CONTENTS 10 10 Acclaimed Designer Chloe Jean Banks Shares her Decorating Tips 12 Jim’s Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to Renovating 18 Recipe from Local Cafe ESCO
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24 Plastic Free Noosa 26 Buddy: your pocket guide to food in Noosa 32
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28 Being Fit for Summer with Aaron Shedlock 30 Noosa Business Group Keeping Communities Connected in Business
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38
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32 Tracey Keller: love and joy conquers all 36 The Power of Local Online Communities
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38 How Colour can Change your World
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Editors in Chief
Welcome to At Home Noosa. We are excited to share this issue with you.
achieve wide scale change away from the use of single use disposable plastic .
We created this magazine to share tips and ideas with you. This magazine is all about living here in Noosa….how lucky are we to call this place home!
Other great info included in this issue is...
We are very excited to have the story behind the brand new app buddy. world in this issue. Take some time to read about its inception and how it’s changing the face of eating out in Noosa. It’s well worth your time . Also in this issue is Plastic Free Noosa, an organisation working towards more environmentally cafes and restaurants, Plastic Free Noosa are tackling a major problem here in Noosa - plastic pollution. Read how they are trying to
How colour can change your
world Some renovation tips from yours truly The power of online communities An introduction to Noosa Business Group We hope you enjoy our first issue. Thanks for taking the time to read it!
Jim and Julz
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Tracey Keller Tracey Keller is the artist behind the colourful joyous painting featured from page 32. She not only paints animals but flowers, female portraits, landscapes and more! Now she’s venturing into more happy art such as her sculptures that will definitely bring more JOY in the world. www.traceykeller.com @TraceyKellerGallery @traceykellerartist
Plastic Free Noosa Plastic Free Noosa is a community project to reduce Noosa’s plastic footprint. The project was initiated by The Boomerang Alliance as part of their Communities Taking Control campaign, that focuses on achieving wide scale change away from plastic pollution. To achieve this, they engage directly with food outlets, events, markets, and other organisations to switch from single-use plastics to better alternatives. Plastic Free Noosa also encourage individuals to take up a plastic-free lifestyle. www.plasticfreenoosa.org @plasticfreenoosa @plasticfreenoosa
Chloe Banks With over 7 years of experience, Chloe Banks is a passionate all-round designer highly experienced in styling from fashion editorial and personal styling to interiors and set design. She is a graduate of Styling and Design Coordination from Whitehouse Institute of Design and has styled for global fashion and retail clients, bespoke Australian designers and personal shopping clientele. 䤀 一 吀 䔀 刀 䤀 伀 刀 匀
Chloe believes spaces have their unique character and definable features. Accordingly, she styles with elegance and decorates with panache bringing to life the rooms personality and senses. Her mixes of eclectic and traditional placement lure shoppers and transform homes.From established Parisian chic to bohemian luxe and the clean lines of Scandinavian modern, Chloe’s evocative flair for assortment is inspirational. www.chloejeanbanks.com @chloejeanbanks_interiors enchloejeanbanks@gmail.com
Noosa Business Group Noosa Business Group is a group of energetic Sunshine Coast business owners, dedicated to growing their businesses and assisting other members to do the same. www.noosabusinessgroup.com.au @noosabusinessgroup
Embassy Stone Chris Bentley and Embassy Stone Love working with the people of Noosa and its surrounds. (07) 5315 8158 sales@embassystone.com www.embassystone.com 8 Vision Court Noosaville QLD 4566 @EmbassyStone @Embassystone
Danny Simmonds An enthusiastic down to earth guy, Danny started buddy because he found it extremely difficult to showcase his eatery business cost effectively. Danny also wanted to connect with his new and regular customers in a new digital age with complete control and measurement. So he did, for everyone to enjoy. www.buddy.world @buddy.world @buddyworld
Aaron Shedlock Aaron was highly trained by the Australian Defence Forces. His exceptional skill is his capacity to lead, inspire and to impart confidence onto the people he trains. He has managed and trained many professional athletes and sporting clubs with a focus on functional fitness. Aaron specialises in rehabilitation and functional fitness to enable people a greater quality of life. In addition, Aaron has been actively involved in organising and managing community well being events and activities with return servicemen. www.limitlesshealthnoosa.com @aaron.shedlock.1
Photography by Craig Stanley
䤀 一 吀 䔀 刀 䤀 伀 刀 匀
W W W . C H L O E J E A N B A N K S . C O M
ACCLAIMED DESIGNER CHLOE JEAN BANKS SHARES HER TOP DECORATING TIPS With clients like Coca-Cola, Olay, KFC and MTV under her belt, as well as over ten years experience in fashion and design, Chloe Jean Banks knows a thing or two about styling. She’s also joined forces with a bunch of Noosa’s big restaurant names like Bistro C Restaurant and Bar, Noosa Food & Wine “Under the Moon” silver party and Zachary’s Pizza Hastings Street to design their interiors. Here, Chloe sits down with us and exclusively shares some of her most valuable interior decorating tips.
1. Mix it up
Chloe believes that adding contrasting patterns and textures is what makes a room interesting. “Mix up old and new, expensive and inexpensive. With my background in set design, I love mixing old pieces in with new. Not everything always has to be the ‘on trend’ piece. You can find the perfect piece in a small off road shop in the middle of nowhere. Always stop if you come across those highway stores – always! They can be the gold mine for that one character piece that you didn’t even know you needed!”
“Mix up old and new, expensive and inexpensive”
2. Create a mood board. Many interior designers swear by mood boards to give them inspiration for the project they’re creating. When designing for clients it can be an easy and expressive way to get your creative ideas across. But even if you’re designing for yourself, its useful at keeping your vision together. Chloe agrees, “Even if you are going to be your own designer it’s important to follow a process and theme so you don’t lose track of your end goal,” She recommends finding inspiration from your every day life. “Get your inspiration from a range of all different sources, music, film, magazines, travel, friends, art, nature. I designed a restaurant off a song. Every time I felt I was getting a little side tracked I would play the song and remember what feeling and mood I wanted to create from listening to it again.”
3. Remember the importance of lighting and artwork. In a basic sense, Chloe says that these two aspects are the most important part of a room. She recommends putting a lot of of time and thought into your decisions around what artwork and lighting you will be using in your room. “Lighting and Artwork make or break a space for me. If you get these two elements right, you can make any space feel right!”
4. Make sure a room is balanced.
Though a little more technical, Chloe insists that balance is ever so important when planning a room design. “Balance and composition is a major design element. In short balance can be described as the equal distribution of visual weight in a room. There are three styles of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial – ALWAYS play around with balance and composition.” You can find Chloe at: www.chloejeanbanks.com enchloejeanbanks@gmail.com @chloejeanbanks_interiors
Jim’s
DO’S and DON’TS
When it Comes to Renovating
Whether you’re planning to sell your home, simply want to give it a fresh look, or you’ve bought a renovation project with the goal of a profit, we can help you maximise your results here at Noosa’s Own Building and Maintenance. As the owner of a renovation business for over fifteen years, I’ve seen first hand my fair share or both successful and (miserably) failed reno jobs. Here’s a few of my most valuable tips and tricks that I’ve learned over the years.
Do: Budget for more than you need It’s a general rule that you should put together a budget for your project and then raise that price by 15-25% to achieve the actual amount that the renovation will cost. I wholeheartedly agree with this rule, too many times I’ve seen people get excited about their renovation and overspend, only to be left with no money in their budget, and a half finished project. It’s always better to allocate more money to that project because that way you will be able to afford everything, plus,
if spending all goes to plan you’ll be Do: Give the exterior a ‘wow’ factor left over with extra money which is They say you only have seven seconds to make a strong first impression, never a bad thing. and when it comes to homes I tend to agree. When a person is in the market Don’t: Skimp on cheap materials Trying to cut costs on vital and to buy a house, if they’re blown away important structural elements is just and impressed as soon as they pull going to give you a headache down up, they will enter the house in a the road. A higher quality material that positive mindset. On the other hand, may cost you only slightly more when even if your interiors are of the highest you’re installing it, in the long run is standard and beautifully done, if a going to cost a lot less than completely potential buyer is deterred on their replacing a cheaper material when it first impression, it can be harder to breaks. Plus, high quality materials get them interested. So, it’s important not only look nicer and last longer, to invest money into making sure they also ensure a higher standard both your garden and the exterior of of safety. These elements all convert the house look the best they possibly to a higher selling price when the can! Check things like: Is the paint renovated home is put on the market. chipped at all? Is the roof perfect? Is the paving clean and perfectly laid?
Don’t: Forget the small details Sometimes the smallest details can make the biggest impact when it comes to selling your home. If a renovation isn’t finished perfectly, it will look unprofessional and this will bring down the value when selling. Things like making sure skirting boards are perfectly straight and light fittings that are perfectly matched are of utmost importance. The finishing touches are basically what make or break a remodel or renovation. Thankfully, our team at Noosa’s Own Building and Maintenance have plenty of experience and an eye for detail. Things that you may not notice like proper lighting height and finished balustrades are things that our team are trained to notice and perfect. After all, absolute precision is what we strive for every day - which you can see in our details. Do: Enlist the help of professionals While watching TV shows like ‘The Block’ and ‘House Rules’ may make D.I.Y. home renovation look fun and totally achievable, don’t be fooled. Even these people enlist the help of professionals in almost every avenue. While the contestants may spend a lot of time on things like decor, other jobs are left to contractors. That being said, we love working with people who have a creative idea of exactly what they want and are excited about it! We can work together with you on every detail to make sure your dream house becomes a reality.
If you want to talk to Jim about your next renovating project head to: w w w . n o o s a o w n . c o m . a u
Photography by Craig Stanley
LOOKING TO
RENOVATE?
Work with Noosa’s Leading Team Who Focus On The Details and Deliver Outstanding Results
www.noosasown.com.au
Spicy chorizo baked beans with house hash and poached eggs From Head Chef Andrew Quinn of Esco Cafe
At Esco we believe in the simplicity of food at breakfast and everything we serve is designed to be crisp and fresh with natural flavours abundant. So we serve these beans simply with a house made hash (which I can never give out the secret to), rocket and 2 poached eggs. Serves: 5 Ingredients 250g Navy beans soaked and cooked (if you can’t find use Cannellini beans) ½ a red onion julienne ½ a teaspoon chopped garlic ¾ of a long red chilli sliced 500mls Napolitano sauce (we make our own but you can buy) 250g Chorizo sausage sliced ½ a teaspoons paprika
Method Sweat onion, garlic,chilli until slightly caramelised. Add chorizo and cook until oils are coming out of sausage Add paprika and cook until aromas are full Add Napolitano and bring to boil Add Navy beans and cook out for 15 mins.
(07) 5474 1770
@esco.restaurant
Jay O’shea
TOP TRENDS FOR 2019
Building W I T H
S TO N E
plans. The various ranges of colours and textures available in todays market for stone presents a range of choices for all personal tastes and styles,” he tells At Home Noosa Magazine.
Simon Murdoch
W
ith 2018 coming to its closing end, it’s become clear what trends have been popular in building this year. While a minimalist design approach, sunrooms and polished concrete all gained traction in popularity this year, there was one stand out player when it came to popular building materials - natural stone. Stone is universally appreciated because not only does the finish look beautiful, but it also enhances the natural sustainability of your home. We chat to Chris Bentley founder and CEO of Embassy Stone about why building or renovating with stone has become such a popular choice.
If you’re not familiar with using stone for building purposes, you would be forgiven for thinking that the material can only be used to build standard things like walls and kitchen tops. However, stone is a versatile material that can actually be used in many different ways and creative projects. “Pretty much stone can be used in any application. Apart from the obvious kitchen benches, we are working on some high end homes in the Noosa area at present, and they are using natural stone as feature tv surrounds, BBQ area and staircases”, shares Chris as an example. “Another exciting project we are working on is a feature up-stand in a new home and the client has chosen a granite with a leather finish, this will be a real statement piece and talking point once completed.”
“Natural stone is very popular at the moment with many designers and architects specifying on their Jay O’shea Simon Murdoch
Foreseeing the popularity of stone as a building material, and having had experience working with it in the past, Chris started the planning and feasibility of Embassy Stone in June 2017. After officially opening their doors earlier this year they’ve seen enormous success and an influx of enquiries and work undertaken. However, it didn’t come without a slight speed bump upon opening. “Just after we opened for business, Channel 10’s Project ran a story on silicosis and the effect it had on workers,” Chris tells us woefully. In layman’s term silicosis is an occupational lung disease that has been found among stone masons working with artificial stone. “Thankfully all of the equipment used at Embassy Stone is the latest technology and everything uses water to cut the stone and eliminate any dust,” he happily continued. “This not only creates a fantastic place to work, but ensures the safety of the team.”
So, thankfully, due to their dedication to their staff’s safety and to only using the highest quality natural stone available, the news story did little to quash business and Embassy Stone could hold their heads high, unlike some other stone masons in Australia. While Embassy Stone is thriving business wise, Chris says the thing that he’s most proud of is his staffs positive morale. “Seeing how passionate the Embassy team members are about there work and what they can create is very rewarding, not to mention my obvious appreciation of natural stone,” Chris says with a grin. To talk to Chris and his team at Embassy Stone about your stone needs: (07) 5315 8158 www.embassystone.com 8 Vision Court Noosaville QLD 4566
Plastic Free Noosa The people doing it right and moving sustainability forward!
Plastic Free Noosa is a project that focuses on achieving wide scale change away from plastic pollution through a systematic, source reduction approach to a whole community reducing their use of disposable, single-use plastics. The initiative looks at working with local businesses, food outlets and markets to switch from single use plastic to alternative measures. Some of the items they are working on is to reduce water bottles, straws, coffee cups and cutlery. With their reward based system, they are allowing people to become ‘Plastic Free Champions’ and earn rewards and discounts on their sustainable products. Although Plastic Free Noosa as a company are working to reduce the use of plastic, it is the businesses they work alongside who make a significant difference. There are just over 20 businesses in the food and beverage industry that are taking part in this initiative. Many of these businesses include Raw Energy, Peregian Beach Hotel, Noosa Boathouse, Vanilla Food, Whole Life Health Foods and Cornerstone Pub. Each of these businesses and many more in the Noosa community have significantly reduced their plastic use with the help of Plastic Free Noosa. Plastic Free Noosa have set a goal to reduce the use of identified single-use plastic in Noosa by November 2018. As reported in their May progress report, they have 58 members, 15 of which have become Plastic Free Champions. These champions are people who sign up to the initiative and have eliminated all 6 of the single use plastic items from their everyday life. With these numbers increasing since May, the team and members are well on their way to reaching their goal. “We set up the program originally with food retailers, markets and events in mind (being big providers of many of the items currently found in the litter stream), which was great but we soon found that there was so much
interest from many other sectors who wanted to also become Plastic Free Champions!” Moving forward, Plastic Free are looking at moving into different sectors, such as schools and tourism, and increasing the spread of their initiative. “Schools are such a fantastic inclusion - not only can they reduce their plastic and waste significantly, but what a great opportunity to involve the younger generation. We considered schools particularly because of the reach not only to the kids, but to the staff, parents and wider community.” For each sector, there are factors that differentiate each one. Whether that’s the way they use the plastic, what plastics they use or the amount they use. With each sector we work in, we look at what single-use plastics they are using, and what can they replace it with. We then design a program with a series of achievable actions they can take, how to achieve them and where they can source the right products.” Plastic Free Noosa’s work has already made a significant difference in people’s attitudes towards the use of plastic and in reducing its use every day. They are an initiative working alongside the Eumundi Markets and have more events they will be working with in the coming year. “We will be working with our fantastic partners Tourism Noosa again next year on the Food and Wine Festival, as well as this year’s Noosa Triathlon, and next year’s Festival of Surfing and Cooroy Fusion Festival.”
To see more of the great stuff Plastic Free Noosa are doing check out: @plasticfreenoosa @plasticfreenoosa www.plasticfreenoosa.org
Buddy: Your in-pocket guide to food in Noosa W
hen it comes to deciding where to eat, a phrase often thrown around is ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I don’t mind’. This new app - Buddy, will put these questions and frustrations to bed. The company was founded by Danny Simmonds, who arrived in Australia on a one-way ticket with $500 in his back pocket. He was homeless for two months but scored his first break landing a job at McDonalds. Now CEO and Founder of a Multi-million-dollar software company
based here on the Sunshine Coast. With exclusive information about the best places to eat, happy hour and live music at restaurants, it is one of the easiest ways to navigate the food world. With the app designed to be easy to use and have readily available information, it can help locals and visitors to Noosa to pick where they want to have their next meal, and to choose the best dining experience.
“Buddy is a platform where locals and tourists can discover breakfast, lunch and dinner specials, deals, menus, happy hours and coming events around them, all in one place. Visitors can see where the best places are in and around town, with a tool packed with instant Local knowledge.”
more recognition, as most of Australia is built on small business, collectively creating a strong economy. With the dining out industry here in Australia adding billions of dollars to our economy, it amazes me that there is not a decent platform for all small businesses to really ‘get discovered’ easily.”
‘Danny has come from the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to career levels in the hospitality industry, from cleaning tables at McDonalds whilst homeless, to serving coffee in Sydney, waiting tables in Melbourne, shaking cocktails in Noosa to finally owning his own restaurant.’ Having such a deep understanding of the industry means that the development of the app has come from a place that is both heartfelt and well understood.
The app’s features come down to an understanding of an industry with a design to accompany it.
“The app came from feeling the pains of being a restaurateur, not having a platform the industry can call its own, to showcase restaurants, cafes and bars to their full ability, with complete control.” As a previous restauranteur, Danny knew what the app needed to be successful and to lend a hand to small businesses. Restaurants and dining out are a large part of our leisure time “I believe it is extremely important that small business in the hospitality sector get
“It was easy to come up with the main features for restaurants, such as a digital specials board, showcasing itemized menues, creating a ‘followers’ system allowing me to send in-app announcements of exclusive info to my loyal customers.” “Buddy stands out above the others simply because it is authentic, exclusive but most importantly valuable. Buddy is not just another tech platform from Silicon Valley, buddy is a movement formed together by the food industry to provide a service that foodies and diners have been longing for.” www.buddy.world @buddyworld @buddy.world
Being fit for Summer for ALL Body types with
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A A R O N
S H E D L O C K
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professional athlete training with the likes of golf legends Greg Norman, Brad Lamb, Steven and Leanne Bowditch and surf lifesaving champion Jordan Mercer. Aaron conducted training camps with Hawthorn, St Kilda and Western Bulldogs AFL teams as well as the Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers NRL teams just to name a few.
With Summer looming, you might be starting to think about what your beach body is going to look like. But before you go jumping on the scales, bringing out the measuring tape or planning a fad diet if you’ve accumulated some extra insulation during the cooler months, the man who has coached and mentored some of the best sporting teams and personalities in the country says it’s more about your fitness levels than your body shape. Aaron Shedlock was in the Royal Australian Navy for 10 years before he became a Military Personal Training Instructor responsible for getting various units fit, rehabilitating soldiers as well as boosting the overall wellness of the military community. He purchased a gym in Peregian Beach before being discharged from the Army 14 years ago and went on to conduct
Now as founder of Limitless Health, Aaron says he can focus on a personalised approach to training in a private studio, teaching people of all ages and backgrounds how improving their health will have flow-on benefits to every area of their lives. Aaron says relying on your dress or pants size, or the number that shows up on your scales, is not the best indicator of your fitness levels. “Body shape and where we carry our excess weight is genetic and weight-loss usually moves from the top down. People who are lean can actually be in very bad shape internally as well, with health issues like high cholesterol and blocked valves often going undetected until stroke or heart attack occurs,” he says. “Sometimes what the scales say is not a true reflection of how good you are looking as muscle weighs more than fat. Sometimes having a large muscle doesn’t mean you have good cardiovascular fitness ether, so it’s important to have a balance.
“It’s important for all of us to conduct some kind of cardio vascular activities each week, ideally a minimum of three, and a minimum of two weight or resistance training exercise sessions.” Before you baulk at the idea of “gains” that is now associated with intense weight training, Aaron says it is a common myth that weight training itself makes you big. “Weight training is imperative, particularly in today’s society where we have far greater sedentary lifestyles. It’s vital for our bone density, developing muscle tone and improves our balance and mobility, ensuring we age positively without losing independence prematurely,” he says. “With the life expectancy constantly climbing, I cannot express enough how important it is to introduce at least two weight training exercise sessions per week into our routines to ensure we can actually lead a positive, enriching lifestyle, with quality experiences and connections in our later years.” When it comes to getting fit for Summer, Aaron says there is a simple thing anybody can do right now to take steps in the right direction. Move more and eat less, with more raw foods in your diet. “It’s very easy in our demanding lifestyles to put exercise on the lower end of the priorities, but we really need to have it at the forefront and make it happen,” he tells At Home Noosa. “Subtle changes in diet can help, even changing breakfast or lunch with a fresh vegetable juice can make a massive impact, or eating smaller portions in the evening then taking a family walk
afterwards before we go to bed can have impressive results.” For those who are not into the gym scene, Aaron recommends incorporating exercise into environments you enjoy, like down by the beach, in a national park or swimming in the ocean or in a local pool. “Whatever you do, remember to push yourself a little more each time to get your heart rate out of its comfort zone so your fitness levels improve,” he says. Aaron also recommends exercising with someone you enjoy being around and locking in times to meet for exercise and gain support from family members and colleagues so they can understand your desire to focus time on improving your health. For those who want to dip their toes into a gym or train with a personal trainer, Aaron says you should always ask about their experience and see if they offer a complementary session before you sign anything to ensure they will suit your needs. “Sometimes it’s a kick-start people need and then they are on their way. It’s igniting the spark to ensure you make exercise and healthy lifestyle changes a part of your daily routine – it becomes habit after around a month of being consistent which is where you want to be,” he says. “Remember we’re all human. We all falter from time to time and we aren’t here to judge but to help you achieve results. It’s a pretty rewarding thing seeing people enjoying life.”
To talk to Aaron about your fitness needs head to w w w. l i m i t l e s s h e a l t h n o o s a . c o m
Noosa Business Group: Keeping the Community Connected In business
Noosa Business Group is a business referral group with the belief that word of mouth recommendations are extremely valuable and can be worth their weight in gold for a business. The not-forprofit organisation consists of a group of businesses owners and managers who support each other in growing their business and others. The organisation has a immense emphasis on the importance of support and leaning on each other and it makes a large part of their beliefs and values. We chatted with one of the organisations members Justine.
Since Noosa Business Group began, they have continually grown and are continuing to do so. “NBG is growing all the time. We are constantly looking for new members to be part of our group. We often put up notices on Facebook for members who are suitable. Part of our philosophy is that we only have one of each type of business in the group so we recommend each other clearly and there is no cross over. We all present and promote our businesses regularly so that we gain more confidence in sending others to them.
We also have social mixers at member’s businesses so we learn more about them too. Mostly where possible we use each other’s businesses too.” As Justine says, the groups no cross over model allows for room to continue growing and means that they can expand the types of businesses they include. Although the organisation is all business, they have a social and creative spin on their meetings. In their calendar, they have weekly breakfasts scheduled where they can network and have an opportunity to catch up with the members of the Business Group. “The normal breakfast is at 6.45 at Noosa Springs. It is a full buffet breakfast, plenty of food” Justine says, “We then have 30 second promotions then we go around again and list all the businesses we have promoted and recommended that week.” The breakfasts allow members of the group to discuss aspects of their business and allow for feedback and support. This leaning on one another for support is a fresh new perspective for the business world where often people dwell in competition for business. Justine explained the kind of professional
Noosa Business Group is continuing to be
relationships that her team have developed,
one of the most supportive organisations
“We all help each other and give advice to
for business owners in the Noosa area.
each other. We are not competing at all for
People have built professional networks
any business so it is not even a question of
and relationships with other businesses in
taking business from each other. The trust
the area that helped uplift their attitude to
and support between members is fantastic.
work and their business itself.
As Noosa is a small town, lots of us have connections through others which is also nice.”
To connect with Noosa Business Group see: www.noosabusinessgroup.com.au @noosabusinessgroup
B
right and eccentric simply don’t cut it when describing Tracey Keller’s work. Her art simply emulates joy. Her zany personality is reflected in her art along with her positive outlook on life. Recently Tracey opened a getaway in Noosa that makes you look around and be grateful for what the natural landscape can offer. Although her life is filled with positive energy, that wasn’t always the case for Tracey. When she was younger she was involved in a car accident that left permanent damage to her legs. Now after having a life changing surgery, she has taken her pain and used it to make the world a better place. “I live with pain positively, I choose to do that with a smile on my face. Get lost in paintings in a positive way. The sculptures came out of the pain. The journey through that operation meant more art came out of it.” “We all go through pain and suffering. You can cut your finger and that’s still pain, but I believe joy and love will conquer.” Tracey’s work is featured in her gallery on Hasting’s street in Noosa, in her studio in Doonan and in her panorama getaway. Her art moves from one to another before finding its forever home with one of her clients. Her paintings are simple depictions of animals such as giraffes, horses and other animals. However, cows appear to be a favourite. “Simply put, I just adore animals. Some probably a little bit more than others I guess… I started painting cows in 2000 after a meaningful chat with a Friesian in a paddock near Mullumbimby, New South Wales. We (me and the cow,) bonded over a barbed wire fence.”
Her ability to bring nature onto a canvas and have people see the beautiful way Tracey depicts them can truly bring a new appreciation to wildlife. Tracey has a simple philosophy as to why her customers come back time and time again, and that is happy ART equals happy heART. “It is my intention to create joy. People put my art in their home and it naturally creates smiles. Their family and visitors laugh and it’s a fabulous, happy, conversation piece. Now their house is even happier.” This happiness that her work spreads has made its way into her customer’s hearts and is now reincarnated in the luxury that is the panorama getaway. The home they created after years of wanting and envisioning can be a weekend getaway to remember for the rest of your life. “Panorama was on our vision board two decades ago and we actually have it now… We all have our own journeys. Art has allowed me to make the world a happier place.” To see Traceys work head over to www.traceykeller.com @traceykellergallery @traceykellerartist
PATRICK REED
of Belle
Property Noosa gives
At Home Noosa
the latest PROPERTY MARKET UPDATE The Noosa market is and always has been a complicated beast. In recent years growth has been very strong throughout the Noosa Shire with those lucky enough to hold real estate in the “biosphere� experiencing double digit growth. A few factors have led to this growth. The first, a distinct lack of new stock being brought to the market. Noosa has offered fewer new opportunities to build and buy new than almost any other council area on the eastern seaboard. The second factor, and maybe the most relevant, has been a lack of resale stock. This has pushed the demand and supply curve heavily in favour of the sellers and lifted average sale prices, but it has also led to a huge reduction in volume of sales. As we we move into the next market we are seeing significant amounts of new listings coming to the market. These properties are priced at levels of expectation similar to the previous market but the number of sales remains low. This new environment eschews a new mentality for sellers who wish to take advantage of a still very strong Noosa market. Clever sellers are beginning to display flexibility with their price expectations to reflect the amount of competition they experience and are selling quickly. This all bodes well for a healthy and vibrant real estate market and will level the playing field between buyers and sellers moving forward.
For more property news head to: www.belleproperty.com/suburbs/noosa
@bellepropertynoosa
The Power
of Local Online Communities Being part of a community is a basic human need. Socialising and belonging to something bigger allows us to create lasting connections and make a difference. With the ever-changing landscape that is technology, there are now more ways than ever to be part of a community. Online groups have become engrained in our lives and can create benefits for people who are part of them. The longing we have for connections are fulfilled by these communities. They allow us to meet likeminded people and keep up to date with what is happening in our area. Noosa is one of the strongest communities on the coast north of Brisbane. Beach communities are all active and thriving areas full of compatible personalities.
Noosa’s community notice board, created through Facebook, holds a strong sense of togetherness. People within the group pride themselves on their communal sense and share vital information about their area and offer advice for others. Looking at posts within the group, you can see that it’s a space in which people can share information with no fear of judgement and can expect support. This support can be as simple as keeping an eye out for someone’s lost dog, or reporting something you may have seen. These types of online pages strengthen what we may have lost in traditional ways of the word ‘community’. People used to see community as Friday afternoon street barbeques, or meeting up for social events. Unfortunately, in the 21st century we are all busy but can find this vital part of closeness online. At the touch of a button you have your neighbourhood in your phone. Not only is it about cultivating this traditional closeness, it can allow people to connect with others who share a like-minded view or have similar hobbies. From these large communities, people can almost sub-divide into smaller groups. It means people can meet up with and share activities with other people in their area. Its empowering for some because it creates opportunities for people to share struggles they have. They can allow opportunities for support to flourish from a small online connection. It is vital that we keep these connections online. Communal groups can support and encourage closeness with your neighbours. You can share and receive advice that may not be found elsewhere. Social Media impacts our lives everyday but we can turn it into ways to impact our lives positivity and keep us in tune with our local community.
Visit the Noosa Community Notice board at: @noosacrew
HOW COLOUR CAN CHANGE YOUR WORLD: Choosing The Right Colours For Your Home
There’s endless colours to choose from when you want to freshen up your living spaces at home. Making sure you choose the right colour and not just using any old left over colour on your current walls can make a world of difference. A colour can determine the mood of a space and depending on lighting or the size of a space, a colour can either be so right or completely wrong. We have done some of the hard yards for you, and compiled a few simple tips for choosing colour for your home.
Minimal Lighting: In rooms with minimal lighting you want to open them up and keep it lively. Choosing colours or shades that are light, like white, off white and creams, can keep a space feeling open and inviting. Rooms within the home that can often be left with minimal lighting are bedrooms, studies, bathrooms and hallways. Choosing darker colours will only draw attention to the fact that your room isn’t very well lit. With darker shades, it can make the space feel small and dismal. By using lighter colours, you create opportunities to use accent colours with smaller furniture and décor items to bring even more brightness to your room.
Open Spaces: This is where the fun begins with any redecorating. Large open spaces create fantastic opportunities to splash wonderful vibrant colours in your home. You don’t have to go too bold and paint your house fuchsia, but bold enough that it creates a WOW factor. Due to the large size of the room, using a brighter colour won’t make it feel any smaller. Creating a feature wall in these spaces can often create lustrous moods that will make guests feel invited, and have them leaving your home envious of your beautiful colour choices.
Natural Light: Rooms filled with natural light are already welcoming and comforting, but you can go two ways with these rooms. You can choose neutral tones such as greys and whites with accented furniture, décor and plants, or you can go full colour! Either way your room will be filled with colour and warmth. Rooms that are often filled with natural light within open plan living homes are the kitchen and living. In the kitchen, a feature splashback using a more vibrant colour can bring excitement to the kitchen and get you ready to cook up a storm.