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154 NOVEMBER 2023

EMMA SPENCER E K S

S T Y L I N G

Oak Tree Coffs Harbour residents

Embark on a future of freedom and fulfillment at Oak Tree Coffs Harbour Our boutique retirement community in Coffs Harbour is quickly growing, as more and more over 55s are benefiting from a new retirement lifestyle with less responsibilities, and more time to enjoy doing the things they love. Retirees today are far more active at this age than generations before, and therefore they’re putting a greater emphasis on retirement options that support a more physical and social lifestyle. They’re also making the most of their freedom: freedom of choice, financial freedom, and freedom to enjoy the time they’ve worked so hard for throughout their lives. It’s this mindset that is driving an increasing number of over 55s to downsize. Knowing that it was a life changing decision, Lorna and Max made sure to look at every available option in the area when they began exploring retirement villages, but it was the brand-new aspect, and the single level villas that sold them on Oak Tree Coffs Harbour. “The fact that it was going to be completely brand new was a huge benefit for us, especially coming from an older family home.” Max and Lorna knew it was important for them to make the move while they still had freedom of choice and could make the most of all that retirement village living has to offer.

6 Domain Drive, Coffs Harbour Call 1300 367 155

oaktreegroup.com.au

“We’re both in our seventies now, and our previous home was large with a big backyard and pool, and as much as I love my gardening, it was all becoming too much.” “I also felt it was important to do it while we’re still able to make our own decisions and have the energy to declutter ourselves! We have 3 children and 10 grandchildren, so we’re a big family! I get to decide who my beautiful plates go to, and which family member gets what.” After deciding that Oak Tree was going to be the perfect fit, Max and Lorna moved into the village on their 55th wedding anniversary and have been enjoying their new lifestyle ever since! They’re both active members of the local community, and love that they get to maintain their independence and continue doing what they love, without the day-to-day maintenance and tasks that come with having a large family home. They’re also enjoying the companionship of having likeminded neighbours around them, and regular social activities and events to keep them connected. For Lorna and Max, this next chapter at Oak Tree Coffs Harbour looks like it’ll be a wonderful one.

Our next stage of modern, spacious villas is currently under construction. Call 1300 367 155 to join our fast-growing community of likeminded people.

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*3.90% Comparison Rate on a new or demo Lexus NX 250 with Lexus Financial Ser vices. Approved applicants only. Finance applications must be submitted, approved and settled with vehicles ordered and delivered between 18/09/2023 and 31/ 12/2023. Maximum loan term of 48 months. Available on the Fixed Rate Loan product and Lexus Ownership Solutions product. Offer not available to employees, government, Lexus Corporate Program or rental customers. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Limited colours available. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply. Comparison rate based on a 5 year secured consumer fixed rate loan of $30,000. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Lexus Financial Services reserves the rights to amend or withdraw this offer at any time. Lexus Financial Services is a division of Toyota Finance Australia Limited ABN 48 002 435 181, AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 392536.

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I S S U E

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N O V E M B E R

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PHIL BELL

VICTOIRE LOKPO

ILLY

Phil Bell is a palaeontologist and has recently arrived home from a month-long dig in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, and when he’s not out in the field he is a lecturer at the University of New England.

Victoire Lokpo has always dreamt of running her own business and last year she made that dream a reality by starting her own fitness apparel label, Kapable. Her first range launches this month.

ILLY is set to play in Coffs Harbour on the 11th, so we sat down for a chat with him ahead of these shows to find out what he’s been up to and what we can expect from the tour.

OUR CONTRIBUTORS 30. PFLAG - Sam Dawson 55. Alternative Health - Erin Birdsall 56. Counselling Conversations - Julie Thomas 59. Health & Wellbeing - Sarah Ding 70. Education Update - Nick Johnstone CONTRIBUTOR OF THE MONTH

ERIN BIRDSALL

Every month you'll find the latest news, reviews and interviews from these locals.

80. State of Play - Gurmesh Singh 83. Money Matters - Barry Hockey

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Welcome to the NOVEMBER 2023 EDITION.

hat a fantastic month we have had executing this bumper edition at FOCUS. As you flip through our fabulous, glossy pages you’ll be introduced to all that makes up this unique city from the eyes of the FOCUS team and all that contribute to putting this wonderful publication together every month! This month’s cover features the talented Emma Spencer. Emma is the creative mind behind EKS Styling. We discover how her lifelong passion for clothing and self-expression inspired her career in fashion styling. Em’s journey from working in fashion retail to establishing her own styling business, EKS Styling, showcases the evolution of her love for fashion. She believes that fashion is not just about clothing, but a means of self-expression, creativity,

and confidence. Em firmly believes that good fashion doesn’t have to break the bank and shares tips on how to look fabulous on a budget. Also inside this edition we feature Phil Bell. Phil is a palaeontologist, one of only about 100-150 in his field in the world! He has recently arrived home from a month-long dig in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, and when he’s not out in the field he is a lecturer at the University of New England. Dan Honors is a bonsai grower/artist who has learnt his skills over years of practice and through bringing together knowledge from growers all over. He now has an impressive collection of trees himself and also offers workshops and demonstrations for others interested in learning this ancient artform. Victoire Lokpo is a local 18 year old who has recently graduated high school. She has always dreamt of running her

COFFS COAST

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own business and last year she made that dream a reality by starting her own fitness apparel label, Kapable. Her first range launches this month, and we know this is only the beginning for this young entrepreneur. Buy, Sell, Build We know that the right building and real estate decisions are life changing. With our area home and land prices starting at over a million dollars, the expertise of who represents you when building, buying or selling can make the difference of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. This month we have featured some of the best in the business including a couple of 2023 HIA awards winners. Thinking about featuring your business in FOCUS? Give us a call, we would love to help you! We hope you enjoy flicking through our November edition.

EDITION COORDINATOR / ADVERTISING SALES Nicci Seccombe nicole@focusmag.com.au ART DIRECTOR Jay Beaumont jay@focusmag.com.au SENIOR DESIGNER Dylan Gaul dylan@focusmag.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kyle Rathbone kyle@focusmag.com.au

COPY EDITOR Bev Mulcahy info@focusmag.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY / EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR Gavin Moroney gavin.moroney@austcommunitymedia.com.au EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR Daisy Moroney Daisyfocusmag@gmail.com CIRCULATIONS COORDINATOR Bree McNickle wedeliverfocus@gmail.com

Comments and opinions of our contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinion or view of the Publishers. All reasonable efforts have been made to trace copyright holders. Information appearing in Focus is believed to be correct at the time of going to press, however no liability will be held for inaccurate information approved or supplied by advertisers or contributors. While all care is taken it is recommended that readers confirm material including advice with individual businesses and industry professionals. Articles marked as ‘Interview or Contributor’ are non-sponsored content. Coffs Coast Focus is published by Creative House Publications PTY LTD ABN: 621 287 8600 5. Material in Focus is Copyright © Creative House Publications PTY LTD 2022 and may not be reproduced whole or in part, in any form, without permission of the Publisher. All rights reserved. FOCUS is printed by Australian Community Media Print & Logistics North Richmond. Our paper is FFC and PEFC certified and meets with ISO14001 accreditation.

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EMMA

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We sat down with Emma Spencer the creative mind behind EKS Styling to dive into the fascinating world of fashion. Discover how her lifelong passion for clothing and self-expression inspired her career in fashion styling. Em’s journey from working in fashion retail to establishing her own styling business, EKS Styling, showcases the evolution of her love for fashion. She believes that fashion is not just about clothing, but a means of self-expression, creativity, and confidence. Em firmly believes that good fashion doesn’t have to break the bank and shares tips on how to look fabulous on a budget.

ey Em, can you tell us about your journey into the world of fashion styling? What inspired you to pursue a career in fashion? From a very young age I have always loved clothes, shoes, accessories and anything to do with fashion, the shops have always been my happy place. I love the way a great outfit makes you feel; it’s a way to express yourself. Putting together outfits has always luckily come very easy to me so it was a no brainer.

Fashion allows me to showcase my personality without having to say a word. I truly feel the way we dress can influence the way we feel about ourselves. Typically when you think of fashion you think designer brands which can be expensive. Can good fashion fit everyone’s budget?

100% it can. Of course we would all love to have a wardrobe full of designer clothes, handbags and accessories but that is not realistic to the majority of us, and you don’t need it to look good. Personally Target is one of my What has your favourite stores at career looked like the moment. For so far? casual looks Coffs I love to see a has everything you final look come After I left school I need to build a moved away from together. I always versatile, fashionable the small town I have a picture in my wardrobe. We do grew up in and head before we even lack in dressier starting working start of how I want options for events, in fashion retail an outfit to look, so it but I am a huge straight away. always excites me fan and advocate From that I had when I can for dress hire when opportunities to accomplish the it comes to event work for many vision I have. styling. This gives different brands you the opportunity as a merchandiser to look like you and in store stylist. have spent a fortune Through that I picked up so many when you actually haven’t. valuable fashion lessons and learnt how to dress people of all shapes and sizes. After a complete career change 5 years ago, I still never lost my love for fashion and knew I still wanted to help people find their style and that is how EKS Styling was born. What do you personally love about fashion? I have always been fascinated by the power of fashion. To me it’s not just about clothing, it’s a form of self expression, creativity and confidence.

A lot of what you do is helping others in their fashion choices. How does fashion change? Fashion is so individual to each person. It varies to what you feel comfortable in, your body shape, your colouring and your budget. If it’s for an event or just everyday wear it’s not a one size fits all circumstance, everyone is different. What aspects of fashion styling do you find most exciting and fulfilling? Are there specific

fashion niches or styles that you’re passionate about? I love to see a final look come together. I always have a picture in my head before we even start of how I want an outfit to look, so it always excites me when I can accomplish the vision I have. I don’t have any specific niches; fashion is ever changing and it always depends on the client, the look we go for. Fashion styling often involves a keen eye for detail. What are some of the key elements? Detail is everything to me and when putting together an outfit I think of everything from head to toe, how they will wear their hair, what jewellery, shoes, handbag, sunglasses etc. I am big on matching; it’s important that all elements are cohesive and come together as a completed look. Personal style is an important aspect of a fashion stylist’s identity. How would you describe your own fashion style? I wouldn’t say I have a specific style, I generally like what I like and just go with that. My casual style isn’t very girly and so you wont see me in a lot of florals. I tend to stick with block colours, denim and I love a good co-ord set. The only reason I tend to stay away from floral is I have a lot of tattoos and I don’t want to clash too much, and like I said, I love to match. When I have an event I love formal wear. I love to get glammed up and go all out and this is where my girly comes out. I would say my guilty fashion pleasure is sunglasses. I am now lucky enough to be sponsored by an amazing brand Valley Eyewear who give me my fix often which is awesome and I am so grateful. Thanks Emma.

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Phil

Bell P A L A E O N T O L O G I S T

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Phil Bell is a palaeontologist, one of only about 100-150 in his field in the world! He has recently arrived home from a monthlong dig in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, and when he’s not out in the field he is a lecturer at the University of New England.

i Phil. When did you first become interested in fossils and our natural history? How did you get introduced to Palaeontology?

Like most professional dinosaurophiles, I was probably 4 or 5. I definitely told my kindergarten teacher that I wanted to be a palaeontologist when I grew up. I grew up on the South Coast of NSW and my parents are nature lovers, so I was always outdoors,

exploring. My Dad worked in a medical lab, so dinosaurs and learning from different people. he would bottle and preserve any dead snakes It was a real privilege, and today I still bounce and reptiles we found, which I displayed in back and forth between here and Canada. my room. I was a bit What are weird like that, but he some common also harnessed my love misconceptions about of fossils and would Everyone Palaeontology? organise trips for us to thinks we lie Paint brushes and go fossil collecting on around in deserts Jurassic Park. Everyone the South Coast. using a paintbrush thinks we lie around When did you decide to dig up bones. It’s in deserts using a this was something paintbrush to dig up partly true, but you wanted to pursue bones. It’s partly true, most of it is really as a career and how but most of it is really hard yakka. did you get started in hard yakka. I think a lot the industry? of dreams get shattered I was just like most when you’re handed a little boys that like dinosaurs, except I didn’t jackhammer and a mattock and have to break grow out of it! I knew I had to have a PhD rock under the sun for 2 weeks straight. It’s in palaeontology, even from a young age, so actually a really multi-faceted job. In the field, there’s a lot of brute strength and endurance, I always felt like school was a waste of time because it ‘prevented’ me from doing what but also a skilled hand and elements of engineering. In the lab, it’s a lot more cerebral; I really wanted to do. Obviously, I was totally wrong! It wasn’t until I moved to Sydney to I spend most of my days reading and writing. do uni that it really started to come together, That is, when I’m not teaching or dealing with and from there I moved to Canada to study. the usual paperwork and nonsense that most That really opened my eyes and allowed me jobs have. to travel the word studying and digging up Continued over... COFFS COAST focus 19

my job, but I also have to find ways to fund it. Universities don’t automatically hand over their cash and say “off you go!”, but I have just got back from a month in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. Before that, it was Canada, and before that it was South Africa. That’s all this year. Making up for lost time over COVID, I reckon.

What area of the field do you work in, and what are your current roles? I’m a lecturer at the University of New England, so I do a lot of teaching and I also supervise MSc and PhD students. I really enjoy that because I see some of myself in them and it’s great to be able to help them on their journey. Then there’s the fieldwork and research aspect, which is my real passion. Can you share with us a bit about some of the projects you’ve worked on? I specialise in the study of dinosaur skin, which is always a weird thing to say to people. It’s not just bones we find, but also fossilised skin and feathers. But because there aren’t many 20 COFFS COAST focus

people who work in this area, I end up working with scientists all over the world, which is pretty cool. Looking at things that most people don’t, including other palaeontologists, you make discoveries all the time.

Most people are occupied with their bones, but skin is where it’s at! We discovered the first dinosaur belly button and a dinosaur with a fleshy rooster crest.

Your work takes you to some pretty remote parts of the world, what have been some of the most stand out places you have been to? I’m really lucky to get to travel a lot as part of

What have been some of the most exciting things you’ve discovered or learned about through your career?

Working on fossil skin and scales has been a lot of fun. Most people are occupied with their bones, but skin is where it’s at! We discovered the first dinosaur belly button and a dinosaur with a fleshy rooster crest. Figuring out that we can differentiate species of dinosaurs based on their scale patterns, just like a snake or a lizard, was a breakthrough early in my career, and that’s where I figured I could create a niche for myself in this profession.

Fortunately, I had really supportive parents and no one ever told me to get a real job. So, I think the main thing is, if you have the passion and the skills, then follow your dreams.

There are actually very few palaeontologists in the world, is there much demand for this kind of work? What would you say to anyone considering this field of work? There’s no denying it’s a hard slog. There are maybe 100-150 people in the world that get paid to dig up dinosaurs for a living. Palaeontology is much broader than that though; you can study fossil plants, fish, insects, mammals, but it’s still a slog. Realistically, you’re looking at around 10 years of uni then another 3-10 years of short-term, basically contract work. Then, if you’re lucky, you might land a permanent gig in a museum or at a uni. Fortunately, I had really supportive parents and no one ever told me to get a real job. So, I think the main thing is, if you have

the passion and the skills, then follow your dreams. What have been some of the most challenging and rewarding things about your job? As a 20-something, travelling the world was amazing, but these days being away from my family is hard. I know a lot of palaeontologists whose relationships didn’t work out long term because they’re often away and the other person is left at home picking up the pieces. I think it’s especially hard on the kids. My wife is amazing though, but we have to work hard to make sure that we’re both supported in the ways we need, not to mention the kids. Doing fieldwork is what really makes me happy, but it’s a double-edged sword. COFFS COAST focus 21

NOVEMBER 202 3

ATOMIC

3 10

LUNCHEON

The race that stops the nation! Round up the crew and enjoy a two course meal plus 3 hours drinks package with every race live and loud. When 7th November Where Coast Hotel Bookings Phone 6652 3007 or email Di at info@coasthotel.com.au 22 COFFS COAST focus

SHOWCASE

+ The Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Tour

This thrilling new rock musical, shines a light on the forgotten genius, Leo Szilard, and his involvement in the WWII Manhattan Project – a research and development undertaking that created the world’s first nuclear weapons. When 3rd of November until 26th November Where Jetty Theatre Tickets www.jettytheatre.com

MELBOURNE CUP

SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL

ALL WALLS STREET ART FESTIVAL

A brand new opportunity for quality street art to flourish, activating the city centre of Coffs Harbour. With this unique cultural and visual experience, we’re looking to transform the mundane and boring surfaces of Coffs Harbour and unlock the potential of the area to create a vibrant arts precinct, with a specific focus on the city centre. When 10th, 11th and 12th November Where Various locations More info allwallsfestival.com

THE R ADIATORS

The band’s fans young and old, still flock to grab a slice of living Aussie rock history and dance the night away to the great catchy songs and classic hits that make The Radiators an iconic name in Australian rock music. When 10th November Where Sawtell RSL Tickets $30 + bf at www.sawtellrsl.com.au

will be tearing up the freeways of Australia. Boasting a line-up of festival favourites and some of the freshest emerging talents, this jam-packed night of pure entertainment is bringing the best of the fest direct to you! When 18th November at Cex Coffs, 19th November at Cex Woolgoolga Where Cex Coffs and Woolgoolga Tickets $35 from www.cex.com.au

K AH - LO

Kah-Lo is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, best known for her song ‘Fasta’ and for her work on ‘Rinse and Repeat’ with British DJ, Riton. The track was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 59th Grammy Awards. Together, she and Riton have released ‘Betta Riddim’, ‘Money’ ft. Mr. Eazi and Davido, and Triple J hits ‘Fake ID’ and ‘Ginger’. When 24th November Where Hoey Moey Tickets www.oztix.com.au

Victoire Lokpo is a local 18 year old who has recently graduated high school. She has always dreamt of running her own business and last year she made that dream a reality by starting her own fitness apparel label, Kapable. Her first range launches this month, and we know this is only the beginning for this young entrepreneur.

i Victoire. What inspired you to pursue the dream of running your own business?

Ever since I was a little girl, I always had the dream of running my own business. I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit. From the age of 5, I started doing little side hustles like plucking my Mum's grey hairs for 50 cents a hair. When I turned 12, I got my first job at the local restaurant washing dishes. Over my teenage years, I've had many jobs, always determined to provide for myself and make my way through every chapter of my life. From babysitting to blueberry picking to working at local festivals and events, I've done it all. I have learned so much from every job I've had, and these experiences have shaped me into the young lady I am today. Although I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had at each job, I always knew that I wanted more. I knew I was ‘Kapable’ of more. I spent many of my teenage years awake at night thinking about my future. Some people would say I'm ‘’too young’’ to 24 COFFS COAST focus

Victoire

LOKPO

worry about my future; I've had people tell me lift myself out of that depressive state. As my to "relax and enjoy my youth years." But the love for fitness blossomed, so did my passion truth is, I am enjoying myself by doing what for gym wear. Fashion has always played I'm doing. Being an entrepreneur has always a significant role in my life, and these twin been a dream for me. passions inspired me to I'm now living that launch Kapable. My goal dream and I wouldn't is to become a part of My hope is change it for the world. my customers' fitness to encourage journeys, motivating Launching a business others to follow their them to maintain both straight out of passions and pursue mental and physical high school is quite their aspirations. health. Each month, as a ambitious. Can you Even though the path part of our commitment share the moment or may be demanding, to mental health, we the experiences that I firmly believe that donate a percentage led you to decide to everyone should of our proceeds to start Kapable Fitness strive to turn their support organizations Apparel at the age dreams into reality. like Headspace. This of 18? is a testament to our My decision to establish unwavering belief in the Kapable emerged when importance of mental well-being. I embarked on my fitness journey two years Why did you choose to focus exclusively ago. At that time, I battled depression and on women's gym wear initially? was actively seeking a stronger connection with God. I turned to fitness as a means to The primary focus of my designs is to offer

comfort and versatility. I am dedicated to delivering high-quality pieces with each sale, and I have unwavering confidence in my ability to do so. You can trust that Kapable will consistently provide top-tier gym wear to our customers. Why did you name your brand ‘Kapable’? When I began my fitness journey, I was in a really tough place, battling depression and feeling the need for a shift in my life. During those moments of doubt, I'd tell myself, "I'm capable" of tackling whatever I was questioning. This simple yet powerful phrase, "I am capable," served as my beacon of hope. It was this mantra, combined with the solace of prayer, that guided me through that challenging period. Together, they were my lifelines, helping me navigate the darkness and emerge from that rough patch stronger than ever. The official launch of Kapable Fitness Apparel is set for November 11th. Can you tell us more about It’s set to be the pre-launch party the highlight at Coffs Central, what of the year. Expect can attendees expect, live models, music, and what are you most light refreshments, excited about for this giveaways, and even event?

change rooms for

Yes of course, our Launch trying on our pieces. men's section. Party is the party you It’s going to be an don't want to miss. It's What have been amazing event. set to be the highlight the most significant of the year. Expect live lessons you've models, music, light learned so far as the refreshments, giveaways, and even change founder of Kapable Fitness Apparel? rooms for trying on our pieces. It's going to be Running a business has taught me the an amazing event. I'm eagerly looking forward importance of self-discipline, self-sacrifice, to showcasing my work to Coffs Harbour, patience, and dedication. Although challenges meeting our supporters, and offering them have arisen, Kapable has reinforced my belief high-quality gym wear. that I am truly 'kapable' of achieving anything I We hear you already have plans to expand set my mind to. to include a men's range in the near Looking ahead, what are your long-term future. What can we expect from the goals for Kapable Fitness Apparel, and men's line of Kapable Fitness Apparel? how do you envision the brand evolving in Yes, we're planning to introduce a men's the coming years? section in the near future. Anticipate highMy primary long-term goal is to transition from quality, long-lasting, comfortable, and stylish my home garage to a warehouse and gradually gym wear that will undoubtedly meet your expectations. I'm diligently perfecting the expand Kapable stores worldwide. I aspire to

become the leading fitness wear brand globally, and I have unwavering faith in my ability to achieve this, with God by my side I know I am truly ‘Kapable’ of achieving those goals. What message do you hope your entrepreneurial journey conveys to others, especially young women in regional areas? I aspire for my journey to stand as a testament to others, inspiring them to recognize their own potential in achieving their dreams. Despite the difficulties I faced, I managed to realise my dream through unwavering discipline and dedication. My hope is to encourage others to follow their passions and pursue their aspirations. Even though the path may be demanding, I firmly believe that everyone should strive to turn their dreams into reality. Thanks Victoire. COFFS COAST focus 25

BONSAI D A N

H O N O R S

Dan Honors is a bonsai grower/artist who has learnt his skills over years of practice and through bringing together knowledge from growers all over. He now has an impressive collection of trees himself and also offers workshops and demonstrations for others interested in learning this ancient artform.

ow did your journey with bonsai begin, and what sparked your interest in this ancient art form?

Can you share some insights into the variety of incredible, established bonsai trees in your collection? Are there any particular trees that hold special significance to you?

I used to grow orchids,

I grow a range of trees, from the commonly used species like junipers and japanese black pine, to a large variety of native trees. They all grow well in our climate, and with the right techniques, knowledge and time they can develop quickly to become great bonsai.

particularly native orchids and one place I used to get plants was next to a bonsai nursery. I would often wander through but always felt it was some exotic practise that I wouldn’t be able to do. Many years later I was growing native plants as well as orchids and studying horticulture at TAFE. Someone from the local Bonsai Club came in to do a talk on bonsai. I was highly anticipating it and when they asked if someone wanted to come up and cut off a branch, I jumped at the chance. Something changed in me that day and I was hooked. 26 COFFS COAST focus

I have been doing bonsai for around 10 years and have had some of my trees for this time. They were raw stock when I acquired them and they reflect my journey in bonsai, both my mistakes when starting out, and the skills and experience I have gained. There are 2 trees that are always high on my list of favourites. I have a large native fig that

has had a few accidents along the way that is now maturing into a high quality bonsai. I also have a lilly pilly that always gets attention, and amazement that it is a native, when I take it to markets. It flowers prolifically and always gives a good crop of delicious fruit. Your passion for sharing knowledge about bonsai is evident. Why is it important for you to pass on your expertise, and what benefits do you see in fostering a community of bonsai enthusiasts? I struggled when I first started in bonsai to get good material and supplies on the Mid North Coast. I would have to travel to the Central Coast, Sydney and Canberra to access materials and education. I started my business to make supplies available to local enthusiasts and I am currently developing workshops to

provide quality education. The response and interest has been growing and I am always up for a chat about bonsai, whether helping someone starting out, or talking more deeply with people that have been doing bonsai for many years. Building a good community around bonsai means that all practitioners, whatever their level, can access support and good quality information. Who and what most inspires you?

have a youthful flush of lush, vibrant growth. Old and young together. What greater lessons have you learnt through working with bonsai? Patience and persistence, things in Bonsai take time. By sticking with something over a long period of time and not focusing on quick results I have learnt to value the accumulation and development of skills and experience that will continue for as long as I practice.

There are many great practitioners at the I also appreciate the natural world around me. moment who are I am always looking at using the techniques trees and plants, thinking of bonsai to create about the influences By sticking new interpretations of on them and how they with something the art. Rather than have responded. I am over a long period of reproducing what the learning more deeply time and not japanese artists have about trees and I am done, they are using focusing on quick constantly amazed at trees native to their results, I have learnt their ability to be so countries and applying to value the old and yet constantly their aesthetics to the accumulation and renew themselves. The composition which forces that shape the development of skills reflects the culture and environment are so and experience that environment that they much larger than me and will continue for as come from. both the trees and the

long as I practice.

I’m particularly inspired by our native landscapes, from towering forests, to gnarly wind beaten coastal bush and the branch patterns and tree forms that vary across species and eco systems. I love that an old, gnarly tree with many signs of damage and adaptation can

ecosystems they inhabit are so much older. Time for a forest, or even a single tree is very different to what time is to a human. Are there any particular native species that you find particularly well-suited for

bonsai, and what advice do you have for individuals interested in starting bonsai? Native figs are a great tree, particularly for beginners. They respond well to common bonsai techniques and are very resilient. Lilli pillys, melaleucas and water gums are also trees I work with regularly that develop fast and are easy to care for. Growing or keeping a bonsai doesn’t have to be difficult. Get to shows and events to see bonsai and talk to people about it. Seek out help and support whenever you need it. Local clubs are a great place to start. They usually have experienced members who are happy to help people starting out, or you can reach out to someone like myself. Looking ahead, do you have any plans or projects on the horizon for your bonsai collection, talks, or workshops that you would like to share with the community? I am always looking to develop my trees further and get regular in depth education from those with more experience than me. I would love to share this with the wider community and as such I am currently developing workshops to help those interested in either starting out, or wanting to develop their skills and knowledge more. People can follow me on Instagram (@thebonsaibus) and Facebook (The Bonsai Bus) or subscribe to be notified of upcoming events that I will be attending, or workshops as I offer them at www.bonsaibus.com.au COFFS COAST focus 27

ARTIST of the MONTH

Anna Wallman Anna Wallman has her first exhibition opening at the Bellingen Brewery on Thursday 23rd November. She will be showing her latest collection of paintings, which are large, colourful, eclectic and beautiful! We think she’s one to watch...

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i Anna, you’ve always loved art since you were a kid. How do you feel you have evolved as an artist over the last couple of years in

particular?

I feel like I have evolved most recently by paying more attention to my surroundings and the themes that appear to link together collectively. Following trails of breadcrumbs and not being afraid to see where they lead. I have also tried to move away from painting what I think people will like, (or buy) and focus more on what feels good for me. Trusting my intuition has helped me realise

a long term goal of mine which is to be able to paint absolutely what I want rather than what I feel others want, and this has made me aware that I can now paint for my lifetime and be constantly fulfilled creatively. How would you describe your style? Are there any particular techniques or mediums you’re exploring at the moment? Colourful, playful, free, eclectic are words I would choose. A lot of my work is figurative and leans towards erotic and I've been introducing new techniques that have made the creative process slightly more abstract. Using my non-dominant hand when sketching out reference pieces is a favourite. Cutting

lines with solid colour blocking, not worrying about mistakes and allowing them to be involved in the layering. Watercolours have been my go to for a long time and I'm probably better known for using them but for now I'm enjoying the freedom of acrylics and the combinations of colours. Can you tell us a bit about your current work and the inspirations behind them? The female form is where I'm focused right now. Portraits not with a goal of likeness but more a bright, colourful representation of differing quirky personalities.There is definitely some self I love having to reflection of myself step back and within these pieces. A away to take it all in not so hidden theme I've but equally being up and was (still am, let's snuck into all of them is close to the canvas face it) really inspired the highlighting of their feels like sitting in by a French graffiti hands. This progressive a sunset and being artist who goes by theme, painting after surrounded by it. the name Fafi. After a painting, happened very while of playing on big naturally. I think my job surfaces and spending as a support worker all the money I had earnt working weekends influenced this process as I use my hands so at Macca's I learnt very quickly that canvases much in this role. Whether driving someone weren't sustainable, not just financially but somewhere or assisting them physically, it's physically too. They take up a huge amount given me a new admiration of not only the of space and when I packed my bags and people living with a disability but also an took off travelling it was so much easier to appreciation of my capabilities and how much take along watercolour pads and paints. For my own hands (and feet!) have done so much me that's the initial difference, practicality. I for me and the people I assist. My work has feel I've completed a circle and I'm back to given me an appreciation of the freedom canvases and I'm loving it. Large canvases and autonomy I have over my body as well are a whole body involvement, I'm not sitting as opening my eyes to the lack of education and concentrating. I'm constantly moving about, and the lack of exposure a lot of and I love having to step back and away to people have to others living with a disability. take it all in but equally being up close to the It's amazing how hard the people I work with canvas feels like sitting in a sunset and being try to constantly push themselves to behave surrounded by it. The freedom of acrylic at and work in our society instead of the rest of this scale is refreshing, make a mistake, paint us learning more about their needs and how over it. Water colour is so fluid and hard to we can educate ourselves to make life for control. I don't even mind that they are more them just like ours. anchoring now. I may have to hold on to them These pieces are about autonomy and for years to come and for someone who has freedom of being a woman. (…who works in a tendency to not have many possessions disability) in case I feel like packing up and leaving You are doing some larger pieces at the whenever I want, it's probably one of the moment. What is it like working on a biggest personal changes I've been through. I don't want to leave anymore. large scale as opposed to some of the smaller pieces you’ve done? You have an exhibition opening this I used to do large scale paintings in my teens

month. Can you tell us a bit about it?

This will be my very first show ever! It will be a solo show at the Bellingen Brewery on Thursday the 23rd of November. The Brewery opens their doors at 5pm and the show will officially start at 6pm. There will be some nibbles and a glass upon arrival. I’ve organised to have a dear friend Kitty Carrigg singing her beautiful songs on guitar too. If the nibbles whet your appetite, the Brewery has a great ‘Pizza and Beer’ deal on Thursdays that should keep you happy. What sort of preparation goes into a show like this? Working on new pieces, interviews (thank you Daisy), editing interviews (thank you Gary), taking photos of the work, photos and more recently videos, of me making the work, content for instagram (thank you Gavin and Claire), graphics for posters (thank you Joelan), restocking paint and canvases, convincing my partner to make floating frames for all the works (thank you Adam xx), and lots of love and support from friends cheering you on. Where can people find all the details on the exhibition or get in touch? Easiest way would be through instagram or a direct email. I’m pretty active on instagram. I share my processes, finished works and bits about my general life. I’ll be doing my best to advertise and market the show as much as I can online but I will also be doing some general posters on community notice boards. Thanks Anna. COFFS COAST focus 29

focus_contributor.

PFLAG with SAM DAWSON

from Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays

The week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, people and organisations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues members of the community face.

he aim of Transgender Awareness Week is to promote trans visibility and make people who aren’t transgender understand the discrimination that trans people face. When someone’s gender identity does not align with the sex they were registered with at birth, they may identify as transgender or trans. An example of this could be a person who was registered as male when they were born, but identifies as female; this person may identify as a trans woman. On the other hand, someone who was registered as female when they were born but identifies as male may identify as a trans man. A person who does not identify as male or female, or solely as one of those two genders, may identify as non-binary. It is often used as an umbrella term for many different gender identities that fall outside of the male/female gender binary, for example genderqueer. Transgender Awareness Week is also a time for celebration. As a marginalised community, transgender people face a lot of discrimination. A lot of the stories told about trans people focus on the difficulties of being trans and rarely share positive stories. Transgender Awareness Week creates a space for celebrating transgender joy and encourages a shift in the popular narrative. 30 COFFS COAST focus

There is a unique kind of joy experienced by trans people that can come from a number of things that people might take for granted. Things that add to this joy include being addressed with the correct pronouns, being fully accepted in new spaces, or being perceived as their correct gender.

and teaching resources available to those who need them. Access to information can help both transgender people looking for support and cisgender people who are looking to learn more.

Sistergirls and Brotherboys.

PFLAG+ is here to give help, support and share information to families and friends to everyone in LGBTQAP+ community right here on the Coffs Coast.

Transgender Awareness Week is also a great way to help young transgender people realise that there are more trans This is also a week for people out there. Being Everyone non-transgender people able to find support online deserves to (known as ‘cisgender’) to and seeing that there are live with dignity and learn more about the trans dedicated spaces for trans community from the trans people can provide muchrespect, and have the community. It’s essential needed relief for young same opportunity that cisgender people people. This is important to build good lives learn about transgender as we know how everyone for themselves, people from the actual deserves to live with regardless of their community, rather than dignity and respect, and gender identity or secondary sources. have the same opportunity expression. to build good lives for It’s important to note that themselves, regardless of Transgender Awareness their gender identity or Week is for all non-gender-conforming people, expression. including non-binary people, two-spirit people, Transgender Awareness Week is important because transgender people face a much higher rate of discrimination, including violence and bullying. Having awareness weeks such as this one typically means that there are more learning

pflagaustralia.org.au PFLAG+coffcoast 0417 861 045

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M E L B O U R N E

M A R I N A P R I O R & D A V I D H O B S O N

C U P

C.ex Coffs

elebrate Melbourne Cup in style at Ribeye Rooftop Bar!

plus giveaways throughout the day and some spectacular prizes for our best dressed ladies and gents for Fashions on the Field.

The unmistakable thunder of galloping hooves, the rustle of elegant dresses, and the clinking of champagne glasses—these are the sounds that paint the picture of one of Australia’s most celebrated events, the Lexus Melbourne Cup.

If you’re interested in making the Melbourne Cup celebration a truly special day, gather your friends, family, or colleagues and purchase your tickets today! Tickets are $69.90 and on sale now via cex.com.au or visit us at the club.

This year, C.ex Coffs invites you to join us in style at Ribeye Rooftop Bar for the 2023 Melbourne Cup Luncheon – Tuesday 7 November from 12 pm. Start the day off with a complimentary beverage on arrival choosing from an Aperol Spritz, glass of sparkling or a cold beer from our wide selection on tap. Then the twocourse buffet will tantalise your taste buds with a delectable array of dishes including mini beef mignons, pulled pork sliders, zucchini and corn fritters, sesame crusted salmon, king prawns, a selection of gourmet salads and delicious petit fours to finish off. The delights don’t end there with all the action from Flemington live on the big screen 32 COFFS COAST focus

Beyond the Melbourne Cup Luncheon, C.ex Coffs is your go-to destination for live entertainment. Get ready for two incredible shows during November including: Marina Prior & David Hobson “After 4 years of selling out 180+ shows and over 85,000 tickets sold around the country, Soprano and Tenor powerhouse legends of Musical Theatre and Opera, Marina Prior & David Hobson embark on their Encore Tour, ‘The 2 Of Us’, in up-close and personal mode. Brand new songs, back-stage and life stories, including the classics from their vast repertoire. Accompanied by pianist David Cameron, in a 2-hour performance, Marina and David will perform their classics from productions such as The Phantom of The Opera, Cats, 9 To 5 The

Musical, Evita, Les Miserables, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and La Boheme, as well as favourites from their award-winning albums. Hear the classics and their recorded favourites with a hint of humour thrown in! Definitely a show not to be missed!” Friday 17 November, 8pm | $57 The Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Tour The Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Tour will be tearing up the freeways of Australia. Boasting a line-up of festival favourites and some of the freshest emerging talents. This jam-packed night of pure entertainment is bringing the best of the fest direct to you! Expertly curated and lovingly presented, the showcase will feature some of the festival’s hottest acts live on stage for an incredible two hours of hard-hitting laughter. This hilarious show promises to leave you in stitches. Saturday 18 November, 8pm | $35 | 18+ For more information on upcoming shows and free live entertainment at C.ex Coffs visit cex.com.au

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NIGERIAN DANCE ARTIST KAH-LO WILL BE HITTING THE STAGE AT THE HOEY MOEY ON THE 24TH NOVEMBER. HERE, SHE WRITES ABOUT THE LONG JOURNEY THAT BROUGHT HER TO THIS ACHIEVEMENT.

KAH-LO 36 COFFS COAST focus

always knew I would become a musician, before I even knew how to spell the word. I always wrote poetry and other bits, but didn’t start making music until I met a bunch of like-minded friends in secondary school in the mid-noughties. Prior to meeting these friends – most of them rappers and boys – a lot of my dreams of becoming a musician seemed so wildly far-fetched that at 13, my teachers and classmates once sat me down and, out of genuine concern, tried to talk me out of chasing these dreams. Growing up in Nigeria at the time, telling most people you wanted to make music for a living was like telling them you wanted to toss your life in the trash. Telling them you wanted to make globally accepted music was even worse. To be a successful musician – one who made a lucrative living, was so beyond anyone’s imagination, you started to sound crazier the older you got. It was a dream that was never validated until I met those friends. We wanted to make music Nigerians had never even thought to make, and we wanted it to be so good it would be heard, respected, and measured on the same plane as the musicians we idolised. We started to see what could be possible when a label called Storm Records launched with a slew of

rappers, musicians and producers fusing Nigerian instruments and slang with western patterns and flow in a way we had never heard before. They had Naeto C and Ikechukwu, who came onto the rap scene fresh from New York. They also had Sasha P – a standout female MC who started out with one of the first rap collectives known as the Trybesmen. She came back on the scene with a blink-andyou’ll-miss-it lyrical maturity I’m still decoding to this day. It started to dawn on me that our dreams were, indeed, valid. These rappers weren’t making afropop or afro-anything. They were making rap. But this was 2007, and afropop itself was barely even scratching the surface, let alone Nigerian artists making western-adjacent music in Nigerian accents. However, I left Lagos for New York in 2009 — knowing at the very least, it was possible. I eventually started cultivating a sound and posting my original music to SoundCloud. I started getting messages from DJs asking to use the monotone deadpan talk-rap sections of my reverb heavy alt-R&B over dance music. In that era, dance music was dubstep and Baauer’s “Harlem Shake,” so these requests confused me. How would it even work? I eventually connected with electronic producer Riton via Twitter, and used

what was then my last $20 to head to the studio in Brooklyn to record with him. We made two tracks. One of them was a carefully written alt-R&B number, and the other was “Rinse and Repeat.” At his insistence, I used the talk-rap style over a minimalist dance beat he had made. I had never made dance music before – at least not intentionally. I couldn’t fathom how a genre I mostly associated with looped vocals and sample-heavy hits from the early-2000s by the likes of Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim and Groove Armada could possibly command significant attention. The climate of dance music I knew at the time didn’t accommodate such stylings. I cried on the way home and decided to move back home to Lagos since it was clear music wouldn’t work out for me. Who would listen to that? I was wrong. The song became a global hit. Over the next few years, I would perform in places I had yet to even dream of. All over Europe, North America opening for Sofi Tukker, touring in Australia and a brief gig in Russia. Albeit incredible, it was also a bit uncomfortable. The bulk of the shows would be lineups full of white male DJs where I’d end up being the only Black person/woman on the stage. Sometimes, it would be entire towns where I seemed to be the only Black person there at all.

Kah-Lo

Catch Kah-Lo on the 24th of November at the Hoey Moey Early Bird Tickets $22.95 from oztix COFFS COAST focus 37

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Image by - SeenAustralia

H O U S E

We caught up with Ian Fitzgibbon, Acting Director of City Planning and Communities from the City of Coffs Harbour to find out all about the Coffs Coast’s newest coffee house and the other community facilities on offer in Yarrila Place.

i Ian, 2D Café’s aren’t that common, tell us a bit about the 2D concept.

Excitingly, this is the first 2D Café in NSW! Looking like a drawing that you can step right into, 2D Coffee House strips back all the colour you would expect to find in a new cafe. In place of the colours, every surface has been hand painted to create the illusion of being immersed in a cartoon-like, two-dimensional world. Located in the same building as Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM), there is a nice synergy between the café being an immersive work of art and exhibitions, collections, artists and stories. We encourage visitors to engage with the 2D Café on Instagram and ‘be the colour’ and ‘be the third dimension’ of the café. 40 COFFS COAST focus

What’s on offer on the menu?

house made wraps, sandwiches and salad bowls every day, plus some delicious warm filled filo pastries, muffins, yoghurt cups and cupcakes.

Well, first up, let’s talk about the coffee. Obviously, we understand the importance of serving For the sustainability We’ve connected great coffee, there’s no focused (that’s all of us, with Coffs café without it. We’ve right?) we have two great Coast locals, Dark connected with Coffs cup options to avoid Arts Coffee Roasters; Coast locals, Dark Arts single use cups. First, you Elijah knows his way Coffee Roasters; Elijah can choose to upgrade around the beans and knows his way around your cup to a fully edible we’re proud to be the beans and we’re Edi Cup. Made from the serving his amazing proud to be serving his highest quality oats and amazing coffee. More of grains, each Edi Cup is coffee. a tea drinker? We’ve got 100% vegan and a great you covered as well, and source of fibre. If you’re again with a local connection in Red Sparrow not keen to munch on your cup, they can just Tea Company. be treated as greenwaste and will break down naturally in just a few weeks. Our second Food wise, we’re serving up a selection of fresh,

Themed like a home interior, you could keep busy for hours taking in all the details Mila has captured, from framed ‘prints’ of our famous jetty and Muttonbird Island, to candles and pet portraits.

option is our ‘Swap and Go’ cup from Green Caffeen, you simply sign up in the app and we’ll make your coffee to go in one of the reusable cups, then you just return it next time you’re passing or swap it for a fresh one with your next coffee. We take care of the washing and sanitising for you. It’s a keep cup without the clean up!

What about sweet treats for when we need that afternoon pick-me-up in the workday, have you got anything to fill that void? We totally have you covered here! Freakshakes are our thing! Imagine a milkshake with a snack balanced on top. We have traditional flavours like Choc Mint Smash that comes topped with Aero bar, peppermint crisp dust and chocolate wafers or if you’re feeling really outrageous, go for the Rainbow Bright. It’s exactly as it sounds, a collision of colour; a bright blue, vanilla flavoured shake topped with fairy floss, sour straps, marshmallows and of course, a lollypop! Or, you could just opt for an iced latte and one of our house baked cupcakes.

Looking around, you get the feeling there are more than a couple of hours of work in these walls, tell us about the artist who brought the concept to life.

We worked with the very talented Mila Nascimentto, a Brazilianborn tattoo artist who has a studio and gallery called Aquarius Arcade here in Coffs. All of the artwork on the walls, tables and chairs was designed and hand drawn by Mila. Themed like a home interior, you could keep busy for hours taking in all the details Mila has captured, from framed ‘prints’ of our famous jetty and Muttonbird Island, to candles and pet portraits. Every line was hand drawn and from start to finish, the project took Mila over 110 hours to complete. Very soon, Mila will be offering art classes from her studio so if you’re keen to create your own 2D space at home, check out her class timetable. Yarrila Place is a pretty impressive building, for those who haven’t been in for a look around yet, tell us what we can expect – Yarrila Place is also home to Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) and Harry Bailey Memorial Library. These facilities are state-of-the-art and include a specialised Make Space Digital Studio,

Workshop space, Learning Lab and fantastic Story Space for our littlest book worms. The community are already making the most of these wonderful facilities with over 23,000 visitors to the library, 700 new library members and over 10,000 visitors to YAM in the first month. 2D Coffee House is at the rear of Yarrila Place, on Riding Lane. The café is open 7 days a week, Monday to Friday | 0630 – 1500 and Saturday + Sunday | 0930 – 1400 COFFS COAST focus 41

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Hi, I'm Mark. I specialise in crafting unique, eventful and truly special ceremonies, that bring people together to share deeply personal and authentic experiences. I would be honoured to be a part of your special day and help you to create a ceremony that you will treasure for a lifetime. I am a skilled writer and speaker with a knack for delivering ceremonies that are heartfelt, inspiring and memorable.

My goal for your ceremony is to ensure that you won’t have to worry or think about a single thing. You can just relax and cherish the experiences with those you love.

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COFFS COAST focus 43

ILLY is set to play in Port Macquarie on the 10th November and Coffs Harbour on the 11th, so we sat down for a chat with him ahead of these shows to find out what he’s been up to and what we can expect from the tour.

ey Illy. Can you tell us about the latest music you’ve been working on?

I put out the last album in January 2021, but wasn’t able to tour because of the second wave of COVID lockdowns. I just got back in the studio, and have basically been working on new music since then with the intention of eventually getting an album together. My single Heartless has just come out as the first taste of that new music. You’ve worked on a few collaborations with other artists, what’s it like coming together with another artist to create music? What do you enjoy about it? It’s a lot of fun. I mean Hopeless I had written with some friends, even before the pandemic, but I kept it off the last album because of the inability to play it live and I really wanted to be releasing it when it was possible to play it live at shows. So it’s been in existence for a little while. It’s always a little different when the song already exists, and then you’re pitching 44 COFFS COAST focus

it to an artist to jump on rather than writing usually have a vocal in mind. I usually have an it with them in the same room. But I loved idea of where I hear the track going and then it and I knew it was a really strong song, so see who would be a good fit for that. thankfully the first person that we sent it Where are you drawing inspiration from to was Indiana, and at the moment? she loved it and was I mean, the same as down to jump on it. usual, it’s usually from If I was able So it made the whole experiences that I’ve to sing I process very easy, which had or experiences would probably do is nice. It’s not always my friends or family like that. Even though a lot of it myself, have gone through, she is based in LA, I but since I’m not it’s generally from a think when the artist the greatest singer real life experience. hears the song and in the world I leave Although it might not immediately is like ‘yeah that to the pros. be just one breakup or I love this’ everything one relationship or one just kind of falls into interaction, it might place pretty quickly. be drawing from a lot What is your process usually like when of different things and then making it into a putting new music together? narrative that works as a song. Generally, more often than not, the song We had a chat with you at the end of will be written before it’s sent to an artist to 2021, how do you feel your music has feature on it. If I was able to sing I would evolved over the last couple of years? probably do a lot of it myself, but since I’m I’ve been working with new people, which not the greatest singer in the world I leave has been fun. A lot of my earlier stuff was that to the pros. When I write the song, I’ll

with quite a small circle of collaborators. Now I think the music that I’m making probably has a little bit more of a live element. There’s more of a band element to a lot of the tracks. You can kind of hear that in Hopeless, there’s lots of guitar, there’s lots of drums. So I think that’s maybe one thing that I’ve noticed when I listen to everything that I’ve got, I notice a trend that way. But the focus is still the same in writing songs that people can relate to, there’s a lot of melody, I like to keep the raps good without being overdone or trying to put on too much aggression or anything. I try to make music that people are gonna like and be able to have fun with, and it’s got to be good live. That has always been super important to me. You’re going to be playing in Port Macquarie on the 10th Nov, and Coffs Harbour on the 11th. What can we expect from this show? I know Hopeless has just come out, and a lot of times you’d be doing a regional tour around the new album, but with that not being the case for now, I really just wanted to get out and play shows. We’ve been able to go back through my catalog, and there’s some songs that haven’t been in the playlist for years that we’re getting to give a run out again, which has been really fun. We’ll be playing some unreleased stuff, which will come out next year and then all the songs people know. So we’ve got a new setlist, but even though it’s a new setlist most of the songs are ones that people will know and they may not have heard for a while at a show.

every muscle in my body hurts! My voice is obviously halfway out. But it has been really worth it and I love doing this and I love playing my music for people and getting to go around the country and around the world. I’m hardwired to do it. What’s next for you? I mean, there’s a lot more shows to do before the end of this tour! But other than that it is really just about finishing the next album. There’s plenty of stuff to do there. I’ll be busy till the end of the year for sure, if not into next year. Where can people find concert tickets and check out your new music?

I think when the artist hears the song and

immediately is like yeah I love this everything just

kind of falls into place pretty quickly.

My website illyal.com, all the information everyone needs is there. Thanks Illy.

What do you enjoy most about getting up in front of an audience and performing live? Crowd interaction is huge. After the last few years of not being able to do it, I realise how much I’ve grown up with that being part of my life. So just reconnecting with that has been a lot of fun. I mean, I say it’s been a lot of fun, but almost COFFS COAST focus 45

all Walls

streetArt f e s t i v a l

JARAD DANBY, CO-DIRECTOR (MURALIST) LINDSAY RUSSELL, CO-DIRECTOR (MARKETING AND EVENTS)

All Walls Street Art Festival is running in Coffs from the 10th-20th November. There will be public street murals being created, workshops and some exciting events to boot! We spoke to Co-Directors Lindsay Russell and Jarad Danby about what we can expect from this new art festival.

ey Lindsay & Jarad, tell us where the idea behind the All Walls Art Festival came from?

We met at a networking event at Alt Collective in Sawtell. With both of us wanting to continue contributing towards the Coffs Coast’s creative communities, we figured we would team up. Lindsay’s festival experience paired with Jarad’s street art career seemed the perfect fit for a Street Art Festival. The planning really started in 2022, as a first-year event there are so many hurdles to overcome. We have something really special in store, and are proud of what we are bringing to the region. Who are some of the artists and works being displayed? We have some exciting local artists on board, including Gus Eagleton and Matty Day, as well as some of Australia’s most renowned mural artists like Steen Jones and Tayla 46 COFFS COAST focus

Broekman! On top of that we have Eve Bracewall, an on-the-rise emerging artist based in Sydney. We are thrilled to also have an international artist from Spain who will be ingratiating the streets of Coffs with their artwork. Being the first of its kind here on the Coffs Coast, what can people expect from the week's festivities?

From a festival launch party and art-related workshops, to a closing party with live musicwe have lots of goods in store. The best part is, you can keep enjoying the murals beyond the festival period. These permanent installations will be part of our community for a long time to come.

We want to open opportunities for artists, not restrict them. Art should be accessible to everyone, and that’s really one of our goals with the festival.

We encourage people to check out our festival street art map on our website. Go on a morning, lunchtime or afternoon stroll and you might catch a glimpse of the artists in action. Getting to see the creative process is all part of the festivities! Plus, engaging with the festival by walking around the City Centre is free, so perfect for those on a budget.

What would you say are going to be some of the highlights for the event? Of course - the art! We can’t wait to see more art added to the already thriving street art scene of Coffs Harbour.

We’re also going to be quenching your thirst with our very own All Walls Beer at our favourite local brewery, King Tide Brewing. You can drink it all week long, but come check out the can reveal at our launch party on 11 Nov. Our workshop program is also

All Walls Street Art Festival evolving to maintain its unique identity and purpose? looking really diverse and unique. People with all skill set levels will get to learn various art mediums. From craft n’ sip with Katy Dee of Shiztastic to Messy Art Playgroups with Caitlin Mansfield and more - there is a little something for everyone. Our closing party is also going to be awesome for live music lovers. The party will be hosted at the region’s newest live music venue, BACKROOM. We’ll have 3 bands Chinwag, Vinted Vineer, and Venus Flytrap putting on an epic show. Tickets are going to sell out fast for that one, so make sure you get onto it quickly. Tell us about the process of transforming public spaces with art during the festival. How do you choose the locations, and what impact do you hope the art will have on these spaces? Activating the city centre was our goal this year. We spent countless hours walking around the city centre identifying blank walls that looked like they could use a

little beautification. We then worked with business owners who were eager to get involved. The Coffs Hotel, Bridge Knowledge, McGrath Estate Agents, Coffs Office Supplies, Fitstop, and of course King Tide Brewing have all been extremely supportive of the movement. Street art often carries strong messages or social commentary. Can you highlight some of the key themes or messages that have been explored in the festival's artworks? We’ve encouraged artists to take creative control over their concepts for this year's festival, as we believe that to be a key element in self expression and visual communication, however many of the artists will be painting themes that represent the region and everything that it has to offer, including its geographical features and animals. As street art becomes more mainstream, how do you see the future of the

We’re aiming to make All Walls an annual event, and while the heart of the festival will always be in Coffs, we see great potential in expanding our colourful reach to surrounding towns like Woolgoogla, Sawtell, and Grafton, while continuing to engage with the local community and bringing a resplendent splash of colour to some of the streets that we all know and love. We want to open opportunities for artists, not restrict them. Art should be accessible to everyone, and that's really one of our goals with the festival. How can individuals and the Coffs Coast community get involved in, or support the festival's mission and activities? Check out the program of events at allwallsfestival.com and make sure to follow us @allwallsfestival on social media. Enjoying the festival is easily done on a budget, even if it means doing a simple street art walking tour! If you can’t attend, a social media share goes a long way! Thanks. COFFS COAST focus 47

Jeremy

HANNAFORD

i Jeremy. Can you share with us a bit about how you discovered the art of jewellery making?

I am a self taught jeweller. What began as a means to support a travelling gypsy lifestyle selling photography and digital art from a backpack at music festivals, has evolved over time into selling gemstones and macrame jewellery at markets and festivals around the world. Then I moved onto having a physical studio and workshop in Bellingen where my artistic journey has further progressed with a heavy focus on silver and gold handmade jewellery. People often ask me how I learned 48 COFFS COAST focus

Jeremy Hannaford is an artist who has evolved into a talented jeweller through experimentation and drawing inspiration from other areas of his life that he is passionate about also. The Silver Mill now has two shopfronts in Bellingen, where his work is all handmade and totally unique.

silversmithing, and although it's somewhat of an ambiguous journey it is all interrelated. I am largely self taught through You Tube and hours and hours of experimentation, so I have no formal training but a lot of practice. I have done a couple of short courses with different jewellers to learn some basics or further certain skills. I was also a member of the Hammer and Hand in Byron Bay which was a collective of around 12 different jewellers. This environment both influenced and inspired me immensely.

form known as Vjing (Visual Jockey – think Djing but with pictures). This, at the time I was at university, was very much an emerging art form with no formal course and so to learn the practice I had to teach myself. That was one of the greatest things I took from university; how to apply myself to learn new things that I didn't have the guidance for...

As a self taught artist, what has that learning journey been like?

Having a physical shop front has allowed me many hours to hone my craft and experiment with various techniques. I have a number of pieces I call happy accidents where something hasn't worked out as planned but the result has been a new line, or at least some new techniques.

I studied media art and production at university and through that found an art

Where do you often draw inspiration from for your designs?

T H E

I am heavily influenced and motivated by music. This was where my artistic journey began, and I spend most days listening to music and creating. My mood will determine the music I listen to and therefore the pieces that are created.

A lot of what I create comes from experimentation. I also like to picture people I know and love and make things that I think they’d look good in, whether they know it or not!

I also love stories of ancient jewellery being dug up and the whos, wheres and whys that get attached to that. Ancient tribal through to modern tribal cultures, dance, and nature are all influences of mine. I have been collaborating recently with various musicians from around the world, to show my appreciation for what I do and to connect with like minded people. I’m also greatly influenced by history, both fiction and non-fiction stories of culture, dance, and art of all forms… You have a lot of experience in sourcing gemstones and crystals, what are some of your favourite stones to work with? After travelling the world buying and selling stones I realised that sourcing locally was the way to go. Although I still use stones from all over the world I have a tendency

to lean towards Australian stones such as boulder opal and sapphire. Knowing the source and that there is generally less exploitation and environmental impact is very important to me.

Can you tell us a bit about your creative process when working on a piece? I’m not sure how much method there is to my madness. A lot of what I create comes from experimentation. I also like to picture people I know and love and make things that I think they’d look good in, whether they know it or not! You have two shops in Bellingen now. How has it been for you to have these as a base and what has the response been like from the community? The community response has been amazing. When I first moved here to open the shop a long time local welcomed me home. I also teach and mentor and have taught countless people of all ages and interests the art of silversmithing. Some people passing through may come and make rings together to remember their

S I L V E R

M I L L

holiday, other younger students have done more extensive workshops making multiple pieces for school projects. Can you tell us a bit about some of your other creative endeavours? My creative journey began with multimedia photography, digital design and filmmaking. This led me to be a VJ and I performed alongside some of my favourite musicians around Australia doing live animation. I have started working on some sculptural pieces too. Do you have any other big plans or creative projects that you’re dreaming up for the future? I plan on doing some larger form sculptures. I am hoping to combine some Djing with my Video work into a live performance. Where can people check out your work or get in touch? I have two shops in Bellingen. My workshop and studio/shop front at the Old Butter Factory, and then my main shopfront is opposite the Post Office on the main street of town. 0409 711 463 TheSilverMillGallery@gmail.com thesilvermill.com.au COFFS COAST focus 49

WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD 2 0 24 N O M I N AT I O N S

THE SEARCH IS ON AGAIN to recognise outstanding women in the Coffs Coast region who demonstrate innovation, commitment, and a significant contribution to empowering members of the community within the local government area.

he International Women’s Day - Coffs Coast - Woman of the Year Award, an initiative of the IWD Planning Committee in 2015, was set up to acknowledge the positive contribution of women in the region of the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area and Bellingen Shire. It aims to recognise nominees who are involved in voluntary, community, business or professional work, and who, within that arena, would be displaying vision and initiative inside their role. Past award winners include Christina Monneron (2015), Charlotte Young (2016), Jane Tavener (2017), Aunty Bea Ballangarry (2018), Shelley Lowe (2019), Lily Isobella (2020), Emma Aspden (2021), Jade Naidu (2022) and Doris Cowan (2023). In 2018 a Runner Up Award was introduced, won by Kyla Holley (2018), Kamla RuthnamWebb (2019) Auntie Kerrie Burnet (2020), Lisa Nichols and Angelika Aulerich (2021), Jodie 50 COFFS COAST focus

Wood (2022) and Yvonne Richards (2023). Nominations are now being called for the 2024 IWD Coffs Coast Woman of the Year Award, to be announced at the IWD Breakfast, now in its 25th year, on Friday 8th March 2024. The three major women’s groups in Coffs Harbour, the Zonta Club of Coffs Harbour Inc., Business and Professional Women (BPW) of Coffs Coast and the Coffs Coast Business Women’s Network Inc. (BWN) come together to organise the IWD Breakfast to acknowledge the positive contribution of women and girls in the region of the Coffs Coast, and to recognise the winner, and runner up of the Woman of the Year Award. Criteria The International Women’s Day Coffs Coast Woman of the Year Award 2024 will honour a woman who: • Makes a key contribution in enhancing and improving the lives of citizens within the local community.

• Promotes economic, cultural and or social well-being of citizens within the community. • Is actively engaged with the local community in either a voluntary, community, business or professional capacity. • Is a resident of the Coffs Coast (Coffs Harbour Local Government Area and Bellingen Shire). The two awards will consist of an inscribed trophy and publicity for the women and their cause. A cash prize; $1,500 for the major award winner, co-sponsored by The Physio Movement (TPM) and the Hoey Moey and $1,000 for the runner up, sponsored by One Agency Coffs Harbour, allows both the winners to advance their objectives. All finalists are recognised and acknowledged for their own achievements. Nomination Forms are now available by email from: iwdwotycc@gmail.com as well as on the Facebook page IWD Coffs Coast. Closing date is 15 December 2023.

COFFS COAST focus 51

Making the right choice for you

home care

ome Care Package Providers

Home Care Packages are designed to help you maintain your independence and lifestyle in your own home but with so many options and decisions, how do you know you’re making the right choice for you? The first step is to select an approved home care package provider to help you manage your plan and budget. While home care provider options may seem vast, there are two basic ways to manage your plan: 1. Traditional care providers, or 2. Self-managed care. Traditional Providers Traditional service providers deliver fully managed home care, putting them in charge of every aspect of your care – from finances through to scheduling services and choosing the people who deliver them. While this approach might sound appealing, it means you can’t necessarily control which members of their team are rostered to be in your home or the price they charge for their services. Fully managed home care also comes at a price. Traditional providers typically charge a monthly fee, daily fees and an inflated hourly rate for the delivery of services or support. These rates usually include fees on top of the direct service charge. This can have a significant impact on your home care package budget. Self-managed Care Providers Self-managed care allows you to take control of the care services they need and the care providers they use. Unlike traditional providers, self-management

52 COFFS COAST focus

empowers the consumer to spend less on management fees, freeing up their home care package budget for better long-term care and services. Fees for a self-managed service are usually charged at a flat percentage rate, with no daily management fees or exit fees, and because you can choose your own support providers, you know the service rate you’ll be charged. Self-managing your Home Care Package Self-management is a great way to keep control over your home care package. It offers the flexibility to get help with your budget and care plan but allows you to select your preferred service providers. Self-management can allow you to: • Design your care plan and budget • Gain more control over how your funds are spent • Choose the support workers that suit your lifestyle • Find services at rates that are acceptable to you • Increase your care hours with lower hourly rates Why self-manage?

can call Trilogy Care, Australia’s leading selfmanaged home care package service provider. The Trilogy Care difference Trilogy Care offers two levels of self-managed home care - Self-Management and SelfManagement Plus. Their Self-Management option allows you to take full control over your home care package. Their Self-Management Plus option is for those who need some care coordination support. Both service options allow you to retain control of your home care package with all services charged under our fixed fee structure - no setup fee, no daily fee, no exit fee. If you have been assessed for or have an approved home care package, find out how Trilogy Care can support you. Visit trilogycare. com.au or call us on 1300 459 190

How do I self-manage my home care package? 1. Choose your provider Research care providers! Talk to selfmanaged care providers to source a provider that’s going to work within your needs and budget.

By self-managing your home care package, you have control over who provides your care and services. You can surround yourself with the best people and receive exactly the service you want. Self-management also allows you to negotiate pricing with service providers. This means you’re not locked into the rates set by your HCP provider.

2. Care planning

How do I find a provider that allows me to self-manage my HCP?

4. Start receiving services

Your local newspaper, community boards, online directories and internet searches are a great way to find service providers, or you

Work with your provider to design a care plan that suits your needs. 3. Find workers Nominate your support providers or workers in your community who can deliver the services you require. Schedule your support workers to deliver services at the times that suit your lifestyle

COFFS COAST focus 53

54 COFFS COAST focus

focus_contributor.

Alternative

Wellness

Health with

What does all this mean for you, you might ask?

it also stimulates cellular function? Cellular function is the key to unlocking our optimal energy levels, so why wouldn’t we want to feel energised and rejuvenated from the inside out. Potential outcomes of red light therapy include; reduction in inflammation, chronic joint pain, healing of wounds at a deeper tissue and nerve level by increasing cell function which is also essential for immune health.

What does

M E A N

ere at Revive IV Wellness, we believe wellness holistically encompasses all aspects of our day-to-day lifestyle. Wellness may include your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. People often wait until one of these areas becomes upset or unbalanced and find themselves chasing their tail to feel well again. At Revive, we believe in preventative care, this means providing natural treatments and education to our clients to help build and strengthen their natural healing processes and help them function at their own optimal level. Preventative care also includes our recovery regime. Often as first thought when hearing the word recovery, our mind wanders to recovering from a health illness. Although, yes, that is something we can provide help with, we also like to focus on recovery from physical activity which is one of our preventative measures. This will all start to make sense when we introduce you to our new wellness and recovery facilities at Revive IV Wellness. Over the next few weeks, Revive will be introducing you to our hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, red light therapy bed, and PEMF mats.

T O

Y O U ?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) = The intermittent administration of 100% oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure. HBOT is a way of supporting our body’s own natural healing process by providing pure oxygen to our bodies under pressure, which can expediate the healing of wounds both internal and external. At sea level, we breathe 21% oxygen, and the rest is mostly nitrogen. In our HBOT chamber, we can administer up to 100% pure oxygen. Without oxygen, we would not survive, so imagine how much good we could do with 100% oxygen! Here are some of those benefits; the ability to reverse hypoxia (low oxygen levels) which improves cellular energy production, decrease inflammation, swelling and pain, stimulate an exponential release of stem cells (after approx. 40 consecutive treatments), improvement of immune function and ability to fight infection, and help regulate lymphatic drainage which may result in removing toxins and waste from our bodies. Red Light Therapy: Many people link red light therapy to improving their appearance by removing fine lines and wrinkles, however, did you know

ERIN BIRDSALL

CLINIC MANAGER REVIVE IV WELLNESS

PEMF = Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy Our cells operate like a battery system, and we need to recharge batteries for optimal function, right? This is where PEMF comes into play. When our cells are operating efficiently at full charge, we see an increase in cellular healing and development. PEMF use may result in; quicker recovery time from injury, a correction in cellular dysfunction within our bodies, natural increase in energy levels, promoting cellular recharge and reduction in inflammation and pain from acute and chronic injuries. With this knowledge, I’m sure you could imagine what an exciting addition it will be to your wellness and recovery. Revive IV Wellness would love to be a part of your journey! COFFS COAST focus 55

focus_contributor.

COUNSELLING C O N V E R S AT I O N S

with JULIE THOMAS

F R O M BE YO N D T H E S U R FAC E COUNSELLING

Have You Heard of

H.A.L.T?

HALT is an anachronism that stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. The use of the HALT model was developed to help substance abuse users in recovery see when they were most vulnerable to relapse. The HALT’s method of the four letters also stood for risk states and are interrelated.

ince then, it has been used successfully for people in their work and personal lives. It has also worked successfully with primary school aged children. The whole word HALT is significant, as it makes us aware to stop what we are doing and check in with ourselves. Checking in on our wellbeing assists us in changing unhelpful habits. If you think of the scenario of trying to complete a task at home or at work when we are hungry, angry, lonely or tired the results might not be productive, or our best performance. We may harm our own physical and mental health but also, we risk damaging relationships with others. To stop and respond to the risk state requires an awareness of our own and others’ emotions and behaviours. To become more aware of our emotional intelligence the use of journalling our experiences, thoughts and feelings can be a great way to identify common themes, behavioural patterns and potential issues and problems. The areas and challenges in our lives that keep reoccurring in our journalling can be explored in more depth. We can also journal our sleep and exercise patterns, as sleep, diet and exercise have been identified as important for our minds and bodies. Mindfulness is another wonderful practice which helps bring a sense of self-awareness. During a mindfulness practice our attention is not focused on our thoughts and feelings, they are there but 56 COFFS COAST focus

through mindfulness we observe them but don’t get hijacked or overwhelmed by them. Lets now look at the separate HALT states. Hungry - we have all heard the age old saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, well according to the research a balanced healthy breakfast maintains our metabolism. This is important for everyone, but especially for mature ladies out there whose metabolism slows down with the ageing process. Eating wellbalanced, nutritious meals can help to prevent changes in our mood, which includes the ‘hangry’/angry outbursts, and keep our blood sugar levels at a stable rate. Angry - anger when controlled can be a positive emotion as it can be the catalyst for us to take action and problem-solve resolutions to problems and challenges we face in life. Uncontrolled anger can be harmful to ourselves and others, often damaging relationships. It can increase our stress levels and have a negative effect on our physical and mental health. It is important to halt, and take the time to understand and work out ways to positively express it. What is causing the anger, how is the anger triggered, is it environmental, situational or people? Write it down, then you can reflect on whether the cause of your anger is justified. Writing it down provides the time and space away from the situation to take the anger and heat out of the problem. Anger needs to be worked out. Pushing it away and suppressing it can lead to

passive-aggressive behaviours which also impact our health. Other techniques that can be used are breathing and grounding exercises and focusing on positive thoughts. Loneliness - it is possible for us to feel lonely even when we are in the same room as family, friends or work colleagues. Take small steps to connect with others, involve yourself in activities at work or make time to catch-up with a friend or family members. Tiredness - tiredness and fatigue can have an impact on our decision-making, daily function, memory, stress levels, the ability to handle challenges and our mental and physical health. The quality of the sleep you get is important, it is our bodies way of recharging and remembering information acquired throughout the day. Be mindful that alcohol and caffeine can affect our sleep cycle with difficulties in getting to sleep and remaining asleep. Screens can also have a negative effect on sleep, turn them off at least two hours before sleep and limit alcohol and caffeine consumption. Create a sleep time routine that alerts your body in preparation to sleep. Good quality sleep is vital to our health and wellbeing. Until next time, be kind and gentle with yourself. Julie Thomas MCouns, BPsychSC, BEd(ECTeach) Member - Australian Counselling Association Member of WPATH, AUSPATH

COFFS COAST focus 57

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58 COFFS COAST focus

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focus_contributor.

with SARAH DING

M E N O P A U S E

enopause, renowned for its association with hot flushes and physical discomfort, often conceals a lesser-known but profound emotional impact. Beyond the visible signs, it can introduce irritability, mood swings, cognitive fog, forgetfulness, diminished focus, waning motivation, and dwindling selfconfidence. The emotional repercussions of menopause may even encompass symptoms of depression and anxiety, irrespective of whether these challenges were present in earlier years. Sometimes, these emotional symptoms arrive suddenly or persist as a constant state of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Yet, it’s crucial to recognise that mid-life is inherently emotionally charged, owing to various factors such as children leaving home, divorce, elderly parent caregiving, financial pressures, aging, and other health concerns. The addition of menopause to this already turbulent mix can intensify emotional struggles. Menopause’s impact varies, based on: • Age: Early onset adds complexity. • Expectations: Anticipating symptoms can manifest them.

To navigate the emotional terrain of menopause, consider these strategies: 1. Know your phase of menopause and the possible symptoms (it’s easier to deal with something we understand). 2. Ensure your doctor understands your mental health history so far. 3. Identify the other areas of your life which cause stress, and share these with your doctor.

TERRYWHITE CHEMMART COFFS HARBOUR PARK BEACH PLAZA

necessary. Menopause hormone therapy (MHT), previously known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), can be a valuable option: - MHT benefits: MHT replenishes estrogen, alleviating common menopausal complaints like hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbances. - Various delivery methods: It can be administered through pills, patches, gels, vaginal creams, or IUDs, offering flexibility to tailor treatment to individual needs.

4. Ask your doctor about an individualised treatment plan (this may include menopause hormone therapy, psychological therapies The emotional and lifestyle changes). 5. If work stress is impacting you, consider speaking with your manager about a plan. 6. Continue to foster healthy lifestyle habits (quit smoking and get plenty of rest, movement, water and good nutrition).

repercussions of menopause may even encompass symptoms of depression and anxiety, irrespective of whether these challenges were present in earlier years.

• Knowledge: Understanding menopause phases eases the journey.

7. Non-medical treatments (such as meditation, relaxation and cognitive behaviour therapy) can boost resilience and improve our reactions to stress.

• Background: Ethnic and cultural backgrounds influence perceptions.

8. Stay connected with your friends and turn to each other to vent, laugh or share experiences.

• Attitude: A positive mindset enhances emotional resilience.

In cases where symptoms become overwhelming, additional support may be

- Personalised Dosage: Your healthcare provider will work with you to determine the right dosage and method, minimising risks. - Chronic Condition Risk Reduction: Depending on the dose and duration, MHT can reduce the risk of certain chronic conditions. - Risks and Benefits: Like any medication, MHT carries risks, but your doctor can manage these through

careful monitoring. - Safety and Effectiveness: International recommendations affirm that the benefits of MHT outweigh the risks, deeming it safe and efficacious for symptom relief in healthy women. If menopausal symptoms disrupt your daily life or cause distress, consult your doctor to explore whether MHT is a suitable option for you. COFFS COAST focus 59

TERRYWHITE CHEMMART COFFS HARBOUR

TerryWhite Chemmart Coffs Harbour has been part of our community for quite a while now, 30 years to be exact! The pharmacy has seen some significant growth over that time. We had a chat to Pharmacist Owner Tanya Maloney to find out more.

hat is the history of your business? Terry White Chemists started trading in Park Beach Plaza in 1993 when Terry White himself

purchased the pharmacy from local pharmacist Leyland Cross. I came on board in 1999 as the Pharmacist Manager on returning to the North Coast where I grew up, and later in 2004 I became a partner in the business. We’ve always been keen on embracing innovation, and one of our milestones was being one of the first pharmacies to introduce

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an automated dispensing robot back in 2009. We have made some pretty big changes to our store over the years. In 2003 and then again in 2013, we decided it was time for a revamp. We wanted to not only create a better experience for our valued customers but also expand and evolve our store to meet their changing needs. In 2016-2017, we joined forces with Chemmart, adopting the TerryWhite Chemmart name and changing our colour from blue to green! That move made us part of the largest pharmacy group in Australia. In 2020, I had the privilege of

C E L E B R AT I N G 30 Y E A R S

purchasing the business from Terry, marking a new chapter in our history. Our most recent exciting development is the 2023 renovation. We introduced something we call the CareClinic, which is all about enhancing our health services. It’s been quite the journey, and we’re proud to have evolved into a trusted health hub, dedicated to serving our community with care and integrity. Tell us about your success? Well, when it comes to our success, it all boils down to a pretty straightforward philosophy. We’ve always believed that “the people make the difference,”

and that belief still holds true today.

of. The enthusiasm and energy of our team are

You see, back in the day, pharmacists used to be

infectious, and it’s clear that this positivity rubs

hidden behind counters, but not us. We proudly

off on our community.

have 10 pharmacists on our team and you can

Our success story isn’t just about us, though.

spot us easily in our white coats.

It’s also about the choices we’ve made over the

But it’s not just about the pharmacists; it’s

years. You could say we’ve shaped our path

our entire team of 60 that makes the real

based on what our community needs. These

magic happen. We like to think of ourselves

choices have transformed us into a flagship

as the A team when it comes to customer

pharmacy, capable of meeting the diverse health,

service. Providing high level customer service

wellness, and beauty needs of our community.

is something we never take for granted. We

Our commitment to our team and our

make it a point to go the extra mile for our

community is at the heart of our success, and it’s

customers, and that’s something we’re proud

a story we’re proud to tell. COFFS COAST focus 61

TERRYWHITE CHEMMART COFFS H A R B O U R - C E L E B R AT I N G 3 0 Y E A R S

How important is workplace culture and what advice do you give other businesses about keeping staff happy? Workplace culture is crucial for us here at TerryWhite Chemmart Coffs Harbour. Let me tell you, it's the secret ingredient that keeps our team happy and our business thriving. We're lucky to have a team where everyone genuinely cares about their roles and they all have the best interests of our store and community at heart. That's what creates this fantastic, positive vibe in our workplace. We're big on employee involvement too. We actively encourage our team to share their ideas and suggestions to improve our business. When employees feel heard and appreciated, they start to take accountability for their role in the

business. And then we have longevity! We have 14 team members who have been with us for over a decade, out of a team of 60. That shows just how committed we are to retaining and valuing our staff. Learning is another key aspect. We make sure our team members have opportunities for continuous growth, whether through university, TAFE, or other training programs. We welcome students for school or university placement, some of whom end up becoming valuable team members. Career development is a big deal around here. We want our team to have a path to reach their career goals without needing to look for jobs elsewhere. So, we always promote from within,

which not only benefits our employees but also nurtures leadership and business skills. And of course, effective leadership is at the heart of it all. Our management team leads by example, creating an environment where trust and open communication thrive. I've got to say, we are incredibly proud of our team, and we often receive compliments from customers and visitors about how amazing they are. This feedback just reinforces our belief in the power of a strong workplace culture and how it's been a game-changer for our business. Tell us about your new CareClinic? We've got some exciting news to share from TerryWhite Chemmart – we've just wrapped up some fantastic renovations, and the star of the show is our brand new Care Clinic! It's all about taking our commitment to care to the next level, and it couldn't have come at a more perfect time for our 30th birthday celebrations. We've expanded our consultation rooms, introducing four fresh spaces that offer a comfortable and private atmosphere. These rooms are where our pharmacists and team can provide an array of health services, perfect for those in-depth and confidential health conversations. At TerryWhite Chemmart Coffs Harbour we are all about looking after you. Our CareClinic is an extension of our brand promise “Dedicated to Care”. We’re all about going the extra mile, exceeding what you’d expect from a typical

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pharmacy, to provide you with the best care and support possible.

I can’t express how proud I am that we were crowned the National Terry White Chemmart of the Year in February this year. With over 500 stores across Australia, this recognition is a huge testament to our commitment to providing high level care and service to our wonderful customers.

In our new Care Clinic, we're expanding our services to include sleep apnea consultations, vaccinations (including COVID-19), diabetes management, medication reviews, health checks, leave certificates, blood pressure checks, weight management support, medication by injections, and UTI consultations. Whatever your health needs, we have got them covered!

Tell us about your achievements over the past year? I'm absolutely thrilled to share our fantastic news with you! Our team has achieved some remarkable things in 2022 and 2023, and it's all thanks to the hard work and dedication of our incredible team. First and foremost, I can't express how proud I am that we were crowned the National TerryWhite Chemmart of the Year in February this year. With over 500 stores across Australia, this recognition is a huge testament to our

commitment to providing high level care and service to our wonderful customers. I want to give a big shoutout to our Pharmacist Manager, Sarah Ding. She's not only the best in our eyes but she also earned the title of TerryWhite Chemmart Pharmacist of the Year! Her expertise and dedication truly shine through.

But there's more! Our Retail Manager, Dani Davis, and Pharmacy Assistant Melanie Reynolds made us proud by becoming NSW State Finalists in the Pharmacy Guild Pharmacy Assistant of the Year award. And Dani went on to be awarded the Glucogel Superstar Award for NSW. These achievements are all thanks to the amazing team we have here. They go above and beyond every day, and it's fantastic to see their efforts recognised. I couldn't be happier about what we've achieved together. What is your message to the Coffs community? As we celebrate 30 years of serving you, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support and trust over the years.

From the very beginning, our mission has been to provide healthcare services, expert advice, and a welcoming environment where you can feel comfortable discussing your health needs. We've grown, adapted, and evolved over the years to meet the changing needs of our community. Your feedback, loyalty, and friendship have been our guiding light. We've celebrated milestones together, shared stories, and been there for each other in times of health challenges and triumphs. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being a part of our journey. Your support has allowed us to be a vital part of this incredible community, and we look forward to many more years of serving you with the same passion and commitment. Here's to another 30 years and beyond! How can people find you? Shop 51 Park Beach Plaza, Coffs Harbour 02 6652 4188 TWCCoffsHarbour TerryWhiteChemmartCoffsHarbour www.terrywhitechemmart.com COFFS COAST focus 63

ell us about your role: I began my journey in the pharmacy field in 1977 at the age of 16, working at Cross and Ridette Pharmacy on West High Street in Coffs Harbour. In 1979, I made the transition to Park Beach Plaza when it first opened its doors. I dedicated a decade of my life to Cross and Ridette Pharmacy before leaving to start and raise my family.

P H A R M A C Y A S S I S T A N T Y E A R S E M P L O Y E D - 17

T A N Y A

H O L T

After a break, I returned to the pharmacy world in 2006, joining Terry White Chemists as a Pharmacy Assistant. This opportunity opened doors for me to expand my skill set. I delved into various aspects of pharmacy, cultivating a passion for first aid, sports braces, wound management, specialised scheduled medicines services, and eventually mastering the role of Dispensary Technician. I now have a broad skill set and high confidence across all areas, enabling

me to provide excellent customer service. What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment to date? In 2022, I achieved the honour of being the top national sales representative for Futuro Sports brand, a significant accomplishment in my career. Additionally, I take great pride in being a State Finalist in the National Pharmacy Assistant of the Year Award, an achievement that further demonstrates my dedication and excellence in the pharmacy field. What is the most interesting part of your role? Helping individuals with a deteriorated wound and being able to provide them with the right advice and care, then witnessing their progress and positive outcomes, is incredibly rewarding. Knowing that I am needed and that my guidance is making a meaningful difference in someone’s life fills me with a sense of fulfillment and deep satisfaction.

O F F I C E A D M I N I S T R A T O R / B O O K K E E P E R Y E A R S

E M P L O Y E D - 30

ell us about your role: I began my career in pharmacy after returning to Coffs Harbour from a family trip around Australia in a caravan with our two very young children. We arrived back just in time for my youngest daughter to start school. In 1990, I applied for a job at the pharmacy, initially owned by Leyland Cross. After a successful interview with him, he asked if I could start working the next day, which marked the beginning of my employment in the pharmacy field. In 1993, the pharmacy changed ownership and became a part of the Terry White Chemists Group, later rebranding as TerryWhite Chemmart. Altogether, I’ve been working in pharmacy administration for nearly 33 years. Tanya Maloney currently owns the business. What motivates you in your role: As the 64 COFFS COAST focus

R H O N D A Administration Officer within the pharmacy, I am motivated by the opportunity to impact the staff and the overall business positively. I find fulfilment in knowing that my organisational and administrative efforts directly contribute to the smooth functioning of the pharmacy. Do you have a goal this year for yourself,

G I L B E R T personally or in business? My goal for this year is to transition into the next phase of my life. After enjoying a long and fulfilling career in my current job, I have decided to retire at the end of February 2024. This decision is motivated by my desire to travel and spend more quality time with my family and grandchildren.

ell us about your role? I joined Terry White Chemist in Park Beach Plaza in 2002, beginning as a Dispensary Technician. After a few years, I transitioned into stock control. Throughout this journey, I’ve been fortunate to balance my career while raising my two children. Today, I am a Retail Manager, overseeing and managing various aspects of the store’s operations. I’ve grown both personally and professionally in the continually changing pharmacy scene thanks to the support and mentorship of my colleagues in the group.

D A N I R E T A I L Y E A R S

D A V I S M A N A G E R

E M P L O Y E D - 2 1

Walk in with a question, walk out with a plan

What motivates you in your role? As a Retail Manager at TerryWhite Chemmart, my motivation is driven by positively impacting people’s lives and ensuring they have access to vital medications. Leading a team of dedicated individuals and fostering

an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected is equally important for delivering exceptional customer service. I continuously seek opportunities for self-improvement and consistently explore ways to go the extra mile for our customers. Empowering my team members to do the same is a source of pride. The rewards of exceptional customer service inspire me, as making someone’s day better and receiving expressions of gratitude from customers is the most gratifying reward. Do you have a goal this year for yourself personally or in business? My goals for the future are to continue to grow and develop as a retail manager, and to support my team in providing the best possible service to our customers. I also want to be more involved in the community by participating in local events and initiatives.

Coffs Harbour Find out about our Care Clinic today TerryWhite Chemmart Coffs Harbour Shop 51 Park Beach Plaza P: 02 6652 4188

Service fees may apply. Subject to Pharmacist’s scope of practice, professional judgement and discretion. A consultation with a Pharmacist is not intended to replace medical treatment or diagnosis from a medical practitioner. Patients may be referred to a medical practitioner at the Pharmacist’s discretion. If symptoms persist or become worse, you should consult your medical practitioner.

COFFS COAST focus 65

Dedicated to Coffs Harbour for 30 years Celebrating our

anniversary

caring for the community

Tanya Maloney

PHARMACY OWNER

As our community has grown over the years, our pharmacy and our team have grown along with you! We are proud to have an amazing team who go above and beyond to provide exceptional service and care, offering a wide range of products and services, including vaccinations, medication checks, medication packs, sleep apnoea, and diabetes management. We would like to thank our community for supporting us and for the privilege to serve and care for you and your families.

TerryWhite Chemmart National Pharmacy of the Year TerryWhite Chemmart Coffs Harbour Shop 51 Park Beach Plaza Cnr Park Beach Rd & Paciﬁc Highway, COFFS HARBOUR, NSW 2450 P: 02 6652 4188 66 COFFS COAST focus

Opening Hours Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 8:30am-6:00pm Thu: 8:30am-7:30pm Sat: 8:30am-5:00pm Sun: 10:00am-3:00pm

with JASON BURLEY FROM BURLEY AGED CARE ADVICE

FINANCIAL

CHALLENGES FOR COUPLES

Second marriages may present additional financial challenges when balancing day-to-day expenses with implications for aged care funding. You may not share finances equally, but Centrelink/DVA will assess your obligations as if you do.

second relationship can bring companionship and support but may also bring financial challenges, especially with funding aged care and estate plans.

Some couples may be willing to share a life but may prefer to keep finances separate so inheritances can pass to their own children and family. You also need to decide whose home to live in or whether to buy a new home. These decisions need to balance your life plans and your estate plans. You may wish to consider how to ensure your partner is looked after if something happens to you, while also protecting the estate for your own children. These might be conflicting objectives. From a Centrelink and aged care view, two people living together in a relationship are assessed as a couple. Assets and income are combined and then split equally – regardless of who owns what or how you want to divide your finances. What defines a couple If you receive a Centrelink/Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) benefit and your relationship status changes, you need to notify Centrelink/DVA and

update your records. Whether two people are considered to be a couple depends on five aspects, including: 1. Financial aspects. 2. Nature of the household and how household chores are shared. 3. Social aspects and how the two people present to family and friends. 4. Any intimate relationship. 5. Commitment to a permanent and ongoing relationship on an intimate level. No single factor is definitive in determining status as a couple. An assessor may look at the facts of the case and interview the people involved as well as friends and family to determine whether the two people live separate or shared lives. The impact on aged care If you or your spouse need to access aged care services, assessment of your financial capacity (and contribution towards the costs) will use the same relationship status rules that apply for Centrelink/DVA. If you are a couple, fees are based on half of the combined assets and income. This may see

a person moving into care needing to pay fees greater than their individual affordability and needing the other spouse to help with the costs. How this help is provided should be decided with financial advice to fully understand the implications. For example, if the person staying at home uses some of their assets to pay accommodation costs as a lump sum for a spouse moving into residential care, this money will eventually be returned to the estate of the care recipient. This means the money may find its way into the other family’s hands, rather than back to the spouse who made the payment. As an Accredited Aged Care ProfessionalTM, I can provide advice to help you navigate the rules and consider strategies that are as fair as possible to both members of the couple. This may help to minimise family conflicts. Call me on 0431 414 799 or email jason@ burleyagedcareadvice.com.au to find out how I might help. This advice is general in nature and everyone’s circumstances are different. So it’s important to speak to someone like myself who is a licenced financial adviser (I am an Authorised Representative of Count Financial Limited AFSL 227232).

P 0431 414 799 E jason@burleyagedcareadvice.com.au W www.burleyagedcareadvice.com.au COFFS COAST focus 67

LEXUS

P L O W R I G H T

OF PORT MACQUARIE

After 36 years Plowright Motors are almost ready to move into their brand new home.

ongratulations Andrew on the new dealership. It must be such a relief to be so close to completion.

Yes – it’s hard to believe that we’re now in the final months of this major project! It has been impressive to see the progress made by everyone involved since the site preparation commenced a little over 12 months ago. The Plowright family dealership has been in Port Macquarie for over 36 years - tell us what was behind the move to a new location. With steady growth over the years, we found ourselves in need of more workshop space, more vehicle and parts storage, along with a fresh showroom. With two large sites, we were spoiled for options – whether to renovate and extend our existing facilities, or 68 COFFS COAST focus

That means that we can help them, no matter what distance they’re travelling – whether they’re after a family car or a large SUV that will help them explore Australia.

rebuild. Our region is well established as a growth hub and this population growth has been accelerated over the last few years. With careful consideration, the overwhelmingly attractive choice was to build a new complex.

It also presented great options for the future use of our other dealership location.

What are your plans for that property after you move?

We’re looking to lease out the property at 10 Hastings River Drive, Port Macquarie through Commercial Collective. It is over 2 acres in size, so whilst we have been bursting at the seams, it provides an opportunity for one or more businesses needing plenty of space. With

several buildings on such a large area, the site offers a great degree of leasing flexibility. What are the customer benefits with your new location? We provide a huge range of motoring solutions, from our service and parts business to our new and pre-owned vehicles sales. Collaboration from everyone throughout the dealership has been central to our growth. The opportunity to help customers with any of their needs from the one location offers real convenience. Tell us about your timeline for moving into the new location and how you will still be helping customers during this time? Whilst the construction phase is now complete, we still have work to do. There’s finalising the interior furnishings, fitting out two large workshops, installing vehicle chargers and of course our new signage. We hope to be operational at the new dealership over the summer. Until then, we will continue to offer our full range of ownership services, along with showcasing the hundreds of vehicles that are arriving into stock over the coming months.

We’re looking to lease out the 9,524sqm property at 10 Hastings River Drive. It provides a great opportunity for one or more businesses needing plenty of space. half of our vehicle orders are self-charging hybrid electric vehicles, along with With so much change in the car industry in recent years, what can we look forward to?

so many other electric, diesel, petrol and hybrid models. The best thing is, there’s even more to come!

With our diverse range, we’re in the great position of being able to assure Australians that no one will be left behind. That means that we can help people, no matter what distance they’re travelling - whether they’re after a family sedan or smaller SUV or perhaps a large SUV for towing or off-road use that will help them explore Australia.

As the home of Lexus in northern NSW, we are proud to offer comfortable, quiet, luxurious vehicles. Even more importantly though, Lexus proudly delivers the ultimate luxury – reliability. Whether it’s the long trips or simply the day-to-day driving, the world renowned Lexus quality commitment has not waivered. Additionally, our Encore Benefits program offers even more when it comes to luxury vehicle ownership.

The brand commitment to a wide repertoire of product technologies was proven to me the first time I experienced the hybrid electric drive system over 25 years ago in Japan. That’s right – 25 years ago. Now more than

Local customer support combined with our team’s effort and commitment is so greatly appreciated. Exciting times ahead! COFFS COAST focus 69

focus_contributor.

E D U C AT I O N

UPDATE

A D A P T I N G

with NICK JOHNSTONE

F O R

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

FROM BISHOP DRUITT COLLEGE

In today’s rapidly changing world, the success of any educational institution lies in its ability to adapt and evolve. At Bishop Druitt College, we have always strived to provide our students with the best educational experience.

o that end, we recognise the paramount importance of being adaptable and agile with respect to our school’s educational philosophy.

Over the years, our college has been committed to providing an experiential education model that engages students in active, immersive learning experiences. While this philosophy has proven to be effective in student engagement and enrichment, it is educationally prudent to evolve to the everchanging needs of our students. One such adaptation on our educational journey is the incorporation of Michael Fullen’s 6Cs of Deep Learning. The 6Cs of Deep Learning Michael Fullen, an acclaimed educational researcher, and author, proposed the 6Cs of Deep Learning as a framework to prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century. The 6Cs comprise of Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Citizenship, and Character. These competencies emphasise the development of holistic skills, nurturing not only academic prowess but also the social, emotional, and ethical dimensions of education. Improving the Educational Experience 70 COFFS COAST focus

By embracing Fullen’s 6Cs, we believe that we can significantly enhance the experiential educational experience at the college. Here’s how:

gain a deep understanding of their roles as active and responsible global citizens. Building Character: Character education is the foundation of our students’ moral and

Fostering Collaboration: Our students will learn the art of collaboration, which is essential in the modern workplace. Collaborative projects and group activities will be integral to our curriculum, enabling students to build strong teamwork skills.

ethical development. Our commitment to this

Enhancing Communication: Effective communication is a critical life skill. We aim to develop confident and articulate communicators who can express themselves with clarity and empathy.

not just about improving the educational

Encouraging Creativity: Creativity is the driving force behind innovation. Our students will be encouraged to think outside the box, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit that will serve them well in a rapidly changing world. Cultivating Critical Thinking: We will empower students to think critically and analytically. They will learn to evaluate information, make informed decisions, and solve complex problems. Promoting Good Citizenship: The importance of responsible citizenship cannot be understated. Through community engagement and service-learning projects, our students will

principle aligns with the college’s vision of nurturing well-rounded individuals. Preparation for the Future Incorporating the 6Cs of Deep Learning is experience; it’s about preparing our students for the future. The world they will enter is dynamic, unpredictable, and technologically driven. To succeed, they must not only excel academically but also possess the skills and dispositions that the 6Cs represent. Research supports the idea that developing these competencies is vital. A recent study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that students who possess strong social and emotional skills are more likely to excel in traditional academic subjects and are better prepared for the demands of the workforce. Source: OECD survey on social and emotional skills - OECD. Available at: https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/social-emotionalskills-study/ (Accessed: 10 October 2023).

A sister school within the Anglican school community. www.cvas.nsw.edu.au

Cathedral Campus (PreKinder to Year 2) (02) 6642 2011 jsreception@cvas.nsw.edu.au Clarenza Campus (Years 3 - 12) (02) 6642 8205 ssreception@cvas.nsw.edu.au

Meaningful, hands-on learning

Targeted & proactive wellbeing programs

‘We are a community. We are innovative. We are inclusive. We prepare children for an exciting, dynamic life.'

Enrolling Now

Specialist teachers - Year 12 PreKinder

High Performance Program & Athlete Development

Enrolling Now

Years 11 & 12 2024 Year 5 2025 www.bdc.nsw.edu.au

(02) 6651 5644 enrolments@bdc.nsw.edu.au 111 North Boambee Road, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450

Young people have a crucial role to play in the future of Australian agriculture and rural industries, with advocates like Coffs Harbour student Luke Austin bringing passion and purpose to how that future may take shape

t just 22, Southern Cross University science student Luke Austin has a wisdom beyond his years, manifesting in a bold vision for Australia’s agricultural future.

Recipient of a 2022-23 Horizon Scholarship through rural research and development corporation AgriFutures Australia, Luke is an emerging voice for the generation that will inherit a sector currently beset with problems – from climate change, soil degradation and crop sustainability to economic pressures, ageing farmers and farm succession plans, and changing consumer demands. He has strong support from Southern Cross

72 COFFS COAST focus

University, which is leading the educational push to rethink our approach to farming. Along with strong research collaborations across plant science, agronomy, ecology, agroforestry, environmental chemistry and socio-ecological systems, the University’s Regenerative Agriculture program is designed for students eager to deliver more sustainable farming practices and build more resilient farms and farmers for the future. Luke is getting plenty of opportunities to observe agriculture in action. This year alone he has visited 15 countries and every state in Australia twice, taking advantage of professional development workshops, industry placements and events, and other initiatives.

Sponsored by the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), he visited Japan to see the development of bioplastics from seaweed, and also travelled to the Tiwi Islands, off the Northern Territory, to witness the extraction of DNA from forestry species to help build a more profitable timber industry for the local First Nations people. In another highlight, earlier this year he represented AgriFutures and the University on the Pathway to 2050 panel at leading innovation festival SOUTHSTART, sharing the stage with South Australia's Chief Scientist, Professor Caroline McMillen. “I believe in the fresh perspectives of young people who represent the sole future workforce

“I was surprised at just how relatable my marine studies were to the rural sector, where industries and people share a task that balances environmental sustainability with feeding and fuelling the world,” he says. “That intersection between land and sea is where so much change needs to be made and I want to be a part of that. When advocating for values like biosecurity, food security, custodianship and sustainability, young people must play a leading role in fostering an environment that promotes authenticity, sustainability and inclusivity alongside innovation.”

Agriculture and Rural Industries – which affirms the role that young people must play in shaping the future of the sector, and essentially, why rural industries must engage, listen to, nurture and collaborate with them.

The next generation of agricultural scientists can lead that, ensuring the future of agriculture is environmentally sustainable and linked to rural prosperity. of Australia’s rural industries,” says Luke, who is in the final year of a Bachelor of Science (Marine Science and Environmental Science) at Southern Cross University’s Coffs Harbour campus. “Our unique experiences, aspirations and knowledge position us so well to contribute to policy and program design. The next generation of agricultural scientists can lead that, ensuring the future of agriculture is environmentally sustainable and linked to rural prosperity.” Luke elaborates on the theme in AgriFutures’ most recent report – Listen Up: Young People’s Perspective on the Future of Australian

Ironically, Luke gave little thought to agriculture before his scholarship. Growing up in Coffs Harbour, he was free to indulge his love of the ocean and made plans for a career in marine science. Enrolling at Southern Cross University provided access to the superb teaching and facilities at the National Marine Science Centre (NMSC).

Other opportunities cropped up too, including data mapping of remote marine debris at Cape York, membership of the Ministerial Advisory Board delivering policy advice to the NSW Government, and working as a research assistant for the NMSC’s Reef Restoration and Adaption Program. Since April 2023, he has been working with the NSW Environmental Protection Authority, engaging in regulatory operations covering forestry, catchments and pesticide use in horticulture. The more he learns; the more he discovers correlation and connection.

Though clearly passionate, it would be an error to suggest Luke’s passion is unbridled. Rather, he is very much a realist about the structure and scale of strategic change. “Change does not mean the end of one thing to maintain another,” he explains. “For instance, I am not advocating the complete cessation of logging to save our forests, or the total shutdown of the pineapple industry to help the Great Barrier Reef. I think the “either-or” approach to change often just replaces one set of problems with another. “What I am about is finding balance, about a measured approach to how science, industry, education, communities and environmental interests work together to find methods of practicable and sustainable change.” Luke eventually hopes to work at the intersection of regional development, industry and sustainability to foster a more sustainable and productive rural industry surrounding aquaculture. “That is where the University and the scholarship are so important,” he says. “Science does not get done without the scientists, so it is good to be liaising and engaging with others who are bound by a vision for a better future and are coming at it from other scientific fields, be it agricultural science, veterinary science, sustainable farming or, like me, marine science. “To hear different values, perspectives and ideas infiltrates your own thinking, your own goals, so you get a broader picture of things. You seek and find common ground and, as young people about to become the next generation of scientists, that must be beneficial.” COFFS COAST focus 73

Make a life-changing move Enrol now for Semester 1, 2024 Make a life-changing move at TAFE NSW. Bring out your creative or nurturing side and realise your goals with a TAFE NSW course. With flexible study options and industry experienced teachers, our nationally recognised courses will ensure you have the hands-on skills you need to launch a successful career.

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COFFS COAST focus 98

REMY BALMAIN Remy Balmain has only been playing tennis for three years but his passion and dedication to the sport is inspiring! He has been doing incredibly well at tournaments and recently completed a week of training at the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy in Spain.

76 COFFS COAST focus

i Remy. When did you first start playing tennis?

I first started playing tennis three years ago when I was 10 years old. Up until then I didn’t really like sports at all. Eli Baylis came to my primary school, Raleigh Public School, for school sports. I remember enjoying it and finding Eli engaging and funny. What do you enjoy most about the sport? I enjoy the thrill and pressure of competing in matches and tournaments and knowing that I can do well and always be competitive. I also enjoy the feeling and the knowledge that if I continue to work hard and continue to listen that I can be a high level tennis player.

does a training session look like for you at the moment? I train three to four days a week for around three hours after school, and on weekends I usually have a hit with my Dad or a friend. On Tuesdays I do a group lesson with Eli and my friends that consists of high intensity drills and exercises meant to simulate certain situations. I usually have a bit of a warm up before with a friend. On Wednesdays I have a private lesson with Eli for an hour. This usually consists of ball feeds, working on technique and movement, then Eli and I will sometimes hit together and I will do some serving. After that I will go straight to group lessons for another two hours. On Thursdays I have a hit with a friend and play a practice set. Can you tell us about some of the competitions you’ve taken part in recently and how you went?

Can you tell us a bit about where Recently I went to a string of you usually play, tournaments. One who you’ve was in Grafton trained with which was a My hopes for and how you’ve qualifying event the future are got to the level for a Regional to go pro and you’re at now? tournament. I hopefully win a I train in Sawtell made the semi grand slam - but I at the Baylis finals in this event know it will be tough Tennis Academy and ended up and I will have to and have done qualifying. We then continue to work since I first started went to Miami in playing tennis. hard. QLD where we Eli Baylis is an played a four day amazing tennis tournament. This coach and has played a huge role in event was tough for me as I did not play helping me become a good tennis player. my best tennis and I struggled with my He is really good at seeing where I need mental game. After a three day rest we to improve and teaching me the skills I went to Forster for another three day need. I train with a lot of great players tournament where I made the quarter who are all quite a lot better than me finals in singles and the semi finals in but I do enjoy the challenge. doubles. I have got to the level I am at now through hard work and dedication. I love following all the tennis pros and hearing them talk about their training and mindset and how they approach the game. How often do you train and what

Next I will be going to the Champions of Champions event in Inverell and later this year to a teams event in Queensland. You recently went to Spain, can you tell us about that experience? On a recent trip to Mallorca, Spain, I went to the Rafael Nadal Tennis

Academy and joined in for one week summer tennis camp training. I spent a week training in one of the best tennis academies in the world where I learnt all kinds of new skills and ways of handling things. I played tennis in the morning for three hours then two hours in the afternoon. We also had class time called “Building a Champion” where we learnt about nutrition, hydration and managing the mental game. Between the two training sessions we went to the Rafael Nadal Museum where one of the greatest tennis players of all time keeps his trophies and achievements. We also played other fun games like paddle and virtual reality tennis, and went on day trips to the beach. Rafael Nadal was recovering from recent hip surgery and was at home near the tennis academy. He visited the tennis academy whilst I was there - it was so exciting to see one of my favourite players in real life. I made some friends with tennis kids from around the world that I keep in touch with on Instagram and had a really amazing time. As well as playing, you also do tennis coaching. What are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of working with the kids? The most challenging thing about coaching younger kids is trying to get them to listen and play tennis. A lot of them are very young and are there because their parents want them to be, but don't really like tennis themselves. The most rewarding part of coaching is knowing that I can help others to enjoy the sport I love and hopefully show them how great the game is so they stick to it and love the game. What are some of your hopes and aspirations for the future? My hopes for the future are to go pro and hopefully win a grand slam, but I know it will be tough and I will have to continue to work hard and strive to continue to improve. Thanks Remy. COFFS COAST focus 77

Karlee Brown and community group Friends Of Tuckers Nob have been working towards preventing logging of a section of Tuckers Nob State Forest which would make up part of the proposed Great Koala National Park. The area provides an important koala corridor between the coast and hinterland. They have been successful in temporarily halting logging, and are working on fundraising to enable proper surveying of the area before any more vital koala habitat is taken away.

Friends of

TUCKERS NOB

ow did the Friends Of Tuckers Nob group first come together and what were the goals for the group?

The group formed in late 2021 after the community were alerted to the logging about to happen in the northern section of Tuckers Nob State Forest (SF), in the hills behind Crossmaglen. The ‘Friends of Forests’ groups are a network working to protect local forests, and in this area particularly, koala habitat. I became involved in September, after myself and our neighbours received notice of the imminent logging of the forest near us. This is the southern area of Tuckers Nob, the forest on the drive out to the Promised Land from Bellingen. Our whole neighbourhood has come together to 78 COFFS COAST focus

try to save it. Tuckers Nob SF is within the boundaries of the Great Koala National Park. Can you tell us a bit about the proposed Great Koala National Park (GKNP)? The GKNP is essentially a plan to connect 175,000 hectares of publicly-owned state forests to existing national parks, creating a 315,000 hectare nature reserve in the Coffs Coast region. These forests have been identified as being excellent koala habitat. However, the scale of current and planned logging within the boundary of the GKNP is immense, it threatens the very existence of the park and koalas. Habitat areas need to be connected and not fragmented, koalas need to be able to roam through their homelands to breed, they need very particular types of feed trees and variety in their diet.

Why is this particular area so important to the GKNP? Tuckers Nob SF is recognised as core koala habitat, it is a critical linking forest providing a corridor between coastal and hinterland koalas. Bindarri National Park is adjacent with the significant Pine Creek SF and Orara West SF nearby. There are areas of remnant forest, emergent rainforest and significant trees such as the ringwoods that only grow in the Bellinger, Kalang and Nambucca valleys. Creeks and gullies feed into the Never Never and Bellinger Rivers that provide drinking water and places of recreation. You have managed to get a temporary

There are clearly many people in the community that have got behind this, can you tell us a bit about some of the people that are involved and what the common feeling is amongst them?

hold put on logging for further surveying and evaluation. What brought this about? Our neighbourhood spread the word, we held a vigil at the forest and in town. We offered to fund a proper survey for koalas before logging began as we were very alarmed because we know how many koalas are here. The ringwood trees and rainforest species were also found in the clear fell zone and we wanted to make sure they were protected. Forestry Corp did not engage in any meaningful consultation with us and commenced operations, then, prompted by legal action, the Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty stepped in and ordered a suspension of logging for further evaluation. What is the plan moving forward from here? What do you expect will need to be done to have the area protected more long term?

not stopped. Currently plantations are excluded from the GKNP, leaving 40% of the koalas unprotected. If the Great Koala National Park goes ahead, what will this mean for the future of this area? Well the National Park being 5 minutes from Bello sounds pretty good to me! The protection of our koalas will mean we actually have them, and our kids will too. The park would add to the experience for us and visitors, with nature trails, look outs, unique wildlife and flora and could provide space for Aboriginal culture. This region is known for the stunning natural environment here, and the drive to the Promised Land will remain beautiful. We will all benefit from it.

The core crew who are working on the campaign to save Gleniffers’s koalas came together, shocked by the idea that the forest at the end of our road would be logged, some of us meeting for the first time. Since then we have formed a surprisingly dynamic group and pooled resources, each of us giving whatever time and skills we have. We are incredibly lucky to have the crew we do, covering legal, media, advocacy and surveying. We want to see Tuckers Nob SF part of the GKNP. There is obvious widespread support throughout this region for protection of our forests and an end to unsustainable logging. What can others do to get involved or support you in this endeavour? The focus for us now is collecting enough funds to go ahead with the koala survey, mapping and further legal action. We are determined to save this forest, so we ask people to give what they can to our GoFundMe ‘Voice For Koalas’. Watch and share our video on YouTube ‘Meet Gleniffers Koalas’. If you are keen to be involved or find out more, visit Friends of Tuckers Nob on Facebook or follow save.gleniffers.koalas on Instagram. Let our MPs and the NSW Government know you want the Great Koala National Park that was promised to us, and the koala habitat within it protected immediately.

We are now focused on fundraising for a thorough survey and further legal action to protect the area of forest right near us. We also want more people to be aware of what’s going on in our state forests. The industry seriously needs an update, there are ways to log sustainably and clear felling koala habitat obviously is not. Hardwood plantations need to be recognised as the important habitat areas they now are, and reserved. Tuckers Nob is largely zoned plantation but over a third is native forest and then within the plantation itself around 30% is native as well. Forestry Corp NSW will progressively clear fell if this is COFFS COAST focus 79

focus_contributor.

STAT E O F

PL AY

TEAM AUSTRALIA

with COFFS HARBOUR MP GURMESH SINGH

id October—a time when politicians, usually seen in the battlefield of the NSW Parliament, swapped ties and suits

The political lines were blurred as we decided to do a City vs Country match-up instead of Government vs Opposition.

lot of camaraderie that goes on. Yes, we’re

Typically, the Country MPs are known to dominate - something about growing up with open spaces for jerseys and boots for around must give us the ...when the a rendezvous at Sydney’s upper hand. But lo and cameras Allianz Stadium. Yes, behold, this year, the you heard it right. are off, and the City team had a secret Before getting to the Twitter accounts weapon, or should I say, nitty-gritty of legislation are momentarily two! Former NRL star and heated debates, abandoned, there’s Robbie Farah and NRLW MPs from all around the a whole lot of powerhouse Maddie state congregated for camaraderie that goes Studdon graced our an early morning touch on. Yes, we’re friendly— humble game. Let’s just football game. It’s like shocking, I know. say that the Country breakfast, but with more MPs were left chasing grass stains and knee more than just their braces! political ambitions. Let me tell you, there’s nothing like stepping Now, most people have this preconceived onto that massive, echoing, and utterly notion that politicians are a bunch of empty stadium to make you ponder the great squabbling hens, pecking at each other on philosophical questions of our time - like the parliament floor, but let me tell you, when whether it’s possible to pull a hamstring while debating tax reform. But enough about that, the cameras are off, and the Twitter accounts let’s get into the match, shall we? are momentarily abandoned, there’s a whole

is by its nature a bit of a rough-and-tumble

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friendly - shocking, I know. Don’t get me wrong, democratic parliament sport. The game is played hard, and sometimes the referees (also known as the media) blow a penalty or two. But that’s the nature of the beast, and let’s be honest, it would be terribly boring otherwise. Yet, democracy works better, far better, when we’re civil to each other. Think of it like a friendly touch football game; it’s competitive, it’s intense, but you still have to shake hands at the end and maybe share a beer at the end of the day. So, the next time you see your MPs going head to head in a debate, just remember that while we might tackle each other’s policies, we’re all still part of the same team - Team Australia and Team Democracy. Who knows? Maybe next year, we’ll televise the MP touch football game and show the world that political opponents can come together over a game of friendly competition, or at the very least, some questionable athletic prowess.

The NSW Government is helping reduce the cost of living with more than 70 rebates and vouchers. By answering the tailored questions in the Service NSW Savings Finder tool, you can find rebates and vouchers relevant to you. You can apply by visiting service.nsw.gov.au or by scanning the QR code.

Gurmesh SINGH MP coffsharbour@parliament.nsw.gov.au (02) 6652 6500

Authorised by Gurmesh Singh MP, 1/9 Park Avenue Coffs Harbour NSW 2450 Authorised by Gurmesh Singh MP, 1/9 Park Avenue Coffs Harbour NSW 2450 Funded using Parliamentary Entitlements September 2022 Funded using Parliamentary Entitlements July 2023

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focus_contributor.

TIPS FOR YOUR

INVESTMENT

PROPERTY

MONEY with BARRY HOCKEY A CCO U N TA N T S

eing tax-smart when investing in property means more than making the right property choices. If you use your property to earn income at any time, you will have tax obligations and entitlements. The two common questions that are asked by rental property owners are: 1. Should I spend money on repairs and maintenance on my rental property, and 2. are the expenses tax deductible? The short answer to both questions is YES. Maintenance and improvements on your rental property is essential, not only to keep the property in good repair, (which is a requirement if you want to keep your tenants happy), but it can also assist in keeping your investment in good shape. You can then realise the maximum rental return and achieve the best sale price when you ultimately sell the property and “cash in” on your equity. All costs incurred on your rental property are tax deductible, however it becomes more of a question as to whether the costs are classed as repairs, (repairing existing structures, cleaning etc) or whether the expense is classed as a “capital expense” (e.g. installation of a new kitchen would be a capital expense). Repairs and maintenance and small asset purchases are written off in the year incurred.

Capital expenses are depreciated to match the effective life of the asset. In other words, they are claimed proportionally each year.

Keep the right records for each stage of your property journey to ensure you can claim everything you are entitled to.

Another thing to consider is obtaining a “tax depreciation schedule” completed by a registered quantity surveyor. Costs can vary (usually about $600 for a standard residence), but the cost is also tax deductible and can significantly improve your tax position. Always seek advice from your accountant to see if this would benefit your situation.

Buying • Contract of purchase • Conveyancing documents • Loan documents • Legal/conveyancing fees • Borrowing expenses

Here are some common expenses incurred that are tax deductible; Rental property expense checklist • Advertising • Body Corporate fees • Management fees by agent • Commissions paid to agents • Capital works • Depreciation • Cleaning and garden maintenance • Pool maintenance • Insurance • Interest on loans used to purchase or improve the property • Bank fees and borrowing costs • Repairs and maintenance • Legal expenses or lease costs • Postage, stationery, and telephone • Smoke alarms check and installation • Pest control • Council rates • Quantity survey report fee

Owning • Proof of rental income • All rental expenses • Periods of private use by you or friends • Periods you used the property as your main residence • Loan documents if you refinance • Efforts to rent the property out • Capital improvements Selling • Contract for sale • Conveyancing / legal documents • Legal fees in connection with the sale • Calculation of capital gain or loss Good recording keeping is the key. Set up an easy-to-use record keeping system such as a spreadsheet or professional software. Keep records of every transaction. Scan copies of your receipts to make it easier to store and access them. This guide is provided for general information only and if you have specific questions that are particular to your own personal situation, you should consult with your accountant or registered tax agent. COFFS COAST focus 83

Local. Flexible. Available. That’s our home lenders. Whether you’re looking to buy, invest or switch loans, we’re here as your local CommBank Home Lending Specialists to help you through every step. Book an appointment today at a time and place that suits you.

Bee Teh Home Lending Specialist 0436 918 479 MooiBee.Teh@cba.com.au CommBank Park Beach Plaza

Lorraine Ryan Home Lending Specialist 0481 910 746 Lorraine.Ryan@cba.com.au CommBank Park Beach Plaza

Things you should know: Applications are subject to credit approval. Eligibility criteria and other conditions may apply to some loans. Full terms and conditions will be included with our loan offer. Fees and charges may be payable. Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL and Australian credit licence 234945. ADV15408 270522

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COFFS COAST focus 85

Evolution Residential THE

SOLAR COFFS SOLAR ENERGY

Mark McClurg is the owner of Coffs Solar Energy. Coffs Solar Energy was established in 2010 and has been behind thousands of local installations. Mark has worked incredibly hard to create a locally respected brand for his company. That brand is around accountability and service. We sat down with Mark to get an insight into the solar industry, to discuss the advancements of products and how consumers buying behaviour is changing.

an you give us a quick summary of your business operations – what is it you do and where do you operate?

As mentioned in the introduction, we are a well-established local solar company, and what makes us unique is that we only seek to operate on the Coffs Coast. We know that to provide good service, we must honour our warranty obligations promptly. That requires us to respond to any call-out requests from our customers quickly. We also initiate detailed site surveys in advance of any installation work. The result is that when we get to the site to fulfil our contract, there are no changes to the design, the system size or the contract price. Our jobs go to plan, giving our customers the best outcome. 86 COFFS COAST focus

That is the reason behind our numerous 5-star Google reviews. The title of this feature is ‘The Evolution of Residential Solar’, tell me what is happening out there and the significant changes. It is exciting seeing how solar is evolving from this ‘hobby’ type setup 12+ years ago to what is now defined as home energy independence and energy autonomy. There is a lot of fear out there, (some warranted and some not), that energy is no longer a safe commodity that we will all have access

to. The reality is that nobody knows for sure what the future holds, and that is now shaping the buying behaviour of consumers. Consumers want to have energy available when they need it. This is why home battery sales have started to accelerate. But conventional battery systems can’t offer that energy independence or security as they still rely on the grid. Older model battery systems discharge stored energy to your household loads at night. If the grid power is interrupted, the battery switches off. The new model hybrid inverter + DC

That is the

evolution of coupled battery systems of 3.2kWh. That residential solar, energy are revolutionary. Not only scalability allows us security and energy can they discharge energy to offer far more autonomy with no to dedicated circuits with flexibility around energy bills again. no grid, but the batteries designing systems The grid only has the can continue to charge fit for purpose and during daylight hours. on budget for our purpose of being the They can also discharge clients. We design, ‘emergency’ backup – a a high current, meaning supply and install bit like a generator. most household loads home energy can be covered. It is not solutions that far off from being an off-grid system. With eliminate all energy bills. Not just eliminate – these modern battery systems, households but put customers into credit each month or can take comfort in knowing that they have quarter. That is the evolution of residential energy security and energy independence. solar, energy security and energy autonomy with no energy bills again. The grid only Our new DC-coupled battery systems are has the purpose of being the ‘emergency’ scalable – not this one-size-fits-all approach backup – a bit like a generator. used by Tesla and their AC-coupled Powerwall unit (yes – you can double up on their 14kWh batteries – but your scalable increase in units of 14kWh). With our battery system, the scalability is in units

Thanks for your time, Mark – anything else you would like to add? Consumers don’t like that energy companies can change their contract

pricing. They are told that they can trust their energy companies to look after them on rates; however, it seems that the most loyal customers are the ones who pay the most for electricity. Homeowners are not locked into energy supply contracts; you are free to change whenever you want and with no penalty. I highly recommend people use the free government energy comparison website to check their rates against the best available. It is straightforward to use, and in most cases, most people can save 1020% by swapping energy providers. Go to https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/ If anyone would like to see our range of energy independence systems - visit https://coffssolarenergy.com.au/solarpricing/battery-systems/ If you would like to make contact with us – send an email to sales@coffssolar.com.au or visit https://coffssolarenergy.com.au/ contact/

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T H E

B L A C K

H O U S E

Absolute beachfront at Arrawarra Headland! Walk straight from your north facing deck to the beach. It’s not often you find a holiday home in a position like this!

88 COFFS COAST focus

ell us about the design and – Arrawarra Bay is one of the best beaches layout of the property? The on the Coffs Coast, it’s well know to surfers property has been designed and locals but still quiet most of the year. And to capture the amazing beach literally a few steps across the grass from the views of Arrawarra from the back deck and you are on the sand. There main living areas and spacious aren’t many locations with direct beach access outdoor deck. This like this on the North north facing beach is Coast of Australia. the perfect location to It’s a very unique The house shelter from big swells property, particularly was designed making it family friendly the location! What open plan, so from and popular with the sort of responses have local longboarders. With every living space you had from visitors? soft spilling waves this you can watch the Holiday guests love is an awesome spot to waves break across this property! We learn to surf, and the the point.Then there’s have a huge number ideal beach for families the huge deck with of repeat guests, they with young children. seating for 10. often re-book before The house was designed they have even left the open plan so from every property, they love it so living space you can much. We’ve been able to provide a modern watch the waves break across the point, and home with all the features you need for a our huge deck! We live outside on this deck comfortable holiday – air-con, WiFi and we when we visit, it’s got seating for 10 people, have kids items like highchairs and multiple hanging chairs to relax, hooks for hammocks TVs. We’ve set this house up to cater for young and the big steps for the kids to hang. families on holidays, and we know what items What are the standout features? What people need to feel at home on their break. makes the property unique? The absolute standout feature of the property is the location

Continued over... COFFS COAST focus 89

T H E

B L A C K

H O U S E

What do you love the most about Arrawarra Headland and the Northern Beaches? Arrawarra Headland or Arrawarra Bay is just an iconic family beachside holiday destination! We love it because it’s not busy like Byron or Lennox or the Gold Coast. The weather is perfect, warm sunny winter days and hot but not humid summer months where you can actually enjoy the outdoors with the kids. Arrawarra Beach is tucked away protected from southerly winds and you have the option of sitting on the grass reserve or the beach Great Spot! and still being only Nice open plan, steps from the water. great for families. There’s a boat ramp for How many guests We had two families beach launching, and does the Black House each with a toddler then other beaches cater for? Is it family and it was perfect. like Mullawarra and friendly? The Black Plenty of local Mullaway just minutes House caters for 10 options for surf and away on the off chance guests with two kids the wind isn’t behaving beach exploring. rooms with 2 single beds when you want to swim each and three queen or surf. There’s the old bedrooms! Most of our school general store at Mullaway with the best guests that stay at the property are families, so hot chips and burgers, and the whole suburb we’ve made sure it’s family friendly. is welcoming and friendly whether you are What do you enjoy about seeing others a local or visiting the area. Woolgoolga itself experience the property and what it has has great cafés, restaurants and bars, as well to offer? The joy it brings guests. We have as boutique shopping and Woolworths to had guests stay at this property during some do your big holiday shop once you get here. of the hardest moments of their lives, and they There’s kids playgrounds, walking tracks across have said that The Black House was the perfect most of the stunning headlands, and whale watching between May and October. reset button for them. We also love seeing 90 COFFS COAST focus

families enjoy the space and make lifetime memories at Arrawarra Headland! What do you have planned for the property in the future? We want to keep sharing our little slice of heaven with other sandy toe and minimal fuss seaside lovers. There’s nothing we want more than to let others experience what The Black House delivers. A wholesome holiday for the whole family to enjoy. Here’s what our customers are saying: “We spent the October long weekend at The Black House and we were truly mesmerised by the stunning location of this property. The back deck literally looks over the entire beach. The beach is only 15 meters from the back deck which was great when the kids wanted to go for a swim. We didn’t have to leave the

swims, surfs and walks. The TV was not turned on at all. The house itself is nice and spacious. The house felt like it was lived in which was good as we didn’t feel like we were walking on eggshells. We will definitely be returning to this house for years to come. Cardow Holidays were great. We had an issue with the solar hot water system. Within an hour we had a plumber Dreamy at the door resolving Location. Could the issue, and Cardow dropped 2 bottles of not have asked for wine to us the following more. We sat on morning. I will definitely the rear deck and

property. The property inside was open and spacious and amazingly clean. The beds were comfortable and the rooms were all decent sizes. We totally recommend the Black House to anyone looking for a great holiday right on the beach. Massive thumbs up from us.” “Great Spot! Nice open plan, great for families. We had two families each with a toddler and it was perfect. Plenty of local options for surf and beach exploring. A relaxing and easy break.” “The perfect holiday house for surfing and relaxing! We bought a beach umbrella - it was not even necessary, the house is so close to the beach. Will come back.”

be recommending both this property and Cardow Holidays to family and friends” Where can we find out more? How can we book? Cardow & Partners Holidays are the managing agents for The Black House. To find out more you can visit their website www.cardowholidays.com.au, Instagram @ cardowpartnerholidays or you can call the amazing team directly on (02) 6654 1148. The girls at Cardow and Partners have been our agents from the beginning and have introduced so many wonderful guests to our property!

watched the tides go out and return all week between swims, surfs and walks.

“What a stunning location!! We loved sitting on the deck watching all the activity out front. The kids surfed literally all day, just came in for a quick snack and then back out again. The house was clean and comfortable. It was so nice going to sleep each night to the sound of the ocean. We’re now considering moving to the area we loved it so much.” “Dreamy Location. Could not have asked for more. We sat on the rear deck and watched the tides go out and return all week between COFFS COAST focus 91

cardow + partners WOOLGOOLGA

NICOLE CARDOW

i Nicole, tell us about the history of the business?

Cardow & Partners Property is a family owned and run business with offices in Urunga, Bellingen and Woolgoolga. Cardow & Partners Woolgoolga opened in December 2000 and has been operating successfully for almost 23 years. Being a family owned business, we pride ourselves on offering personalised service whilst having access to sophisticated, state of the art marketing. Can you tell us about how you came to be a real estate agent? My father, Greg Cardow, was a real estate agent in Urunga. Can you tell us about your role? To oversee all aspects of the business which covers real estate sales, commercial sales, permanent rental, commercial and industrial rentals and holiday accommodation.

To continue the growth of all sectors of our business. Increase successful sales and listings, gain new quality rental listings and build our currently strong holiday accommodation market.

Tell us who makes up your team and what are their roles? Fay Smith – Sales Consultant, Clara Smith – Sales Consultant, Cinamin Ryan-Frost 92 COFFS COAST focus

– Sales Consultant, Melissa Schothorst – Permanent and Holiday Property Manager, Vicki Lee – Property Manager, Donna Sperring – Office Manager/Sales Support, Amee Oaks – Property Officer, Pearl Ryan-Frost – Social Media Marketing/Reception. What do you think is important to be successful in this industry? Great real estate agents who have been in the business

for years are infallibly honest, trustworthy and reliable. We must keep up to date with market trends and be an expert negotiator. We also must be tough, resilient and market savvy to continuously make sales and stay in the game. What are your goals moving forward with your career? To continue the growth of all sectors of our business. Increase successful sales and listings, gain new quality rental listings and build our currently strong holiday accommodation market.

MEET OUR SALES TEAM NICOLE CARDOW Nicole works alongside all sales consultants at Cardow & Partners and is primarily teamed up with Cinamin Ryan-Frost. She assists in the appraising of properties, marketing and negotiating of sale prices. Nicole’s main requirements for all sales consultants is to provide expert marketing advice to elevate your property above the competition, and, for her sales consultants to gain the highest possible sale price for each property, not necessarily a quick easy sale. Excellent negotiation skills are a must. CINAMIN RYAN-FROST Having grown up in the Woolgoolga area, Cinamin has a vast knowledge of the northern coast, and our developing market. A keen interest in business, Cini brings the skills required to ensure the smooth facilitation of all aspects of property sales. Previously working as our property manager for over 4 years, she has an understanding of all aspects of real estate and can use these skills to help guide potential buyers/vendors. Cinamin is well positioned to assist you with all your real estate needs and aims to provide a wonderful all-round experience. FAY SMITH Fay is an enthusiastic and dedicated agent, servicing the Woolgoolga area for the past 22 years. With years of experience comes an expertise and passion for local real estate, and is here ready to advise you how to best sell your investment property for the highest

possible price. Fay’s expertise is not only a residential real estate but she is a Licensed Stock & Station Agent and has sold rural land holdings and lifestyle acreages along the entire Coffs Coast to Grafton. CLARA SMITH Locally born and raised, Clara has a unique variety of in-depth local experience gained from living, working and investing in the local area. Her vast knowledge enables her to know what your investment property may be worth and the perfect client from her network to match to it. A senior member of the Cardow team for more than 11 years, she believes honest communication is vital in achieving the best possible outcome for her vendors. With a

background in journalism and public relations, Clara’s strengths are shown when it comes to listing and marketing your property. How can we get in touch? cardowpartners.com.au nicole@cardows.com.au 02 66541148 or 0414 584 592 cardowpartnerswoolgoolga cardowandpartnersproperty By joining our Instagram page you will have first access to new listings before they hit the open market on realestate.com.au.

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Aleta&Co R E A L T Y

YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY - 14

Aleta & Co Realty was established in September 2022 and brings a team whose purpose it is to offer a personalised and boutique real estate experience to the Coffs Coast region.

e are currently ranked the third agency in Coffs Harbour based on Rate My Agent for sales which is a great result due to our team size compared to others. Aleta has been in the real estate industry for 14 years and during her time she has won multiple awards, and these include: 4 x Agent of the year Suburb Winner in 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2022 3 x Agent of the year City Top 5 in 2017, 2019, 2022 Top 20% Nationwide in 2023 Trusted Agent in 2023 Aleta brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to our local area and her clients benefit from her honest, sincere, and organised approach to her work. Natalie has been in the real estate industry since 2005 and owns the rent roll alongside Aleta. This gives the reassurance that you will always have the same property manager who knows your property from start to finish. Aleta & Co is currently ranked number one in the Coffs Harbour Suburb for Property Management on Rate My Agent. Natalie is trustworthy, thorough, efficient, and approachable which ensures her investors feel at ease knowing they’re in the educated hands 94 COFFS COAST focus

of someone who will protect their asset.

area knowledge is brilliant. Natalie has great attention to detail and her prompt Our team have all grown up locally in the Coffs communication has been amazing. Nat and Harbour Region and are experienced property all the Aleta & Co team have been a pleasure professionals with an in-depth and up-to-date to work with and we couldn’t recommend understanding of the them highly enough!” local sales and rental (Landlord – L & A. markets ensuring a We just Mcinerney) seamless customer experience. Here are a few words from our vendors, purchasers, landlords and tenants: “Tiare was a great help with her knowledge of the area and was a key component in the quick sale of our property, great service.” (Vendor – A & C Morgan)

purchased our first home and had the pleasure of having Aleta and Whitney support us through the process and were lovely, full of information and patient with us.

“Aleta, Whitney, and the Aleta & Co team have been absolutely wonderful. We just purchased our first home and had the pleasure of having Aleta and Whitney support us through the process and were lovely, full of information and patient with us. Would highly recommend.” (Purchaser – M & S. Schilg) “Everything about the property management process has been straightforward and without stress. They provided all the information we needed to get started and their local

I have loved my time with Aleta & Co so far! The girls have been so accommodating to myself and my partner from the get-go! From organising inspection times that were not originally scheduled to accommodate for myself and work, to now being in a property of theirs and having the best communication, whether it be me asking just a random question, or something needing to be fixed! They are all over it. From Natalie our agent to Charlotte at the front desk, I know these girls are only a new agency, but I know they are going to do amazing! I recommend Aleta & Co to anyone that asks now!!” (Tenant – J & C. Cave) From modest beginnings to a reputation built on quality and trust, call to speak, and meet with our team today.

$1,050,000 (guide)

$595,000 - $615,000

$599,000

6 Matten Close, Coffs Harbour

1 & 2/12 Sunbird Crescent, Boambee East

5/9 Vincent Street, Coffs Harbour

$850,000

$425,000

$450,000

134 Combine Street, Coffs Harbour

2/19 Wirrabilla Drive, Toormina

19A Admiralty Drive, Safety Beach

$585,000 8/7 Gundagai Place, Coffs Harbour

02 6638 9311 | aletacorealty.com

$939,000 8 Tom Albert Place, Sawtell

$830,000

$1,000,000 (guide)

$250,000 (guide)

12 Pinnacle Way, Coffs Harbour

48 William Sharp Drive, Coffs Harbour

12/210 Pacific Hwy, North Boambee Valley

$629,000

$645,000

$845,000

4 Courtney Close, Toormina

2/3 Hull Close, Coffs Harbour

10/122-126 Park Beach Road, Coffs Harbour

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Stone R E A L E S TAT E C O F F S H A R B O U R

Stone Real Estate Coffs Harbour offers a transformative approach to the property landscape, aiming to have a lasting, positive impact on the local community. Established on principles of intelligence, efficiency, and transparency, Stone is committed to elevating the standards of real estate services in Coffs Harbour.

ne of the key advantages of partnering with Stone is our state-of-the-art, real-time database. It’s a robust tool that gives us the ability to pinpoint prospective buyers with unprecedented accuracy. We don’t just stop at identifying buyers within the community; we extend our reach to those outside of Coffs Harbour who are looking to make the move. This widens the buyer pool, creating a more competitive environment that can drive up sale prices. Additionally, bringing in new residents helps diversify and enrich the local community, offering fresh perspectives 96 COFFS COAST focus

and contributing to the area’s growth. Stone Real Estate Coffs Harbour is committed to enriching the local economy. Our customised marketing strategies are a testament to this, as we favour using local platforms and outlets whenever possible. Rather than employing a one-size-fits-all marketing campaign, our targeted, datadriven strategy engages local businesses and suppliers. This approach not only maximises the effectiveness of the marketing efforts but also funnels resources back into the local economy, making it a win-win situation for everyone involved. Shane Brooks, the Principal of Stone Real

Estate Coffs Harbour, emphasises the firm’s deep-rooted commitment to the community: “Our approach is about more than just transactions; it’s about establishing meaningful, lasting relationships. We’re deeply integrated into the Coffs Harbour community, and our goal is to be a positive force, shaping it for the better. We don’t just want to sell homes; we aim to contribute to a more vibrant, thriving community.” Stone’s philosophy is built on a foundation of personalisation and bespoke services. In a community as diverse as Coffs Harbour, it’s imperative that a real estate agency be flexible enough to meet a wide range of needs.

Whether you’re a seasoned investor or taking your first step into the property market, Stone tailors its services to fit your unique situation. They shun the cookie-cutter models of service that treat clients as mere transactions, opting instead for a more empathetic and individualised approach. This commitment to personalised service is particularly important in facilitating property transactions, which are more often than not emotional and complex journeys rather than straightforward business dealings. Recognising this, Stone Real Estate goes above and beyond the standard expectations. From the moment you decide to sell your property, to the final stages of acquiring your new home, Stone is there to make each step as seamless as possible. They offer a wide range of valueadded services, including coordinating with

removalists, stylists, cleaners, landscapers, and concierges. These are often sourced from within the local community, further contributing to the local economy. Collaboration is the cornerstone of Stone’s operational ethos. Unlike traditional real estate agencies where individual agents work in silos, the Stone team operates as a unified unit. Every team member is involved in every transaction, from open houses to the final sale, ensuring a harmonious and efficient process. This collaborative atmosphere doesn’t just benefit the clients; it enriches the workplace culture and by extension, contributes positively to community wellbeing. Stone Real Estate Coffs Harbour is not your run-of-the-mill real estate agency. It’s an institution deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life in the local community through

innovative, intelligent, and transparent real estate practices. Whether it’s through driving higher sales prices for sellers, employing local businesses in marketing campaigns, or offering a plethora of value-added services, Stone aims to be a community partner that stands for prosperity and growth in Coffs Harbour. With a team that functions more like a family than a group of individuals, Stone Real Estate Coffs Harbour is a shining example of what can be achieved when business objectives align perfectly with community needs. 40 Park Ave, Coffs Harbour 6652 7888 coffsharbour@stonerealestate.com.au stonerealestate.com.au COFFS COAST focus 97

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Homes C O F F S

hat is the history behind Stroud Homes Coffs Harbour? Stroud Homes Coffs Harbour began in 2016 when local builders Yarren and Erin found the brand aligned with their core values of providing an excellent experience for clients as well as a great product. Yarren has been in the local construction industry for 25+ years, and aligning with Stroud Homes has added buying power and an extensive range of quality home designs to the portfolio for potential clients. What services does Stroud Homes Coffs Harbour provide? We specialise in new home construction and manage all areas of the building process, from designing the perfect floorplan to council approvals and the construction of the home. Tell us about your latest HIA award-winning projects. This year we were thrilled to receive the following awards for the Northern NSW & NSW HIA Awards: • Finalist project home of the year for NSW • Winner Northern NSW Project Home of the Year (2nd year in a row) • Winner Northern NSW Project Home $500,000-$800,000 100 COFFS COAST focus

H A R B O U R

• Finalist Northern NSW Home of the Year • Finalist Northern NSW Project Home $500,000-$800,000 • Finalist Northern NSW Project Home up to $500,000 • Finalist Northern NSW Custom Build $500,000-$800,000 • Finalist Northern NSW Country Home • Finalist Northern NSW Medium Kitchen of the year 10sqm-20sqm • Finalist Northern NSW Large Bathroom of the year.

to provide piece of mind we have delivered a high standard home. • Fully loaded inclusions of a high level at great value, no need for upgrades or changes at colour selection unless there is a specific special desire from a client. • Locally owned & operated.

We specialise in new home construction and manage all areas of the building process, from designing the perfect floorplan to council approvals and the construction of the home.

Tell us about some of the new, exciting projects you are working on now and in the future. We have some amazing homes in the pipeline for 2023/2024 as well as some stunning homes currently under construction. We hope to do well in next years awards but it will be difficult to decide which homes to enter. What are the stand out features or the benefits of building with Stroud Homes Coffs Harbour? • Third party quality assessment of every home

• Local trades and suppliers provide us with reliability and accountability.

• No hidden extras. We aim for our black and white quote price to be as close as possible to the actual cost of building a home on your site. We inspect your site at no cost to you prior to our initial quote so we can predict any costs you may not have considered before you make a decision to move forward with a build. • We build our homes as if we were going to live in them, so we include all the things you can’t see which others leave out to reduce pricing. This gives you a home that is comfortable and cost effective to run for the long term.

What is the process when a new client walks through the door? For us it is important to understand the clients’ needs and wants clearly so that we can help them select or modify a plan to meet their expectations. We view their site to see what is possible and evaluate that in line with their budget to make sure we are ticking all the boxes along the way. It all starts with a no-pressure relaxed conversation to get to know you and what you are after. We just want to build homes that make people happy and the best way to do this is to make sure the build process is as stress free as possible. What are the top three things that people should consider when looking to build a new house? 1) Always consult a builder prior to buying land. It is very disheartening when we see clients have purchased their dream allotment but due to site requirements don’t have the appropriate budget to build their dream home. 2) Factor site costs within your build budget. Site costs are the one known figure which won’t change between builders. If you get an indication from a builder as to the

site costs required for your land you can then hone in on the size and style of home you can achieve with the remainder of your budget. Be cautious of builders asking for money at your first meeting who are not willing to go to your site to see what they are getting into. 3) There’s no fast way to the try line. There are many things that need to come together when building a new home (pardon the pun) and it is also a very large investment of your time and money. For this reason, you should take the time to accurately assess builders and go with a builder that best aligns with your personality and vision for the project. This will assist in removing stress from the process and allow you to thoroughly enjoy the journey to your new home! What do you enjoy most about living on the Coffs Coast?

02 5606 2676

FIND OUT MORE HERE

5 Angler Crescent Bonville, NSW 2450 salesch@stroudhomes.com.au

www.stroudhomes.com.au

The beaches, national parks and the people! How can we get in touch? Our display home is located at 5 Angler Crescent, Bonville or you can call or email our New Home Consultant Tim on : 0422 462 676 salesch@stroudhomes.com.au

Builders Licence: 316329C COFFS COAST focus 101

DISCOVER THE ART OF PERSONALISED LIVING WITH

McMahon

STRUCTURAL

n the world of home construction, there’s a notable trend that has been gaining momentum - customisation. At McMahon Structural, we don’t just build houses; we craft homes that are as unique as the individuals who inhabit them. “At McMahon Structural, we truly believe in a ‘custom home’ - that’s why no two homes of ours are ever the same,” explains our head builder, Ben McMahon. “Each is designed to enhance your everyday life from smart home features to personalised layouts, we craft homes that optimise comfort and convenience.”

affordability without compromising on quality. Ben says, “Custom design and building is surprisingly affordable. We carefully design a home within your budget to your specific needs, one that incorporates your uniqueness, your family values, and lifestyle.”

What sets us apart is our commitment to

We’re proud to announce that in 2023, we

were honoured with awards at both the Sydney HIA NSW and the Coffs Harbour HIA Northern NSW events, a testament to our dedication to excellence. As a family-run business located in Inverell, NSW, we invite you to explore our completed projects on our website, www.mcmahonstructural.com. au, and let us turn your vision into reality.

ADVANCED HOMES At McMahon Structural, we truly believe in a custom home, that’s why no two homes we build are ever the same. Specialising in custom built new homes and commercial projects within the New England Region YOUR EXPERIENCED INVERELL BUILDERS.

1 Swanbrook Road, Inverell NSW 2360 admin@mcmahonstructural.com.au Ph. 0432 423 793 mcmahonstructural.com.au 102 COFFS COAST focus

M I C K

A I N S W O R T H

B U I L D I N G

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B U I L D I N G

Mick Ainsworth is a licenced builder with over 30 years experience in both manufacturing and construction of steel framed homes in the Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Valley. Mick offers custom home building, additions and renovations.

hat is the history behind your business?

Our journey commenced with my parents' steel frame and truss business, where I embarked on an apprenticeship. The love for design and project management led me to acquire the business in 2001, kickstarting an exciting new chapter. For 13 years, we thrived in the industry, ultimately rebranding as Mick Ainsworth Building in 2014. Today, our story is one of

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family, passion, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Tell us about your team and their area of expertise? Our team embodies the essence of our business. At the core is Geoff, with an impressive 35 years of industry experience. His expertise spans construction and project management, making him an invaluable asset. Geoff's commitment to our clients, characterized by care and dedication, consistently earns admiration and gratitude. Ryan, our meticulous craftsman, stands out

for his precision and dedication to quality workmanship. His keen eye for detail sets him apart in his field. Beyond his expertise, Ryan infuses our worksites with infectious cheerfulness, brightening even the toughest days. Charlie, our promising third-year apprentice, embodies the potential of the next generation. His mature and level-headed approach defies his years, positioning him for a successful future in the industry. Nova, my wife brings a wealth of business and finance knowledge and is now managing the daily needs of the business, allowing me more time on site. Our team is not just a collection

homes. Our deliberate choice to limit projects to 2-3 per year ensures personal attention. As the leader, I'm committed to making your experience exceptional. Tell us about your latest HIA awardwinning projects. We are honoured to have received several prestigious HIA awards, including Custom Home 2021 ($501k-$700k), Country Home 2023, and Custom Home 2023 ($800k-$1.5m).

When you engage with Mick Ainsworth Building, you’re not just hiring a construction team; you’re joining an adventure led by experts who are not only masters of their trade but also genuine, approachable individuals.

Tells us about some of the new, exciting projects you are working on now and in the future. of individuals; we are a family bound by a shared passion for transforming dreams into reality through exceptional craftsmanship. When you engage with Mick Ainsworth Building, you're not just hiring a construction team; you're joining an adventure led by experts who are not only masters of their trade but also genuine, approachable individuals.

We've recently wrapped up a stunning 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom residence in Nambucca, and now, we've embarked on an exciting journey to construct a captivating barn-style home in Raleigh. What are the standout features or benefits of building with Mick Ainsworth Building?

What services does Mick Ainsworth Building provide?

We maintain a small, focused team for quality. No juggling of multiple projects – yours is our sole focus. Quality, consistency, and safety are our top priorities.

We offer tailored services for custom-built

Continued over... COFFS COAST focus 105

HIA Green Smart Professionals. What is the process when a new client walks through the door? When a new client approaches us, our initial conversations revolve around understanding their vision, timelines, and budget. After a plan review and a rough estimate, we request and meticulously review architectural plans. If both parties are ready to proceed, we follow up with a fully costed proposal.

What makes you stand out above your competitors? Our competitive edge lies in our meticulous approach. We assume responsibility for all project aspects, ensuring quality and consistency. Our on-site management is impeccable, creating a safe and focused work environment that benefits both our team and our clients. How important is sustainability when 106 COFFS COAST focus

building a new home? Sustainability is of paramount importance in the modern construction landscape. We recognise the significance of sustainable building practices and incorporate them into our work. Passive design techniques are used to optimise energy efficiency. We have even undertaken projects involving off-the-grid homes. As part of our commitment to staying at the forefront of sustainable building, we maintain our status as

We offer cost-plus contracts which allow transparency and flexibility before, during and after construction. Clear communication and understanding obligations are essential to avoiding uncomfortable situations during the construction phase. Our meticulous ways ensure a partnership and a wonderful and exciting building process for both client and our team. What are the top three things that people should consider when looking to build a new house? Building a new home is a significant undertaking. Clients should consider: 1. Budget v Expectation. 2. A custom home cannot be compared or costed against a project home. 3. Ensure there is early consultation between

the builder and architect at preliminary stages to monitor budget. Where are the hot spots to build on the Coffs Coast? We consider areas between Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Nambucca Heads and Macksville our hot spots. People seek larger properties with privacy in these rural locations. Since conception, what has been the most important thing to you as a local trade? From the very beginning, our guiding principles have been honesty and trustworthiness. Treating people right has been a cornerstone value, and we continue to uphold these values in every project we undertake. How important is it to support local businesses? Supporting local businesses is essential not only for the quality of craftsmanship but also for reinvesting resources into our community. We believe in the power of community, and by supporting one another, we collectively thrive. What are some challenges that the industry has faced, and how have you overcome these? The construction industry has encountered numerous challenges, particularly with the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. These disruptions affected supply chains and

project costings. To address these challenges, we focused on enhancing our logistics to secure necessary materials and manage project timelines. Our close-knit team also played a crucial role in adapting to the changing circumstances and innovating solutions. Tell us about your community involvement. Our sense of community has always been more than professional; it's personal - it's our family. Nova and I have over 50 years collectively dedicated to surf life saving, and our transition into a growing family of grandchildren sees us embracing new adventures. We are always available to support our community, offering our time, skills, and more, because giving back and staying connected with the people who make up our community is at the core of who

we are. What do you enjoy most about living on the Coffs Coast? We cherish our quality of life. When possible, we love to start our days enjoying an early training session or swim around the jetty foreshores to get started. The Coffs Coast offers natural beauty, a welcoming community, and diverse activities. How can we get in touch? We’d love to hear from you, 0429 682 900 mick@mabuilding.com.au mickainsworthbuilding.com.au mickainsworthbuilding COFFS COAST focus 107

WHEN QUALITY AND SERVICE MATTERS

PROUD LOCAL SUPPLIERS for the award-winning homes by Mick Ainsworth Building.

WINDOWS \ DOORS \ SCREENS Coffs Harbour Hardwoods Proudly supplying Mick Ainsworth Building

(02) 6699 3877 | 58 Industrial Drive, North Boambee Valley, NSW 2450

www.sgaaws.com.au 108 COFFS COAST focus

Visit Our Showroom 32 Lawson Cr Coffs Harbour

Phone 02 66492006 www.coffshardwoods.com.au

MICK AINSWORTH IS A LICENSED BUILDER WITH OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE. HE IS SUPPORTED BY A TEAM OF EXPERIENCED, FULL TIME CARPENTERS AND TRUSTED SUB CONTRACTORS, ALL DEDICATED TO PROVIDING NOT ONLY A QUALITY BUILD BUT ALSO AN EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR CLIENTS IN THE COFFS HARBOUR AND NAMBUCCA VALLEY AREAS. Mick is passionate about building with True Core Steel frames, known for their enduring strength and durability. Steel-framed homes are termite and borer proof, strong, straight, precise and fire resistant. Mick wholeheartedly endorses the inner strength of True Core Steel. As the most experienced steel home builder on the Coffs Coast, Mick recognises that steel framing is just one aspect of a construction project. For clients who prefer timber frames, Mick and his team are more than willing to accommodate their preferences. With an unwavering work ethos, Mick and his team prioritise flexibility, responsiveness, and adaptability to meet the needs of both the customer and the environment. From the initial concept to project completion, Mick’s active involvement and accountability are guaranteed.

STEEL FRAMED HOMES ARE A PRODUCT MICK IS EAGER TO SHARE THE STRENGTH AND DESIGN BENEFITS OF WITH HIS CUSTOMERS, ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE A HOME OF UNQUESTIONABLE QUALITY THAT WILL ENDURE FOR GENERATIONS. NEW HOMES

LOCK UP CONTRACTS

OUTDOOR LIVING

DECKING

STEEL FRAMES

0429 682 900 mick@mabuilding.com.au mickainsworthbuilding.com.au Lic: 162019C COFFS COAST focus 111

COFFS HARBOUR

marine VA D I M PAT L AY

hat is Coffs Harbour Marine? We are all about boats, motors, and trailers! We’re an official dealership for reliable Honda and Mercury outboards, Australianmade Stessl Boats and McLay Boats from New Zealand – all sought-after for their exceptional quality. We sell Redco and Dunbier trailers, and stock Garmin and Motor Guide products as well as all the marine electronics. Our technicians have over 30 years of combined experience in the business. We are your go-to people for everything boating! What advice do you have for someone in the market for a new boat? Enjoy the process! A boat is a luxury item, so choosing one should be a smooth and enjoyable experience.

How will you use your boat? What size will be the best fit for you? What features are you after? A good boating shop should ask you plenty of questions to understand what YOU want, not what THEY want to sell. At Coffs Harbour Marine, we strive to do just that and go above and beyond to deliver the perfect boat for you. What sets you apart in the boating business? Our brands are second to none in time and quality! Australian-made Stessl Boats have been a trusted favourite for 46 years, built in a state-of-the-art factory, and offering a wide range of models from serious

fisherman to family-friendly boats. Across the ditch we’ve got New Zealand’s McLay boats, which are the ultimate fishing machines. They perform like no other, with a design that’ll turn heads. As their only dealership from Mackay to Sydney, these boats are flying off the shelves. A couple of McLay boats are arriving in-store this January 2024 and we offer you the unique opportunity to secure one early. We also offer finance and insurance. With our extensive dealership range, alongside our experienced and friendly team, Coffs Harbour Marine is one of the best in the business on the Mid-North Coast.

At Coffs Harbour Marine, we offer a wide selection of brand-new boats, outboards, and trailers. WE ARE LOCATED BETWEEN BUNNINGS AND THE HOSPITAL If you are a professional or a novice, we have something to meet your needs and budget. Drop in and have a browse or give us a call.

02 6652 4722 info@coffsharbourmarine.com.au 311B Pacific Hwy Coffs Harbour Coffsharbourmarine.com.au

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132 067 | regionalaustraliabank.com.au Before acquiring a Transaction Account, you should read the Product Details, Conditions of Use and Target Market Determination, available at any branch or on our website and consider which product is right for you, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. Regional Australia Bank Ltd ABN 21 087 650 360 Australian Credit Licence and AFSL 241167

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