucepan

•• Fresh oregano, marjoram, parsley

•• Chopping board

•• 1 clove garlic

•• Baking paper

•• 2 French shallots

•• Aluminium foil

•• Salt and pepper

•• Water bath, roasting pan

method Chop the garlic and shallots finely, place in mixing bowl. Chop the herbs finely, add to the garlic and onions. Heat the chicken stock, add the leaf gelatine, melt and dissolve, allow to cool, add to herb mixture. Slice chicken breast in thick strips, marinate in chicken herb stock, season to taste with salt and pepper. Line the bottom of the terrine mould with a strip of baking paper. Line the mould with the bacon.

Arrange chicken strips in the mould, top with the stock and cover with bacon, add lid and place in a water bath (if lid not available cover with baking paper and topped with aluminium foil). Place in centre of oven on low heat 120 degrees, and cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

Allow to cool with a weight pressing down on the terrine, refrigerate for 24 hours. To serve, remove from mould, slice to the desired thickness and serve with a sauce comprising chopped capers, gherkins and mayonnaise, or a real French vinaigrette.

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S

ince training as a chef in England, I have worked in 11 countries in the food industry, arriving in Australia in 1982 when I was appointed executive chef of the Melbourne Hilton. After, I worked at the Cairns Hilton and then the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, before retiring in Mission Beach in 1997 where I still do volunteer work for Meals on Wheels.

I joined the Cairns branch of French food and wine club Chaine des Rotisseurs when I retired to the area, but have enjoyed 30 years with the group.

Since being appointed as the local vice-conseiller culinaire in 2000, my main role is to liaise with the chefs and banqueting departments to work on menus for the various Chaine functions. I also organise the Chaine’s annual young chefs competition. Local chefs are encouraged to apply for the Cairns competition being held on February 4 2012, with the national competition held in Cairns in May (contact garry.sansom@ deta.qld.gov.au or patrick.truus@bigpond.com for information).

This month, I chose this recipe for Profile Magazine as it can be served as either an entrée or a main with salad for lunch. It is the perfect light meal to serve in the tropics, which can also be altered with prunes, walnuts, pistachios and diced ham, with a prosciutto lining.

Bon Appetit!

profilemag.com.au

Cairns Jockey Club

Christmas Race Day 3rd December

2011’s last race day!

5 Local Races. Live entertainment.

Fashions on the Field.

Have your Christmas Party at the Races!

Celebrate the Christmas Race Day on the 3rd of December with your colleagues and friends with our Christmas lunch in the comfort of the festively decorated, air conditioned Champagne Bar.

Christmas lunch includes:

● Christmas seafood buffet ● 2 hour beverage package from 12pm- 2pm ● Live entertainment ● Bookies & TAB facilities ● Gate admission

Table of 1 $100 per pe0 rson

Listen to ZincFM for details on how to win a table of ten

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abode

nature deficit disorder with Marcus Achatz I’ve always had an interest in how people relate to nature, and when I came across the term ‘nature deficit disorder’ and began to research the topic, a lot of thoughts began to fall into place.

Nature Deficit Disorder is a term coined by author Richard Louv to explain that we have become detached from the natural world around us. Or, as another author puts it, “The side effect of the technological age”.

And it’s mainly aimed at children, because nowadays much more time is spent indoors with electronic media than playing outside.

Unfortunately, many studies have found this trend to be damaging to a child’s physical and mental development.

We’re pretty lucky up here in the tropics because the outdoors is still a big part of our lives. After all, we have the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree right at our doorstep. However, getting in touch with nature doesn’t mean you have to take your kids on a trip to the reef or the rainforest. You just

need to get them outside. And the home garden is as good a place as any to experience nature.

I’m not necessarily talking about biology lessons either, because there is more to nature than the educational aspects.

There’s relaxation from the cool breeze under a tree, and there’s the calming effect of the colour green. Gardens also provide us with real life and death struggles on a miniature scale. Watching a spider catch and then devour a fly is much more exciting than shooting virtual aliens. And the anticipation of waiting for a sunbird’s eggs to hatch is more rewarding than waiting for a sequel to be released. I still remember as a kid building towns out of dirt, stones and sticks in the garden.

Then, in my late teens, I was building virtual cities on my computer. Looking back, I definitely have fonder memories of my organic cities.

Ataris. And even though I sustained a lot of scrapes and bruises from playing outdoors, at least I didn’t get RSI or myopia from playing computer games. I was also lucky to have parents who encouraged me to enjoy our garden and actually take an active role in gardening. In fact, according to my parents, some of the plants I planted as a kid are still growing today.

Ironically, right now I’m stuck in an office, in front of a computer screen writing this article. I just hope you’re reading your Profile Magazine in the garden or on the veranda and avoiding nature deficit disorder. Anyway, as soon as I’ve pressed ‘save’ I’m going back outside.

Yuruga Nursery 4093 3826 www.yuruga.com.au

I guess I was lucky as a kid growing up in the suburbs of Melbourne in the 1980s, because back then BMXs were still more popular than

planning your new home with Roslyn Smith The idea of building a home to suit all your future needs is a good start, but it can be a difficult thing to achieve. With good planning, many of the requirements you will need for the future can be incorporated in your new home.

If you are first home owners or a couple thinking of starting a family soon, then your priorities will be different from those who have found themselves to be empty nesters and waiting for the grandchildren to stay over.

If you work from home (and many people do these days), then you will need to include practical work spaces, possibly separate from your daily living areas; suitable technology for now and the future; materials and products that will complement your work requirements.

You may do a variety of entertaining varying from looking after young children, the neighbourhood teenagers, even a social card night, to full-on parties. You will find that the type of entertaining

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you do now will differ as you spend more time living in your home, so will your house keep up with those changes?

The hardest part is where to start. I’ve found it a very successful tool for clients to sit down and make their new home ‘wish list’. We’ve all got one but it helps if it’s put on paper as it brings to the forefront of our planning all the ideas that have been mulling around in our minds. It creates something to work with that can then be prioritised.

This can relate to budget, family needs, individual wants, climate requirements, energy efficiency and sustainability and many other personal aspects.

Your builder or designer will have some great suggestions on how to attain those items on the ‘wish list’ and should be able to offer options to keep you within budget. There may be a reality check with some items and some happy surprises with others.

Planning what you need in your home is a very important element in the initial design stage, and if done with much forethought, can serve you and your family well over many years.

Affinity Designer Homes 4051 8866 www.affinitydh.com.au

Write everything that is important to you on the list and include things in your current home that really work for you and your family. You’ll be amazed at what you come up with.

profilemag.com.au

business promotion

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abode

with Richie Stevens Inside Out Stylists www.insideoutstylists.com.au

go retro designer chair, RRP $1290, blank canvas designs, PHONE 02 9593 1519

flower power flower corkboard RRP $6.60, www.crateandbarrel.com

You spend one third of your day at the office, so it should be just as comfortable as your home. Sleek chrome, dateless wood or even cork are all great textures designed to mix-up the look of your desk and office space.

coats are welcome

picture this

TWIG COAT RACK, RRP $129, WWW.CRATEANDBARREL.COM

ZAVIER PHOTO FRAME (MEDIUM RRP $40 AND SMALL RRP $28), AVAILABLE IN COFFEE OR WHITE, COAST STYLISH LIVING, 2 INDUSTRIAL AVENUE, STRATFORD, PHONE 4055 1241

store it away BOOK BOX FOR STORING OFFICE SUPPLIES, SMALL RRP $45, COAST STYLISH LIVING, 2 INDUSTRIAL AVENUE, STRATFORD. PHONE 4055 1241

light the way CHROME AND LEATHER LAMP WITH WHITE LINEN DRUM SHADE, RRP $220, COAST STYLISH LIVING, 2 INDUSTRIAL AVENUE, STRATFORD, PHONE 4055 1241

light with a twist TULIP TWIST DESK LAMP, RRP $54.95, LIME HOMEWARES, 46 LAKE ST, CAIRNS, PHONE 4041 5579

bin it SLICE STAINLESS STEEL WASTEPAPER BASKET, RRP $77.75, WWW.PUREMODERN.COM

november 2011

a cheery print BRIGHTEN UP THE WALL WITH A CANVAS PRINT, RRP $79.99, WWW.ALLPOSTERS.COM.AU

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abode

decorate with passion with Kate Ifould Passion. What a fabulous word, with so many great connotations – love, strong emotion, compelling feelings, desire, lust, the extremes of love and hate. It adds depth, excitement and energy to life and makes experiences richer.

I think sometimes we get so busy being busy that some of that passion is lost, or we are too caught up in doing what is necessary to remember to stop and ‘feel the love’.

Not all of us are fortunate enough to be passionate about our job, but I meet many people who are passionate about their home and others who are longing to be inspired, feel passionate or find something they can love.

My favourite interior designer said, “As I say to my clients – homes decorated over time always end up being the most beautiful.” Why is this so? I think it’s because decorating is not simply about filling spaces, it should be about bringing

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life and personality to your home through things you love and cherish.

Do you have a vision for your home? How do you want to feel when you walk through your front door? Into your living area? Into your bedroom?

If I asked you to describe the look of your home, and what end result and feel you were aiming for, could you tell me? Most people can’t, often because they are so rushed to ‘fill the space’, they forget to conceptualise the ultimate vision for their home.

For me this comes back to the difference between a ‘house’ and a ‘home’. While it may not be entirely technically accurate, to me a house is a dwelling, a physical structure where we reside.

Whereas a home is where your heart is at peace and where one can rest after a long day’s work.

they live in, and to put heart back into their home. I want people to create a vision for their home that encompasses love for the space, and happiness, contentment and fun for their family.

I want people to take time to consider how they want their home to look and feel, to take the time to find those special pieces to imbue their home with warmth and personality.

Most of all I want people to remember that most of us in Australia are fortunate enough to have a house, but making a home takes passion, love and time.

Coast Stylish Living 4055 1241 www.coaststylishliving.com.au

I want people to create a sense of home where they live, to feel passion and love for the space

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abode

imagery attracts sales with Nicky Jurd Everyone owns a digital camera, and while this is great news for the family album, it can spell disaster for business websites. Great photography is an essential piece of the effective website puzzle, especially for eCommerce sites where products carry a strong emotional bond with their new owner, such as clothes, shoes, jewellery, art and crafts.

Here’s some tips for making your website photos look more attractive.

Focus and clarity Don’t ever use blurry or out of focus photos.

Always re-shoot these until you’ve achieved a crisp subject. Digital cameras perform better with plenty of light, so if you’re taking shots inside, open up curtains, turn on lights and encourage as much brightness in the room as possible.

Simple backgrounds Because the photos displayed on websites are quite small, less complex photos look much

better. Try for shots with a single subject and a simple, plain background. Photos for a shopping cart should have consistent backgrounds and lighting. A white background looks best. When taking photos of landscapes or buildings, look for angles which will give you an uncluttered shot and pick a day with a cloudless sky.

Put your target market in the picture Carefully choose the age and look of your models to align your imagery as closely as possible with your target demographic. This is especially important for travel businesses which are selling an experience rather than a product. Use natural poses of people doing enjoyable activities such as sipping cocktails, lazing around a pool or simply soaking up their surroundings.

they miss from a face-to-face transaction, and raises your credibility through recognition.

Website visitors draw opinions from the visual feedback on a website within seconds. Substandard photography casts a grey cloud over your business and turns customers away.

Abundant and honest photography does just the opposite, drawing people to your product range and encouraging them to buy. If in doubt, use a professional photographer.

Precedence Websites 4033 7811 www.precedence.com.au

Pictures of you Photos of yourself and anything else people might associate with your business reduces the impersonal nature of the Internet. Shoot photos of your staff looking smart; it gives people contact

Logo Clearspace

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The Master Builders logo must be reproduced clear of any other graphics or type to a minimum distance of one ‘y’ unit surrounding the logo.

The clear space of one ‘y’ unit equals the measurement from the top of the Symbol to the top of the Logotype.

november 2011

In regards to the reversed version (see Section 2.3), the clear space is filled with only the background colour.

If an Identifier is used, the clear space must extend to include it.

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business

a parallel career with Kirsten Le Roux My father-in-law retired last year after working for 43 years for the same banking institution.

I watched with interest and apprehension. A man whose life and work were so complexly intertwined by being an integral part of a driven business banking unit one day (living on coffee, adrenalin and huge commissions) only to have it all disappear the next.

I was worried about him. He was always so busy and challenged with his day job, that I wondered what he would do with his time. There are so many instances where our identities, purpose and passion are so tied up in our jobs, that to lose them through retirement or redundancy, can lead to depression, anxiety and in some cases, early death.

It was a relief when I realised that he had been planning his retirement for a while with a parallel

career. In fact, his transition to retirement was fairly seamless. The week he retired, he stepped up his committee member role in the aged care facility to treasurer and took on a project to build a new garage and outdoor court for them, using his skills and knowledge from work to their benefit. He added an extra day of golf, he took the dust-protector sheets off his half restored yellow Triumph and bought a caravan. I think he’s busier now than ever, his second life as rewarding and fulfilling as the first.

In life, we all want relevance and want to be relevant. It has been shown that those individuals who successfully navigate their way through retirement start early to build parallel careers. This usually involves volunteering in some capacity, which could be for a charity or welfare group, but equally in a club or not-for-profit organisation.

Or it could involve a hobby that is taken more

seriously at that point. In too many cases, people wait until after retirement to decide what to do with their time, and find themselves in a slump where very little interests and challenges them.

Interestingly, a study showed that if one doesn’t begin to volunteer before the age of 40, one will not volunteer past 60.

Businesses that have loyal staff moving towards retirement age would be considered forwardthinking and socially responsible to counsel them, and aid them in managing their transition to retirement by assisting them to launch their parallel career ahead of time.

CBC Staff Selection 4051 9699 Kirsten@cbcstaff.com.au

Want an Australian Visa?

At Visa Connection we provide expert and personalised immigration advice to individuals and corporations worldwide.

We have a vast knowledge of: • Australian Migration Law • General Migration Advice • Family sponsored visas • Spouse and Defacto visas • General Skilled Migration • Australian Citizenship and • Work sponsored visas (457 and RSMS/ENS)

Call us today on: (07) 4051 9043 to arrange your FREE half hour consultation Registered Migration Agents Fiona Ryan, Registered Migration Agent No. 0640004

e: info@visaconnect.com.au www.visaconnect.com.au 50

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working with your partner with Carol Hautôt Cairns has many small businesses owned by couples. Couples enjoy working together because they can share the rewards and organise the business around their personal lives. If kids come along, owning a business can give a couple freedom to change their work schedule to suit family life.

So why do I meet so many couples in business who seem exhausted and unhappy?

Owning a small business can be hard work and require long hours, especially in the first few years. It all seems worthwhile when both partners love the business and are energised by their work.

Sometimes though, the business is only one person’s dream, and his/her partner joins the business to support them. So one person is passionate about the business, while the other

one is passionate about the relationship. Not being passionate about the business can lead to a sense of being trapped. Maybe they’d like to get out, but don’t want to let their partner down, or allow the business to fail?

A typical scenario is where the husband has a trade, let’s say a motor mechanic, and his wife agrees to support him by doing the accounts and administration. She has never been passionate about accounting. Over time she feels disillusioned by her role and the fact that she never really feels good at it.

We all need to feel a personal level of satisfaction and fulfilment in our professional life. If you’re working with your partner and you have lost your drive and enthusiasm, the first thing you need to do is talk about it. Be open and honest with each other. Develop a plan to help you change your situation; you may be able to work fewer hours

or get out altogether once you’ve been replaced by a competent employee. This will usually take some time.

In the short term, ask yourself the following questions: What do you love to do? What sort of work fulfils you and excites you? What work skills are you really good at?

Then look at how you can create a job for yourself within the business that suits you better, and employ someone to do the job you are currently doing. They will be much better at it, and you will start enjoying your work again.

Your business and your relationship will be better off for the change.

ActionCOACH 0421 706 068 carolhautot@actioncoach.com

‘Gubernatio’ is taking flight!

Leadership growth for those associated with indigenous business Fortis One’s ‘Gubernatio Program’ tailors modern theory to incorporare traditional cultural practices.

Through interactive learning we will journey through and explore concepts to strengthen knowledge and understanding. This in turn will build your business.

Call Elmarie Gebler on 4225 5333 for more information or to register.

a boutique advisory firm

november 2011

4225 5333 enquiries@fortisone.com.au www.fortisone.com.au Follow us on Facebook

delivering unique solutions

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waking up to financial goals with John Mlikota Whether it’s a family wedding, retirement, or simply gathering enough for an extra special purchase, the past three years have taught us all a thing or two about the importance of saving, rather than flexing the plastic today and worrying tomorrow.

A recent survey in the United Kingdom of 2000 18 to 65-year-olds identified the average person still doesn’t experience a financial wake-up call until the age of 34. And for too many of us, it’s only at that point that we look back and regret saving less and spending more. More than 40 per cent of respondents had little or nothing in place for their later years, and would rather they’d put some money aside.

The increasing squeeze on household incomes from rising living costs is making it even harder for families to focus on putting cash away today to secure their own financial future. Like it or not, many debt-laden developed economies are suffering from piecemeal government policy responses.

Central banks need to spring into action and encourage businesses to take some of the money they have been hoarding and start spending. The problem has never been a lack of cash for many companies, but rather a lack of confidence. The recent slowdown in US growth and volatility in the financial market has discouraged corporate spending.

If the financial markets are truly governed by greed and fear, then the latter is very much in control at the moment. Volatility has returned to the market with a vengeance, as measured by the VIX, or fear index, which has hit levels not seen since the immediate aftermath of the Lehman collapse in 2008.

Against this backdrop, the stock market must look like a very scary place. If you are already invested in the market, you don’t actually crystallise the losses until you sell your shares. If you are invested in strong, stable companies then the reasons you invested are still valid. So there is an argument for sitting tight. Long term, the

markets will bounce back. Patience and nerves of steel are required in the current environment, as well as little or no debt, diversification and higher levels of cash.

Of course, if you have some money to invest, the market dips are often the perfect time to pick up a bargain. However, it is crucial to know what to buy and what to avoid. Remember the old saying, “if in doubt, stay out”. Our market indicators have us staying out.

Independent Capital Advisers, Cairns 4031 4575 www.incapital.com.au (John Mlikota is senior investment manager and director of Independent Capital Advisers)

ATTENTION COUPLES IN BUSINESS

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FREE REPORT VALUED AT $95 ‘Learn the 9 Steps to keeping the passion alive in your business AND your relationship’

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MIGRATION PLUS BUSINESS PROMOTION

philosopher’s corner …

attract business by being passionate

with Dr Chris White

Can passion and business live in the same sentence?

Have you noticed that passion is a positive energy? People who are passionate about their business, work, and daily activity glow with the energy they generate. They take responsibility for their activity and they attract business, support and success.

It’s possible through positive energy to unite intelligence, strength and the heart of everyone to create one body of energy working together, be it a group, a business, or a society.

Have you ever been into a business and asked, “How are things?”

If the customer service person responds in a positive way, you are happy to enter into dialogue and “do business”.

On the other hand, if you are beset upon with a tirade of how bad business is, how bad government is, and how bad the economy is, the only thing you want to do is retreat as quickly as possible!

Who has the passion for life, business and customer service – the first or the second example? Who is enjoying life and attracting business? We all want to deal with successful firms and stay away from failures – the former are passionate about what they do and will often survive difficult times because of that passion, energy and optimism. The latter will dig the hole they then fall into.

Let’s take a look at a case study in Cairns recently. A visit to a well-known coffee shop, with the doors open, found the staff talking at the back of the shop. Could we please buy a cake? It was sitting in the display counter and would be stale tomorrow.

“We’re closed” was the response. Across the road to another shop, examined the cakes, made a choice and waited while the staff talked at the back of the shop and waited, and … left.

It is not just the $5 sale those businesses lost, it could be $15 or $50 a week in coffee and cake, which is $750 to $2500 a year.

This is because of indifference to caring about a customer. People without passion for their job are indifferent about the service they provide. There is clearly no passion in those examples above.

If passion is positive energy, then surely lack of passion is negative energy. Positive energy invigorates us and those around us, negative energy steals that energy and burns it up.

Passion for the things we do is important to health, happiness and the energy we share with others. Passion in business and for the jobs we do can create energy, which can lead to success, happiness and energy in others.

Get passionate about what you do, do what you enjoy, enjoy what you do – your life and the lives of those around you will be better for it!

Migration Plus 4041 2620 www.migrationplus.com.au

november 2011

WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION BUSINESS PROMOTION

Westpac Earlville welcomes new bank manager With Anna Wright

Having a cash flow is the single most important factor in determining whether a business succeeds or fails.

Westpac, Australia’s first bank for more than 190 years, has a new face in Earlville. Local resident Anna Wright has been appointed as the new bank manager for the Westpac Earlville branch, located at 517 Mulgrave Rd, Earlville. Westpac takes the role of the bank manager very seriously – Anna has the autonomy to make decisions for customers locally and to provide personal advice. It’s a return to the traditional, more understanding bank manager who knows every customer personally and who actually runs the branch.

“My main aim is to ensure banking with Westpac is simpler,” Anna says. “The role I have is pretty similar to other businesses in the area. I have to be responsible for my staff, customers and the bottom line. Earlville is a great place to live and do business.

The economic situation in our town is somewhat unique, and it’s important that we can make decisions locally for our clients.

“With a strong local economy and a positive community outlook, Earlville is an important location for Westpac, and I’m looking forward to providing an excellent local service. My first priority as local bank manager will be deepening customer relationships while ensuring we deliver the best possible customer experience and becoming known as the best bank in the neighbourhood.

“I have a great team of people at the branch who will continue to work closely with the customers and the community. I am happy to visit customers in their homes or business premises, hopefully making it simpler for people to do business with us. I’ll also be able to see what kind of services the people and businesses in Earlville use and value most – if we find that we have more demand for personal banking, we can make that decision locally and respond faster to customer requests.

“You could say that I am firmly entrenched in Earlville. As well as doing business, I am also committed to increasing Westpac’s support of the local community. I am looking for opportunities to be involved in the events and activities that are important to our town.”

Westpac recently initiated a program called ‘Westpac Local’, which focuses on getting closer to customers by investing in more branches and business banking centres as well as introducing more expertise in its network. The bank is reintroducing a bank manager in every branch and has also recruited more than 450 local business bankers who are small business experts and are also based at local branches.

Speak with your local manager Anna Wright at Westpac Earlville bank on 4054 0300 to discuss how she can help you.

Westpac Banking Corporation 517 Mulgrave Rd, Earlville Phone 4054 0300

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permanent workhome visa calling australia with Fiona Ryan Becoming an Australian citizen is the final stage of an individual’s migration journey. Australian citizenship leads to privileges and responsibilities.

All Australian citizens enjoy the privilege of voting to help elect Australia’s government; they can seek election to parliament, can hold an Australian passport and enter Australia freely.

Other privileges include being able to seek assistance from Australian diplomatic representatives while overseas, and citizens also have a broader range of employment opportunities in the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Public Service.

The responsibilities of being an Australian citizen include voting in commonwealth, state and territory elections and at referenda, serving on a jury if called to do so and defending Australia should the need arise.

Eligibility for Australian citizenship depends on your individual circumstances. There are many ways to be eligible for Australian citizenship and the process of applying depends on your

eligibility whether it is citizenship by conferral, by descent, by adoption or by resuming citizenship.

period, including no more than 90 days in the year before applying.

If you have migrated to Australia, eligibility is generally under the Citizenship by Conferral grounds.

Other ways of being eligible for Australian citizenship may be if one of your parents is or was an Australian citizen. Certain New Zealand citizens may also be eligible for Australian citizenship depending on the date of their arrival into Australia. For further information and eligibility you should seek the assistance of a registered migration agent who can give advice and guidance on the right citizenship application for you.

Most people are required to pass the citizenship test which assesses whether applicants have an adequate knowledge of Australia and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship and possess a basic level of English. Citizenship by Conferral eligibility also requires that the applicant be over 18, be an Australian permanent resident, be of good character and also meet a residence requirement.

The residence requirement is based on the time you have lived in Australia and the time you have spent outside Australia. You must have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for four years immediately before applying which must include the last 12 months as a permanent resident, and not have been absent from Australia for more than one year in total in the four-year

Visa Connection Pty Ltd 4051 9043 info@visaconnect.com.au (Fiona Ryan, Registered Migration Agent No. 0640004)

INDEPENDENT CAPITAL ADVISERS PTY LTD Licensed Securities Dealer

PO Box 5667, Cairns Qld 4870 | Level 1, 55 Spence Street, Cairns Qld 4870 T + 61 7 4031 4575 | F + 61 7 4051 0880 | E admin@incapital.com.au

www.incapital.com.au Independent Capital Advisers Pty Ltd ABN 95 765 269 541 54

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Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) Number: 378693 profilemag.com.au

business

implementing change with Elmarie Gebler

Trying to implement change in this fast-paced and stressful environment without consulting the people who know most about the work in your organisation is a recipe for disaster. So is change that reverses something that already works well.

So what does it take for us (as individuals as well as our organisations) to be more comfortable with change? I’m assuming most people don’t want to be classified as insane (doing the same

The standard course of action is to articulate the purpose of change. What are we trying to achieve? What difference are we trying to make?

How will it improve the bottom line? How will it make our jobs easier? People want answers to these questions, and rightly so.

As Dan Bobinski states in his paper on workplace intelligence, unfortunately, many managers and leaders stop there, and that’s why so many change efforts are met with resistance. Cognitive reasoning alone is not the magic bullet.

Howard Gardner, the cognitive scientist who developed the concept of multiple intelligences, says that when communicating change, “The story must be simple, easy to identify with, emotionally resonant and evocative of positive experiences”.

.

Kotter continues: “In highly successful change efforts, people find ways to help others see the problems or solutions in ways that influence emotions, not just thought”.

The fact is that nothing changes if nothing changes. And maybe, if we want a successful outcome for our efforts we need to modify how we implement change. If we don’t, we might just be a little insane.

And in the end, business can’t change if people don’t change.

Fortis One 4225 5333 www.fortisone.com.au

Whereas John Kotter, another Harvard researcher says, “Behaviour change happens

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mostly by speaking to people’s feelings. This is true, even in organisations that are very focused on analysis and quantitative measurement”.

.

But what is it with change? Why do so many business leaders seem to think that ‘change’ automatically leads to ‘improvement’? And why do they implement it so badly? From my own experience, the answer is fairly simple. Very often, they simply forget that ‘consultation equals smart’, or more often than not ‘the worker knows best’.

thing over and over but expecting different results), so we need to try something different.

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I’m frequently asked to assist organisations with ‘change management’. This is a cliché that has embedded itself in this new age of business, following the paradigm shift that ‘nothing is ever going to be the same in business again’.

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november 2011

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milestones BERNARD LEE LONG AND PARTNER OF 12 YEARS ANNIE COWELL ARE EMBARKING ON A NEW ADVENTURE – ‘BERNIE’S JAZZ CLUB AND PIANO BAR’. ALANA RUSHTON DISCOVERED THAT 53-YEAR-OLD BERNARD CREDITS MUCH OF WHAT HE LEARNT IN BUSINESS TO HIS FAMILY, AND IS LUCKY TO HAVE FIVE GENERATIONS AROUND TO SHARE IT WITH.

words alana rushton

BERNARD LEE LONG

B

ernard Lee Long is a professional musician in local band Take Five, so it’s no surprise that he had a burning desire to open a jazz club in Cairns. A multi-talented musician who is just as comfortable singing, playing the double bass or the guitar bass, his hobbies also include playing squash, fishing, going to the theatre, gardening and music ... in every form.

With five generations of his Chinese family still around and going strong, Bernard has had varied and interesting jobs along the way, including running a legal brothel, managing a Mr Whippy franchise, and owning both a financial planning business and contract courier business. What a life!

Bernard is someone who lives for his passion, music, and is happy to give pretty much anything a go. Clearly!

Bernie’s Jazz Club and Piano Bar opened last month – marking the culmination of a dream for Bernard. It’s pure jazz bar — dim lights, soft lounges, and an inviting bar area await patrons.

And as for the music? Live entertainment is provided every day of the week, ranging from solo acts through to full bands during lunch, after work and evenings.

… We opened the very controversial business of ‘Forbidden Apple’, a legal Queensland brothel.”

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ll photography stuart frost

Milestones …

We asked Bernard to share the key milestones in his life that have helped define him both personally and professionally.

Milestone 1: Discovering the bass guitar I was 15 when my father bought me a bass guitar and amp. I was still at school and working weekends and most school holidays at Nerada Tea Plantation for $4 per day. I came to Cairns from Innisfail to help out in the family business (Bill Lee Long’s Sports Store – which was the largest sporting goods store in regional Queensland) for the school holidays. Dad bought me the bass and over the next two weeks I had five lessons.

I knew my way around a guitar fingerboard as I learnt piano when I was younger and also had a few guitar lessons. Upon returning to Innisfail after the school holidays, I then started playing in Dad’s (Bernie’s) band along with my brother Warren (drummer). I earned $10 for my first gig.

We were doing two gigs a week. You can guess what happened to the tea plantation job.

Milestone 2: Learning the business ropes I left school after year 12 and moved to Cairns.

I started working in the family businesses – the sports store, a shopping centre, takeaway food store, and Mr Whippy milk bar. I travelled back to Innisfail each weekend to do gigs and help at the motel we also owned. I spent a lot of time with my Uncle Bill, who was always thinking of new and exciting ways to develop the family operations, which probably helped shape my desire to continue into business to this day. I confess that I have not really ever worked for anyone in my life as I virtually had free reign while working with the family. Although I had this freedom, I had much respect for my parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts who taught me all I know. This is most likely due to my Chinese ancestry. I learnt one very important lesson from my grandfather (Bill – 99 years old and he still goes dancing and plays golf).

He used to say to us, “There are only two ways to doing things – the easy way and the hard way”.

Milestone 3: Family life In 1979 I got married and in 1980 I had my first son. I have always had this saying, “You don’t know what life is about until you get married and have kids”. I now have four sons and I am very proud to say that they are all looking after their lives successfully and are all healthy and happy. I also now have two granddaughters. At this point in time we have five generations living.

Milestone 4: New love and businesses In 1998 I separated from my wife – the mother of my children. This was not a happy time in my life as I thought that I would be together with the same partner forever. I then met my current partner, Annie Cowell, and was given a second chance at love. We have been inseparable and have done everything together ever since. Bernie’s Jazz Club and Piano Bar is the third business we operate together. We previously had a boutique backpacker house and we opened the very controversial business of ‘Forbidden Apple’, a legal Queensland brothel. This was a highly-regulated industry and there are many stories to tell, but as the saying goes, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Miletsone 5: Opening a jazz club The opening of Bernie’s introduces a new era for Annie and me. We both had individual ambitions and dreams about opening a jazz club and wine bar before we had even met. Before poker machines, there were lots of venues to visit, and for musicians to perform. The past number of years has been very lean for musicians, and venues have not been supporting the live music industry. I hope that other venues will see what can be achieved, and that it creates a revival of the great music scene that Cairns once had.

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FORDE GROUP BUSINESS PROMOTION

If you don’t love it, don’t do it!

Helping you to settle, work

with Paul Fitzgerald On average we spend a third of our lives sleeping, a third working and a third actually ‘living’. If sleep is a constant, critical for your wellbeing and therefore non-negotiable, can we really influence the other two thirds of our lives?

or study in Australia.

The age-old dilemma of whether we ‘live to work’ or ‘work to live’ has never been more relevant. With a struggling economy, a lack of political leadership, high unemployment, and an increasing debt burden, many of us are feeling the strain. Longer working hours tend to make sleep more desirable at the expense of the quality of our lifestyle. It needn’t be this way, and it is time to fight back!

Employer Sponsored Migration Family Migration Business Skills Migration Migration Review Tribunal

Ideologists will tell us all that we should be patient and discerning when seeking employment, and wait until our ‘dream’ job comes along. The truth is, we can’t all be marine biologists, actors, footballers, travel writers or TV personalities. It is okay to work in tourism, health care, construction, retail or agriculture. The magic is not in the job you do, but in your attitude while doing it.

EXPERIENCE Over 25 years experience in Migration Advisory work with agents holding the most recent qualifications.

At the Forde Group, we take great care when we assist people to secure employment to ensure that their expectations are realistic, with a strong emphasis on getting the maximum satisfaction for their efforts. We work with our job seekers to understand, not just what they are capable of, but what drives them. We help people to do more than just perform, we help them to inspire and be inspired.

There is simply no point in investing a third of your life engaged in drudgery with a job you hate. Equally, it seems self-evident that ‘job hopping’ around, looking for the ‘dream job’ is both unrealistic and counter-productive.

It’s eminently sensible to research your employment options before accepting a permanent job. However, once you have secured a position, engage with it wholeheartedly.

OFFSHORE MATTERS We can help with other matters such as Working Permits for Papua New Guinea.

STUDENTS • Student Visas • Course Advice • Enrolments • Qualified Education Agents TYPE OF CASES We can assist with migration cases for • Employment • Visitors • Retirement • Investors • Business • Citizenship

MIGRATION to Australia has never been more complex or difficult.

Our experience can assist your case.

You have the power to make your career exciting, whatever it is you do. Just decide! It really is that simple. Work energetically, be passionate about what you do and inspire yourself to be the best you can be. Free yourself of the burden of being infected by the negativity of others; instead, radiate enthusiasm and you will be amazed by how much power you really have over your career.

HEAD OFFICE – CAIRNS

Corner of Minnie and McLeod Streets, Cairns Phone: 07 4031 1128, Fax: 07 4031 1271

PORT DOUGLAS 19 Macrossan Street, Macrossan House, Port Douglas Phone: 07 4099 4806, Fax: 07 4099 6808 TOWNSVILLE Suite 301-303, Mercure Inn, Townsville Phone: 07 4775 4700, Fax: 07 4775 4011

Dr Christopher R White MARN 9255749 Yoko Yamaguchi MARN 0964594 Kinga Urban MARN 0956576

Level 15 Cairns Corporate Tower, 15 Lake Street, Cairns Qld 4870 P. 07 4041 2620 F. 07 4041 5011 visa@migrationplus.com.au

www.fordegroup.com.au november 2011

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rsvp

The Tropical North is a hive of activity at this time of the year - so many things to do, places to go and people to see! Have you been snapped at one of our rsvp events?

jANE KAHLER AND MARNIE CARRISON

RILEY MILES, NATE MILES AND JORDAN MILES

SALLY DIXON, (TOASTING THE WINNER OF THE FULLER SPORTS CUP)

Gordonvale Turf Club’s October Race Meeting, photography Heather York

SARAH SLAPE

BE (THE BRIDE-TO , ANITA TARCA BRAGG NICOLE

) AND

KATE

REGAN O’NEILL, MIKE MUNRO AND RAYCHEL ALBACK

MUNRO DUNNE, MIKE

AND IAN

TURBULL

WORKLINK’S JUDY SAVAGE, ROBYN STUBBS, ERIN TUNI AND REBECCA POOL

Worklink’s Stress Less Luncheon, photography Roz Schwenke

Mid Life Crisis Club’s October luncheon at C’est Bon Restaurant, raising money for specialised equipment for the Gordonvale Palliative Care Unit, photography Heather York CHRISSIE CHAMPION AND SUE REES

DEBBIEprofilemagazine graham AND RACHEL GRAHAM 58

LENORE HARBOUR AND BARB JARMEY

BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT AND LYN MARTI, FRONT ROBYN CROSSLAND RHONDA PAM BARKER BARTLETT AND

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$99 per room per night.

Sea Level Food & Wine is now open for breakfast!

Take in the VIEWS of the CORAL SEA with your bacon and eggs or morning coffee. RELAX and enjoy alfresco dining for LUNCH or DINNER at SEA LEVEL on the Esplanade. Share a COCKTAIL overlooking the picture perfect VIEWS of Trinity Bay. Sea Level makes the ideal spot for lunch or dinner daily. * Local ID required at checkin. Subject to availability and conditions apply.

To book, visit www.rydges.com/cwp/tradewindslocaldeals or telephone 4053 0300 To book your Sea Level dining experience – call 4053 0372 137 The Esplanade, Cairns QLD 4870 www.rydges.com/cwp/local

Find us on

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november 2011

www.facebook.com/rydges.tradewinds.cairns www.facebook.com/sealevel.cairns

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win

win a rydges escape Fancy a city break without the hassle of a long distance journey? Throw your cozzies into an overnight bag and head for Cairns’ waterfront hotel Rydges Tradewinds (www.rydges.com/ tradewinds). Enjoy the peace, quiet and privacy of your room, complete with Rydges Dream Beds, in-house movies, mini bar and private balcony with ocean views (plus access to all facilities). The Rydges Tradewinds prize also includes breakfast for two overlooking the waterfront in Sea Level, all valued at $319.

scan this QR code with your smartphone or web cam to jump straight to our competition page

They say you have to be in it to win it ... Check out the fabulous prizes up for grabs in this month’s TNQ Profile Magazine. Head to www.profilemag.com.au for entry details, terms and conditions.

win a green island trip Spend a day with the family on a beautiful coral cay on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef with Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises. Profile Magazine and Big Cat Green Inland have a family pack for two adults and two children to win. Enjoy tea or coffee, reef and snorkel presentation en route, five hours to enjoy Green Island, a buffet lunch, semi-submersible tour, choice of a glass bottom boat tour or the use of snorkelling gear for the day, and a fish feeding display, valued at $287.

win kids welcome guides To celebrate the launch of the Kids Welcome web directory of more than 2000 family-friendly activities, attractions, tours, places to eat, places to stay, events, beaches and playgrounds, author Sarah Pye and Profile Magazine have 10 copies of Kids Welcome to Queensland up for grabs this month (www.kidswelcome.com.au), valued at $24.95 each.

win baby bowl for busy mums win a bevy of business books If you’re looking for inspiration and education, head to www.wiley.com to check out the vast range of management and business titles published by John Wiley and Sons. This month, two lucky winners will each receive a gift pack of six business and marketing books (such as Kick Ass Business and Marketing Secrets), valued at $183, with all the guidance and inspiration you need to ramp up your business over Christmas.

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Written by 4 Ingredients’ Kim McCosker, Baby Bowl focuses on fast preparation and easy cooking – perfect for busy mums! Baby Bowl walks you through which foods to introduce when and the importance of nutrition through providing healthy, homemade baby food, covering topics such as allergies and reflux. Profile has 12 books to give away, valued at $15 each. profilemag.com.au

on the road

ll words hamish rose

holden barina hatch

T

he all new Holden Barina Hatch, the bigger brother to the recently reviewed Holden Barina Spark, hits Australian shores this month.

As a self-confessed penny watcher (okay, perhaps a harsher description could be used here), naturally the first thing I look at when reviewing the 2012 Holden Barina Hatch is what you actually get for your money – the specifications list.

With the recent introduction of even more affordable cars into this ultra popular light car segment, it is essential to see exactly what you get for your modest $16,990 drive-away price. On first glance, the answer is – a lot! As per the theme of my review of the Captiva 5 and Barina Spark, it is evident that Holden is trying to keep it really simple by producing offerings of one model filled to the roof with extras, and the new Barina Hatch is no exception.

The Barina Hatch has all the usual extras you expect in a five-door hatch these days; power steering, electric windows, ABS, air-conditioning and keyless entry. Holden has shown extra value by offering the unexpected; five star ANCAP safety rating, 15 inch alloy wheels, USB input with iPod connectivity, steering controls for audio and even cruise control. All this is included as standard options for only $16,990 drive-away. You’ve certainly caught my penny-watching attention!

Holden specs up the motor offering by introducing a spirited 85kw, 1.6 litre DOHC fourcylinder engine that is matched with a five-speed

november 2011

manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. This is quite a power upgrade from the previous model, yet it is quite frugal on fuel, with the manual sipping only 6.8 litres per 100km on a combined cycle.

Designer Richard Ferlazzo says that, “The Barina is a fun, energetic and aspirational light car. It’s got great compact proportions, great stance and a stable, sporty look”. Being one of the largest cars in its class, the new Barina Hatch has a bold and muscular appearance, and I can’t help but think that designers have tried to come up with a less feminine look for this clearly more masculine car.

Holden has done a great job by offering the feeling of spaciousness by slightly expanding the size of the Barina Hatch, making it one of the largest in its class. The motorcycle-inspired instrument panel with a large round analogue tachometer and ice blue LED illumination add to the silver metallic finishes to deliver a sporty yet quality feel to the interior. Storage is great for a small car with a dual glove box and a range of other compartments. Holden has also worked hard to decrease the amount of noise inside the car with thicker glass and insulation.

In a very competitive light car market, it is clear Holden is serious about competing. The new Barina Hatch is yet another example of how Holden is offering high specifications at a rock bottom price.

For a car in this market, I can’t actually think of another option you would need.

Put this one on the shopping list!

THE FACTS Holden Barina Hatch FEATURES

•• •• •• •• •• ••

15 inch alloy wheels Bluetooth phone and audio 5-star ANCAP safety rating USB stereo input with iPod connectivity Cruise control Steering wheel audio and phone controls

ENGINE

•• 1.6 litre DOHC petrol motor producing 85kw and 155Nm torque.

FUEL CONSUMPTION

•• Manual gearbox – 6.8l / 100km (combined) •• Automatic gearbox – 7.3L / 100km (combined) PRICE

•• Manual from $16,990 drive-away.

To test drive this vehicle, contact: Ireland Holden 227 Mulgrave Road, Cairns Phone 4052 3666

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the last word

KIER SHOREY

ll photography stuart frost Kier Shorey is the ABC radio voice you wake up to from 5:00am. He loves humour, has written scripts for Neighbours and is most at home playing ‘dad’ to his two kids.

Most people “ don’t know that I … used to be a screenwriter.

“

The ABC’s Kier Shorey is a family man at heart. He loves nothing more than spending time with his wife and two daughters

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I start my day by … presenting a breakfast radio show. On a typical day I get up at 4:00am, arrive at work by 4:30am, start the show at 5:00am, then wake up around 5:47am.

I am at my happiest when …

I’m spending time with my wife, Danielle, and my daughters, Harper and Ava. I know that’s both predictable and trite, but it’s no less true. I guess it satisfies me on some deep genetic level to feel that I’m being a really good dad and partner.

The best meal I have had was at … the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. My writing partner and I were taken to breakfast by a Fox TV executive on our first day working in LA, and we were well and truly starstruck.

My favourite holiday spot is … a big city. Any will do. Having returned to Cairns after almost two decades of living in metropolises, I sometimes hanker for the stink of a garbage-filled laneway. We live in such stupendous natural beauty in the Far North that I’ve come to enjoy a brief break from it.

Most people don’t know that I … used to be a screenwriter. I wrote a bunch of not-so-great TV for adults, like Neighbours, some okay stuff for children, like Pirate Islands, and even a not-that-bad movie about schoolies week called Blurred.

When I was growing up I wanted to be … in the entertainment industry. Couldn’t avoid it, really. My parents were heavily involved in amateur theatre. Some of my first memories are of watching from a bean bag at the foot of the stage while they rehearsed a play called Swamp Creature. Some of my second memories are of running from the hall in terror.

I couldn’t live without … my family. Which will make it interesting when my daughters turn 13 and no longer want anything to do with me. I hope I don’t sulk.

My greatest achievement is … quitting cigarettes. It’s certainly the thing that took me the longest to do. Mind you, I’ve never climbed any mountains or anything, so it’s not a long list.

What makes me laugh out loud are… the vagaries of life. Every day is filled with comic genius, you just have to know how to look for it.

My hidden talent …. playing the piano badly while singing much too loudly, based on the quality.

If I was to sum myself up …

I’d ask for a calculator first. I’m terrible at maths. profilemag.com.au

102.7

ONE STATION ALL THE ROCK LEGENDS

weekdays from 5.30am ZINC 102.7 ROCKING THE CAIRNS COMMUNITY ...

november 2011

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