Take your samsara journey into the outdoors
Distributor of Kuka Products Queensland
Let Samsara tantalise your imagination as we travel with you to discover all the areas of your home. Join us in celebrating the new arrival of a range of exclusive beautiful monkey wood furniture, fantastic outdoor ceramics and unique outdoor furniture.
47 Moffat Street Cairns • Ph. 4032 3355 • www.samsarafurniture.com.au
Everything a woman wants under
ONE
BIG
ROOF
presented by DIXON HOMES
Saturday 17th October 9am - 3pm Sunday 18th October 9am - 3pm Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal Special Appearances SATURDAY 9.30 am - 10.00 am 10.30am - 11.00 am 11.30 am - 12.00 pm 12.30pm - 1.00 pm 1.30pm - 2.00 pm
SUNDAY 9.30 am - 10.00 am 10.30am - 11.00 am 11.30 am - 12.00pm 12.30pm - 1.00 pm 1.30pm - 2.00 pm
Foreword domestic visitors as overseas destinations lose their previous ultra-cheap charm.
The word on the street is that Cairns is on the verge of recovery with some sectors already starting to bloom, as illustrated by this bumper issue featuring development, creating investor trust in our region. Property developers and builders, and even Aquis, are all putting their heads above the parapet and embracing the collective chant of growth. Tourism is working hard to embrace our new friends from Asia, and the weakening dollar is helping grow both international and
But many parts of our diverse regional commerce are not yet back where they were pre-GFC. The region is peppered with brave local entrepreneurs, whose innovation and dogged determination to carry themselves through the last few years should be rewarded by our patronage. Retailers, consultants, tradesman, franchisees, artists, right down to market stall owners - the list goes on - are frequently local people attempting to prosper in local trade. They need our support to grow and become the foundation for growth for a stable town. It fill's me with dismay, born mainly of irony, that the only "buy local" campaigns seem to be connected with organizations busy taking local dollars straight out of the region. It seems wrong not to know the difference between a hard working franchisee running their business here, and a managed outlet with shareholders
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further south or indeed not in Australia at all. We owe it to ourselves to support local business; to seek out those whose success will ensure our own. Every month CairnsLife seeks to showcase what's best about or vivacious city, and as always our focus falls on our region, it's people and their daily lives in business and at home. I hope you enjoy this issue. It's not only about who is succeeding now, but also provides a clear vision of the future, something that we are all part of. Please join us in making it a good and prosperous one.... On another important point we would like to recognize the work by our resident foodvixen.com whose photos we published last issue for the article we wrote on Eato’s. We love to recognize the talents we have locally, foodvixen is one of the many pro-active people out there that have a passion and are engaging in it on a daily basis.
David Leith Commercial Manager
Cover Story
The i n t e r v i e w
Mayor Bob Manning talks to Michelle Stacpoole about Tropical
Sky’s The Limit Urbanism, economic growth and
why Cairns needs to pedal harder.
Growing up in Cairns, all that Mayor Bob Manning wanted to do was play football.
When he wasn’t swimming in Moody Creek, he was aspiring to represent his hometown in rugby league. To be selected to play for Cairns was considered an important measure of success, and one that the Mayor proudly achieved. “I loved playing football for Cairns when I was a kid. That was the ultimate. If you could achieve that, then you had made it,” he says. Cr Manning acknowledges that the youth of today however have much larger playing fields in their sights. “The young ones of today, at 17 or 18 are going off overseas. The keenness they have to travel, to meet, to learn, to feel, to develop new senses is absolutely incredible,” he says. Accepting that the call to overseas adventure is part of growing in today’s modern world, the Mayor hopes that young people are enticed to eventually return and settle in the region. Having spent time living and working in Jordan, Cyprus and South Korea, he believes that Cairns needs to be a city that is more attractive to people; a place where they want to stay.
walls,” he adds.
According to the Cairns Region Planning Scheme, this will be achieved with integrated vertical landscaping and creating generous street canopies in an architectural expression of the natural rainforest canopy. The Mayor acknowledges that the key to the success of the planning scheme is to empower the population of Cairns to contribute to the journey. “You have got to take the people with you. If you don’t, you can have the best idea in the world but if you can’t sell it, if you can’t take the people with you, you have got nothing,” he says. “Maintaining that commitment and progress is important, but this has got to be an evolving process. It is not a revolution. It’s an evolution.” With the population of Cairns expected to reach 400,000 by the year 2050, Cr Manning believes that it is important to keep the population centres tight to avoid development spread into sustainable farmland. “You can’t escape population growth. It will occur, and it will challenge us as to how we manage it,” he says. Underpinning the commitment to the development of Cairns is recognition of the need for continued economic growth in the region.
“It would be nice to think we could create a place, a livability index here where people, even if they do go away, they want to come back later,” he says.
While acknowledging that the city relies heavily on tourism, Cr Manning, refers to what he calls the ‘push/pull effect’, where an industry will pull something else along behind it.
Citing Singapore as the greatest example of a city that has “got it right”, the Mayor says that Cairns has the opportunity to create a tropical city that is right at the cutting edge.
“What we are seeing now is a whole lot of industries developing around tourism,” he says.
“Where we are today is where other cities have been before and have now come through, so we can learn a lot from them,” he says. Under the Cairns Region Planning Scheme, Tropical Urbanism (or Urbanization as he prefers to call it), involves increasing the height of buildings in the city to the maximum permitted under the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) – the area of airspace that must be kept free of obstacles to protect aircraft - while maintaining the signature “city in the rainforest” style. Spreading out around the city like “a big saucer”, the Mayor believes we should be utilizing all available space under the OLS and building to the maximum permitted height, leaving gaps or blocks between the buildings for aesthetic value. “We have to make hard decisions here, and there will always be a trade off,” he says. “It is better if we look to concentrate a bit more on the landscaping, look at the form of the building, the shape and width of the building, the design. We want it to be interesting. We don’t just want plain concrete or glass
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“The Cairns economy is now becoming well spread and well diversified, and that is very reassuring for the future.” With the recent announcement that the $8 billion Aquis Great Barrier Reef Resort planned for Yorkeys Knob is back on the State Government’s radar, the Mayor feels that we can look forward with optimism, yet is mindful that deals don’t stay there forever. “They have to be closed,” he says The Order of Australia Medal (OAM) recipient believes Cairns isn’t in a position where it can free wheel from here on in. “We have got to pedal harder to succeed. If we do that, then the future for us should be bright. But if we decide to lay back and become lazy, to be not motivated and driven in what we do, then we will run with the pack,” he says. According to Cr Manning, you either run with the pack or you run ahead of it. “I think Cairns has all the attributes to run ahead of the pack,” he says. Clearly, Mayor Bob Manning still has his eye firmly on the ball.
CairnsLife
PALM COVE REEF FEAST
8TH to 11TH
CAIRNS WOMENS LIFESTYLE EXPO
Williams Esplanade, Palm Cove
17TH & 18TH
www.reeffeast.com.au
Shed2 Cruise Liner Terminal
Spread over 4 days, the Palm Cove Reef Feast is all about scrumptious food tasting plates from our award winning restaurants. Street entertainment, music and markets are just some of the reasons for you to join us this year at Palm Cove Reef Feast. Other events included are the annual Golf Day, a Hair & Fashion Show and Prawns & Jazz at the Jetty. There’s something for all the family so come along and have a great time. Spread over 4 days, the Palm Cove Reef Feast is all about scrumptious food tasting plates from our award winning restaurants. Street entertainment, music and markets are just some of the reasons for you to join us this year at Palm Cove Reef Feast. Other events included are the annual Golf Day, a Hair & Fashion Show and Prawns & Jazz at the Jetty. There’s something for all the family so come along and have a great time.
The inaugural event will be held at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal on Saturday 17th October and Sunday 18th October from 9am to 4pm Everything a woman wants under one roof INDULGE, DISCOVER and be EMPOWERED with exhibitors from health and wellbeing, business, career, fashion and beauty, food and wine, lifestyle products, motoring, travel, homewares and so much more. Plus special guest appearances from Angelina Ballerina (Sat) and Peppa Pig (Sun) We hope to see you there! Tickets at the door.
Contact person: Francetta Bridle | 0437 646 677 | fbridle@gmail.com
02.
THE CROCODILE TROPHY
17TH to 25TH
05.
TROPICAL MARDI GRAS
1ST to 11TH
Tanks Arts Centre www.tropicalmardigras.org
SAT 12:00 PM - SUN 1:00 PM • Cairns to Port Douglas crocodile-trophy.com by Regina Stanger
The Crocodile Trophy is the oldest Mountain Bike stage race in the world and has its home in the heart of one of the most beautiful holiday destinations on earth: Tropical North Queensland in Australia. Starting with a circuit race in Cairns, over nine days cyclists from all over the world and Australia will ride for 900 kilometres on awesome single trails of popular MTB parks in the Cairns region, through river crossings and across wide plains and the iconic Outback Highways in Far North Queensland before finishing on Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas!
Contact person: Juliane Wisata | 0416 737 972 | juliane@rockytrailentertainment.com
THE TRAVELLING FILM FESTIVAL
From dance parties to dive trips, from fine dining and fashion shows to beaches and rainforests, culminating in our Fair Day at the superb Tanks Arts Centre, Tropical Mardi Gras has something for everyone in our rainbow family. Come for entertainment, adventure, connection and relaxation, all in an idyllic festive environment. Dance, meet, mingle, dine, explore, swim, snorkel, dive, discover, create, enjoy, chill, cuddle, dance some more and show your love in paradise!
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OKTOBERFEST 2ND to 3rd & 9th to 10th 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM • The German Club Cairns
30TH to 3RD of NOV 7:00 PM • Cairns City Cinemas, Grafton Street, Cairns www.sff.org.au/travelling-film-festival/cairns
The Travelling Film Festival (TFF) showcases Australian and international features, documentaries and short films screening in areas which have limited theatrical screening opportunities. The TFF currently tours to 19 locations annually, screening in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. The Travelling Film Festival returns to Cairns with an exciting new collection of films for everyone to enjoy.
Contact person: Alicia | 02 8220 6600 | tff@sff.org.au
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The German Club Cairns is ready to host it’s traditional Oktoberfest. Once again we will see the Cairns Big Brassband come along to provide us with some great music. Along with the Edelweiss dancers to show us some of the traditional german dancing. The MC of the night will be our well known Marty-B, ready to entertain the crowd. Our menu will be some great traditional German food. Entry is $10 - No table reservations - Tickets for food and drinks can be purchased on entry - Parents with children are welcome from 5pm -8pm
CairnsLife
07.
WHAT WE’RE EXCI TE D AB OUT THI S MONTH
BEN MURPHY IN ILLUSION IMPOSSIBLE 7TH to 23RD DEC Velvet Underground - Reef Casino www.ticketlink.com.au
Prepare yourself for a night of fun, laughs, magic and grand illusions as Ben Murphy presents “Illusion Impossible!” This exciting show will leave you both laughing and amazed as Ben Murphy weaves his unique blend of comedy with spectacular displays of reality-twisting and mind-blowing magical effects. Tickets vanishing nightly, so book now before they all disappear!
08.
EXPERIMENTA RECHARGE 6TH INTERNATIONAL BIENNALE OF MEDIA ART 11
TH
10.
to 22
ND
BOLERO!
12TH to 13TH
At Cairns Civic Theatre www.qso.com.au
Cairns Regional Art Gallery
Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Cairns Civic Theatre proudly present Ravel’s sizzling masterpiece – Bolero; fiery, passionate, Spanish-flavoured and adored across the globe, Bolero is French composer Ravel’s most famous work for orchestra.
Experimenta RECHARGE is a touring exhibition presented by Experimenta, Australia’s leading media arts organisation. The exhibition presents interactive and multidisciplinary works by national and international artists who use and experiment with media and technology.
11.
TANKS MARKET DAY + KIDS TANK!
25TH
SUN 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM www.tanksartscentre.com
09.
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THE SCREAMING JETS
TH
Brothers Leagues Club
Australia’s Premier Rock & Roll Outfit, The Screaming Jets return in 2015 for their biggest national tour in over a decade. With a swag of new tunes, The Screaming Jets will be hittin’ the highways and comin’ to a town near you from October through til the end of 2015. Whether it’s the heart of the city, the pulsing suburbs or a good old fashioned country pub, The Screaming Jets are a band that thrives on the road, energized by reaching each and every fan.
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Everyone is invited to wander our leafy promenade, explore the site and take in the full complement of stallholders offering a blend of quality local art, craft, produce, vintage clothing, collectables and local natural health products. Plus enjoy local musicians, food and refreshments on this free, family fun day. Remember to step behind the Tanks walls and check out the Tank 4 Gallery, and for families don’t miss KIDS’ TANK with activities for children aged between 3-12 years, also held in Tank 4.
CairnsLife
In
your opinion, how do you see our developmental landscape
shaping the way we live, and changing the way we interact with our unique tropical environment over the coming years?
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Michael Martino
Belinda Street
Ash Moseley
ARCHITECT/DIRECTOR MMP ARCHITECTS
SALES AND MARKETING LJ HOOKER EDGEHILL
REGISTERED BUILDER ASH MOSELEY HOMES
Growth will be positive for our region. Sometimes it’s been steady sometimes chaotic, but always leading to greater prosperity. We’ve moved on from bark huts, through an awkward period when newcomers brought the vernacular of cold climates to our developmental landscape, to now when we have an increasing proportion of local people with local understanding of climate and environment designing and shaping that landscape. We can’t keep spreading, we must start greening our city from the inside with more open space at ground level and we must go upwards to preserve our tropical surrounds, the sky our only limit.
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Cairns just gets better and stronger each year. With the growth and development of new homes and businesses being built from Palm Cove to Gordonvale, it has changed the way we live, with convenience and close proximity for all. The new roads and over passes to multiple suburbs and the city save time and money, which families prefer. More families are getting out using the new facilities provided, bringing the community together. The new bike paths are incredible. The amount of people riding to work or just for fun and fitness is amazing. You just have to have a good look around to see how lucky we are to live in this beautiful city, to see it grow and provide our children with a better and safe environment.
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I’ve been building homes in and around Cairns for over 30 years. During this time Cairns has remained a unique, tropical city and a place I’ll always call home. I’ve seen Cairns develop and prosper during this time, from single lane highway corridors to overpasses and multi-lane highways, becoming the sought after tropical destination it is today. The building and construction industry is vital to the Cairns economy and creates long term employment, having a flow on effect through so many parts of the community. It seems that when the construction industry is pumping along, then the benefits to the wider community are a given. Cairns construction industry advocates environmental sustainability and tropical design to maintain and enhance our beautiful landscape. The industry has been a little slow for the past few years, however with low interest rates and the low Australian dollar, the time is ripe for renewed growth and development.
Trinity Anglican School
Born to Achieve. Guided to Succeed. TAS Kewarra Beach - Kindergarten to Year 6. Poolwood Road, Kewarra Beach. Ph 4057 7000 TAS White Rock - Kindergarten to Year 12. Progress Road, White Rock. Ph 4036 8111 www.tas.qld.edu.au
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GRUMPY OLD M AN
with
Danny Betros Swinging In The Jungle One of my friends gave me a Minjin Jungle Swing at AJ Hackett’s for my birthday recently. I’ve always said not to bother giving me any adventure activities such as parachuting or bungee or any other adrenalin based sports because I won’t do them. Firstly I’m basically gutless, and secondly I believe there are enough things in this world that can kill you without adding any voluntary activities. Anyway, I thought what the hell? I’m over fifty; I’ll do it to prove my manliness. So I went there to put my life in someone else’s hands. The kids couldn’t be bothered to come. They just shouted out the usual lame comments about “Have you got your will done?” and “Nice knowing you,” etc as I left home. First thing I noticed when I got there was that I was undoubtedly the oldest person in the place. There were backpackers and young holidaymakers everywhere. I was overdressed because I had a t-shirt on, and the sounds of whoo’s and yeehah’s filled the air. The front counter was adorned by young, hip, good looking, friendly, happy staff who were laughing, cheeky, have more tattoos than clothes on my back and enough metal studs and piercings to hold up a small bridge. Never the less it was their sole aim to get my money, make me feel relaxed and, most importantly, make me feel young. I’d heard there had been some nude bungee going on a few days before but no luck on my visit. Apparently if you go nude you get it for free. Now there’s a scary thought. With all my body hair flying through the jungle someone might throw a net over me. On with my turn and up the stairs I went to a small landing where you have to lie on your stomach while being suspended in a harness with your legs apart. It was like some sort of weird reverse birthing position. I wasn’t sure if I was really going on a swing or I was about to have a rectal exam. I thought maybe my family had conned me and my bum doctor was about to show up.
After all the safety checks I was winched up until I was at some stratospheric height where not only could I see Green Island but the coast of New Zealand as well. You have to pull the ripcord yourself, so I’m hanging up there in the atmosphere, everyone looking at me waiting for me to die, and I’m shitting myself. The attendant has the green light flashing, thumbs up, nodding his head, and I’m thinking “F@#k off !”. He’s nodding again. Everyone’s waiting. Then I noticed something. Way down below with the ants on the ground was my wife, eating ice cream and getting chatted up by a dozen young boof-head footballers on one of those end of season trips. All buffed and wearing bugger all, showing off their six packs and other parts. Apparently they thought it was great that the old timer was having a go. That’s it, I thought. Time to toughen up and show these youngsters how good I am. No good sucking in my guts and pumping out my chest here as it would have made the birthing position more uncomfortable. I let the cord go and sh*t!!!! The first drop and swing is over in a few seconds, it is that fast. I had to reach into my head and pull my eyeballs back out. As I was swinging back up I quickly passed my tightened sphincter and stomach still falling the other way. What a ride! I went for a few more minutes and my stomach and sphincter finally caught up as we slowed down. When I got off I kissed the ground, got out of my reverse birthing position and thanked the attendant. They offered me a second go at a cheaper price but I just laughed in their face. As you leave you get all the photos they took on a memory stick. No framed photo anymore. At home I found the funniest collection of me in bad photos, swearing and with my face being pushed in all directions. Reminded me of some of my friends late on a big night out. I think I’ll stick to the merry-go-round at the show for my thrills in future.
LIGHT LUNCH MENU:
4050 2020 • 34 Esplanade, Hilton Hotel Cairns City QLD 4870 Open 7 Nights from 5pm, Lunch Wednesday to Sunday
FREE PARKING FOR LUNCH
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• Bruschetta trio (tomato & basil, porchetta & buffalo mozzarella, smoked salmon & rocket) • Grilled polenta and vegetable stack • Seafood soup with crostini • Marinated prawns salad • Beef salad with cos lettuce, cherry tomatoes, smoked cheese and aioli • Handmade pasta with cherry
FREE WI FI CairnsLife
tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, eggplants • Focaccia sandwich filled with mozzarella, rocket leaves, prosciutto • Chicken salad with sundried tomatoes, avocados, seeded mustard dressing • Tuna and lime burger served with chips • Basic pizza and house beer
1 Plate + house wine/house beer $18 2 Plates + house wine/beer $25
I n C o n v e r s at i o n
I n t e r v i e w
Lunch with our Councillor’s
Greg Fennell
The tenacious Division 9 Councillor has achieved more in his three and a half years in office than most politicians do in a lifetime. Operating under the mantra of “truth in reporting”, Greg believes in just getting things done. Acknowledging that he has the pick of the beaches in his division, when elected Greg set about tackling the long overdue task of tidying up the foreshores. “It looked bloody terrible,” he says. “We’ve got the best two tourist beaches in Cairns, and something needed to be done,” he adds. The improvements included adding the footpaths, putting up bollards and re-roofing and tidying up the barbeque areas, resulting in the facilities that residents and visitors enjoy today.
Words by Michelle Stacpoole
‘‘
It’s amazing what you can achieve with patience, perseverance and a pot of paste
return to his job as a factory manager, he moved into roles in the customer service industry. Relocating to Cairns in 2004, Greg worked in the automotive sales industry, most recently as Nissan Sales Manager with Westco Motors. Hoping to be re-elected to his role as Division 9 Councillor, Greg is focused on his next challenge of alleviating the traffic congestion to the northern beaches.
‘‘
Greg Fennell is a bulldog.
According to Greg, the 40 kilometres per hour speed zone out the front of Mother of Good Counsel School in North Cairns affects 40,000 people per day each way.
Greg says that while he gets out and about as much as possible in his area, he would not be able to do his job if it wasn’t for the residents bringing issues to his attention.
Conversely in the opposite direction, the traffic at the Caravonica and Smithfield roundabouts creates a bottle neck for motorists heading north.
will replace the existing troublesome facility at Trinity Sporting Complex.
“Because the traffic congestion starts at Machans or Holloways Beach roundabout, people don’t want to travel that way so they go Kamerunga Road and it increases the traffic on Kamerunga Road,” he says. By raising the speed limit to 60 kilometres an hour in line with the rest of Sheridan Street, Greg believes this traffic snarl will be rectified.
“It’s all about the presentation,” says Greg. Similarly, the addition of new barbeque and shelter areas at Kewarra Beach have resulted in an influx of families enjoying the facilities. “It’s little known that it would be the most popular beach area for families on the coast. Any Friday, Saturday or Sunday you could have anything up to a hundred families down there,” he says. “I’m actually doing a path at Clifton Beach too so they’re not missing out. The contractors should be there by mid October,” says Greg. Construction will also commence in October on the new skate park next to Coastwatcher’s Shopping Centre at Trinity Beach. Billed as the best of its kind on the Queensland coast, Greg says the half a million dollar project
“Thanks to the people that help me and advise me about what is going on,” he says. Acknowledging Kevin Colligan, Manager of the Stratford Council Depot as his “right hand man”, Greg says that having the right people in place is essential for council to operate as a machine. Part of Mayor Bob Manning’s Unity Team, it was a life changing event that set Greg on the path toward a career in council. Originally from Sydney, Greg trained as a boilermaker. After a motorbike accident saw him hospitalized for over a month and unable to
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In order to access federal funding to improve the road, Greg has been openly campaigning for the Federal Government to connect National Route One between Woree and the Kennedy Highway at Smithfield, the only break in the national link. As I leave our lunch appointment, I’m left to ponder Greg’s parting comment. “It’s amazing what you can achieve with patience, perseverance and a pot of paste,” he laughs. I have every confidence that the Division 9 Councillor will be nipping at the heels of our federal government for quite a few more years yet.
In His Shoes
Christopher Daunt Watney Principal of Trinity Anglican School (TAS)
After graduating from boarding school in England, the African Englishman chose not to study at university in the United Kingdom, opting instead to return home to Kenya for a holiday. After boarding a ship to Australia at the age of eighteen, he worked in various jobs from a book seller to a dock worker before graduating from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English, French, History and Journalism, with the view to further study in the field of law. It was only after being ambushed by his mother on a trip home to Kenya that Christopher considered working in the profession that would ultimately shape his career path. With a post graduate Diploma in Education, he taught in Kenya for six years. “I started teaching there and I really enjoyed it,” says Christopher.
“
You don’t need a PhD to be a great teacher. Some of the worst teachers I have come across have had a PhD and some of the best teachers I have come across didn’t even have a degree
Returning to Australia, Christopher continued his teaching career, obtaining his Masters in Education at the University of New England. He taught at the prestigious The Armidale School and Pymble Ladies College in Sydney, before becoming Headmaster of Sydney Church of England Co-educational Grammar School in Redlands. Principal at Trinity Anglican School (TAS) since arriving in Cairns in 2008, Christopher is a strong advocate for co-educational schooling. “If you accept that IQ is about a 20% predictor of life’s success, then that leaves about 80% to what you can refer to as emotional intelligence or EI. I think it would be very difficult to develop a sense of emotional intelligence fully in an environment where you exclude 50% of the population,” he explains. Christopher jokingly cites single sex education as essentially a British aberration that has been exported to different parts of the Empire and the Colonies. “I was quoted in The Australian some years ago as saying that there were essentially at that stage three things in adult life that are single sex - lavatories, mental institutions and jails,” he says.
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“
Christopher Daunt Watney never planned on becoming a teacher.
Words by Michelle Stacpoole Prior to relocating to Cairns with his wife Annabel, Christopher took a year sabbatical, where he spent time travelling, learning Spanish…and enjoying his Ducati ST3 motorbike and 1974 MG BGT. “I wanted to spend some time learning a few new skills, but also just having a bit of time out having worked pretty consistently for a number of years at that point. I wanted a change and coming up here seemed like a good idea,” he says. Since commencing as Principal at TAS, Christopher has worked on building the schools profile as part of the worldwide Round Square International. Drawn from the theories of education philosopher Kurt Hahn, the 150 Round Square Schools worldwide share a holistic approach to learning based on six pillars, or IDEALS, an acronym for International, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service.
“The school has been a member for some years and broadly speaking what it does is it offers a lot of opportunities for our students in a whole lot of different ways. It fits in with the focus points of this school,” says Christopher. With the current emphasis on improvement in schools, Christopher’s focus over the next couple of years will be on building capacity and teacher professionalism and efficacy. He believes that like nursing and other such professions, teaching is a vocation. “You don’t need a PhD to be a great teacher. Some of the worst teachers I have come across have had a PhD and some of the best teachers I have come across didn’t even have a degree,” says Christopher. Thankfully the dynamic Principal, who also adds theatre critic and pharmaceutical representative to his repertoire of past careers, answered his calling. “I love teaching,” he says. And his Ducati. And MG.
CairnsLife
STRATEGIC PLANNING
TAX & ACCOUNTING
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
MENTORING
It’s your business … make the most of it! Business is a game of swings and roundabouts, bumps and bends and the road ahead depends largely on making good decisions and having the resolve to travel the road you have chosen. Fortis Group is focused on assisting you to develop your practices, planning and ability to achieve and keep you on this road.
DELIVERING UNIQUE SOLUTIONS Ph: 4225 5333 info@fortisgroup.com.au www.fortisgroup.com.au
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CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
De veloping Cairns
special feature
DEVELOPING The sight of cranes on the horizon signal a booming economy. They are not here yet; but they are coming. The signs look positive. According to Mayor Bob Manning, the future is bright, and we need to stay focused. Economic growth and development however is not only limited to what we can see in a structural or physical sense. The following pages outline some of the local businesses who have contributed to the economic growth and stability of our region through delivery of their products and services, and continue evolving moving forward.
De veloping Cairns
i n t e r v i e w by Suzy Grinter
Down to the Cool Blue Water “It’s three degrees cooler here than Darwin. That suits me fine. I should have done this a long time ago, but it’s the right place and the right time. “My father saw this block back in 2008, and recognised potential immediately,” said Alex.
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Sparkling
white yachts bob lazily on
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Cool. Now there’s a word with all manner of definitions. Like most men, Alex Sayers loves to be cool.
a gentle swell just a few feet away
I keep thinking ‘cool’ as we enjoy a gentle zephyr of a breeze on the deck of the new Blue Water Bar and Grill. The sun is shining, a group of happy diners laugh and chat nearby, and sparkling white yachts bob lazily on a gentle swell just a few feet away. Classy dark slate tiles combine with steel and plenty of glass to create a cool ambience, most welcome on a hot day in the tropics. The Sayers family is no stranger to enterprise in the hospitality industry, Alex’s parents owning and operating the 4.5 star Country Club Hotel in Kununurra for 25 years. Alex grew up in the family business and not surprisingly, went on to study tourism management at university, worked at the distinguished Subiaco Hotel and the Hyatt Regency in Perth, then made his way to the UK, working 16
in bars and cocktail lounges in London and elsewhere, absorbing experience and ideas that he is now putting to good use in the new family venture. By the time Alex’s father had visited Bluewater in 2008, it had come of age. Until Bluewater was developed, unless you were a fisherman, or a resident of the suburb, or just plain lost, Trinity Park wasn’t exactly a destination per se.
Life, as Moon River knew it, altered drastically in the 1990s, with the Bluewater development turning Trinity Park into place of import, a classy suburb of quality homes and leafy roads winding past the waterfront and snaking through gracious parkland and patches of verdant rainforest. But there was something missing. A focus. The Sayers family bought the property in 2013, and in collaboration with Prime Constructions, Coburn Architecture and Coast Living, the Blue Water Bar and Grill materialised. “There was a huge African Mahogany tree in the garden of the Kununurra Country Club Hotel. We had to remove it, very sad, but it was right in the middle of the resort, and if it came down in a cyclone, it would do serious damage to the property, and worse, our guests.
CairnsLife
Alex Sayers
Managing Director Blue Water Bar and Grill
De veloping Cairns
It’s a truly cool venue in all senses of the word
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There are many options for dining, and we use fresh local produce wherever possible. Our menu is extensive, and caters for all tastes.
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“We ended up with 13 tonnes of magnificent timber. The slabs were the width of a 20ft container and threequarters of the height. “We’ve used it as a feature wall, on the face of the bar, at the waiters’ station and in the banquet seating. It’s wonderful rich colour contrasts beautifully with the cool colours of the décor,” said Alex. As with all such ventures, there were teething problems, but the family has its roots in hospitality entrepreneurism and the future’s looking very bright. “Our head chef has been with us since we opened, and we now have a great team in the kitchen and throughout. “Our retail delicatessen sells delicious pastries prepared by our own chefs, and our boutique bottle shop stocks a diverse range of wines, beers and spirits. There are many options for dining, and we use fresh local produce wherever possible. Our menu is extensive, and caters for all tastes. Alex says feedback to date has been very encouraging.
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“We’re really firing ahead now, with a full house for Father’s Day, plans in place for weddings, Melbourne Cup events, Christmas functions and many other corporate and private functions in between. The restaurant seats 200, with another 100 seats outside in the Bar. I wandered upstairs to the function room, a truly elegant and very spacious area, also with a capacity for 200 guests. “We’ve minimised noise by double glazing all the windows and installing extra soundproofing material in the ceilings and walls. “The building is positioned to catch the shade in the afternoon, and shielded from strong wind from the southeast,” said Alex. It’s a truly cool venue in all senses of the word, and I wondered if this cool guy ever had time to relax? Would he ever have time for romance in his life? “Not at the moment,” Alex laughs. “But I love it here, and can see myself taking up marlin fishing, diving and hope to take my dinghy and do the whole boy thing up in Cape York, four wheel driving and a spot of fishing.”
CairnsLife
WHERE WORLD CLASS ANCHORAGE MEETS
Bluewater Marina at Trinity Park is the ideal home away from home for mariners with a compass set to amenity, security and on-shore recreation activities including fine dining, entertainment and retail therapy. Set against a magnificent backdrop of tropical hinterland, surrounded by Cairns’ pristine Northern Beaches and in close proximity to Palm Cove and the bright lights of Cairns, this unique setting combines serene seclusion and a lifestyle of luxury, nestled in one of the world’s most desirable locations.
MARINA BERTHS NOW SELLING
99 YEAR LEASE
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108 cyclone-rated marina berths ranging from 10m to 18m
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Direct access to The Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea
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On-site management and 24-hour security
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State-of-the-art facilities
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On-site amenities
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Just 15 minutes to Cairns International Airport, 20 minutes to Cairns CBD and 40 minutes to Port Douglas
HOUSE & LAND PACKAGE S FROM
$385,00
0*
LAND FROM ONLY $178,000 *
Adjoining the Marina, discover for yourself Cairns’ Northern Beaches premier masterplanned community, Bluewater.
MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE TREND: 2.7%^ (MARCH 2014 - MARCH 2015)
With convenient amenity, an abundance of recreation activities, schools, James Cook University and Cairns Regional Hospital all close by, this warm and friendly community makes for the perfect home.
RENTAL VACANCY RATE: 2.3% (APRIL 2015)
Bluewater at Trinity Beach offers a wide selection of vacant Land and House and Land Packages designed to suit your taste and budget. Proudly working with a variety of leading builders to present modern and sophisticated homes against a backdrop of tropical splendour, whether you are looking to nest or invest, look no further than Bluewater. Terms & Conditions apply, please refer to the Bluewater website for details. *Prices are correct as at time of printing and may be subject to change.
SA L E S 07 4 05 5 6 0 4 0 R E N TA L S 07 4 0 57 572 6 WWW. B LU E WATE R L I V I N G .COM .AU
BUILDING APPROVALS TREND: 31%^ (MARCH 2015) INTL AIRPORT PASSENGERS TREND: 9.3%^ (APRIL 2014 - APRIL 2015) ^Source: Herron Todd White CairnsWatch May 2015.
Developing Cairns
Perfectly glorious prospects
Bluewater’s flourishing future
Developing Cairns
Build your dream at Bluewater and escape to this tranquil community that enjoys a unique blend of rainforest reserve and contemporary style just a short distance from the golden sands and abundant lifestyle amenities of Trinity Beach. This magnificently masterplanned community perched on the prized Northern Beaches is the perfect place to call home or invest for the future. Bluewater has been generously designed to combine the benefits of a safe and vibrant community with an abundance of natural tropical environment. Blessed with landscaped streets, nature reserves, future walking and cycling paths, picnic areas and glorious tropical vegetation, this family friendly neighbourhood is a unique setting that promotes a healthy lifestyle for all ages. High quality home design standards ensure a harmonious aesthetic that epitomises the best in design and construction for tropical North Queensland. The community is also perfectly positioned for investment, located in one of the world’s most desirable destinations, linked by well-connected transport options, growing local infrastructure and proximity to amenity. These are the essential elements that will attract quality tenants, deliver an exceptional lifestyle for owner-occupiers and maintain capital growth and value for the future. With the recent increase of interest in Cairns and accelerated economic and infrastructure development, building your dream at Bluewater ensures you benefit from the bright and dynamic future of this blossoming region.
Contact 07 4055 6040 (Int +61 7) bluewaterliving.com.au
Infrastructure brings long-term benefits Both the State and Federal Governments have recognised the importance of Cairns, with substantial investments in transport infrastructure, health facilities and education. Projects underway include the new $58 million stage of the Cairns Southern Access Corridor, which is upgrading the Bruce Highway. Medical research is creating new jobs and opportunities. The State Government is committing $12.8 million to James Cook University (JCU) to establish campuses of the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine. JCU plans to build a new research building at its Smithfield Campus, and also to renovate laboratory research spaces and training facilities. New facilities mean new staff, postgraduate students and researchers who will create additional need for quality homes, with Bluewater a convenient 15 minute commute from the lab. Cairns Airport a hub for international travel and FIFO commuting Cairns is an address of choice for workers in Fly-in Fly-Out jobs either in Australia or overseas, the airport is just 15 minutes from Bluewater, the perfect haven for these workers to return to. The Cairns International Airport is actually one of Australia’s busiest, both for domestic travel and international flights, with airlines providing direct flights to Auckland, Port Moresby, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tokyo, Osaka, Bali, Manila, Singapore and Guam. In the 2014-15 financial year, more than 4.6 million passengers passed through the terminals, including more than 1.9 million domestic arrivals and 256,364 international arrivals.
Bluewater Display Sales Suite 68 reed road, Trinity park Queensland 4870
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CairnsLife
Tourism growing at faster than state average The Cairns economy is reaping increasing rewards from tourism, and is becoming a premiere destination for the lucrative business travel sector. Just this month it was announced that the International Symposia on Tropical and Temperate Horticulture will be held at the Cairns Convention Centre in November 2016, bringing 1000 national and international experts and an expected economic benefit of $5 million. A number of developments are expected to strengthen the area’s attractiveness and provide substantial numbers of long term jobs. These include the $45 million adventure water park at Yorkeys Knob which is expected to provide around 200 ongoing jobs once completed. Another development still in the planning stages is the $8.3 billion Aquis resort, hotel and casino complex, that would create as many as 18,000 ongoing jobs at Yorkeys Knob.
Build your future at Bluewater Bluewater offers a wide selection of House and Land Packages designed to suit a diversity of taste and budget. Proudly working with a variety of leading builders to present modern and sophisticated homes against a backdrop of tropical splendour, there is something for everyone. There has never been a better time to become part of this vibrant masterplanned neighbourhood.
De veloping Cairns
Wine & Dine on the water in style
Spirit of Cairns commenced operations on Wednesday 26 August 2015 for her inaugural night providing regular calm water dinner cruises, on Cairns Trinity Inlet. The 26m luxury sailing catamaran has just completed a $1.5 million refurbishment, after being purchased by local reef operator Tusa Dive and Spirit of Freedom earlier this year. Owners and operators Phillip Hobbs and Chris Eade said they were excited to commence operations. “Spirit of Cairns is ready to set sail, providing locals and visitors with a unique opportunity to enjoy Cairns harbour cruising and twilight dinners, with panoramic views of the Cairns Inlet and waterfront precinct, including the Lagoon and Esplanade,” said Mr Hobbs. “The boat looks amazing. We’ve made a considerable investment to undertake a complete refurbishment of the vessel, to ensure we’re a delivering a premium, luxury experience. As well as the 2.5 hour cruise, guests will enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and live entertainment.” Spirit of Cairns was completely revamped from the inside out and features brand new air-conditioning, carpets, soft furnishings, bar, ambient lighting, state of the art audio visual equipment, 2 x 55inch HD screens and everything you need for a memorable dinner cruise and/or special event. Spirit of Cairns will provide Cairns dinner cruises, commencing operations four (4) nights per week, being every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. She will depart Cairns’ Marlin Marina at 7pm and return at 9.30pm. Spirit of Cairns will also be available for parties and functions, including weddings, business events and the conference and incentive market. Surveyed to hold 220 people, the two level Spirit of Cairns has exterior
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decks and an air-conditioned interior, which can comfortably accommodate up to 130 people standing and 80 seated. Spirit of Cairns is the third boat in the luxury fleet, which is locally owned and operated by Phillip Hobbs and Chris Eade. She compliments the Great Barrier Reef day tour operations provided by Tusa Dive and extended liveaboard dive expeditions provided by Spirit of Freedom and adds to the tourism experiences available in Cairns, Tropical North Queensland.
DINNER CRUISES – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Operates • Starting with Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday • Check-in & Boarding 6.15 - 6.45pm at Spirit of Cairns, moored at Cairns’ Marlin Marina • Departs | Returns 7pm | 9.30pm Price • Adults $95 | Children $50 (Age 4 – 14 inclusive) Bookings • PH: (07) 4047 9170 | Email: info@spiritofcairns.com Highlights & Inclusions • 2.5 hour calm water sunset / evening cruise • Luxurious air-conditioned vessel • Large outdoor decks • Complimentary drink on arrival • Delicious hot & cold buffet, featuring fresh seafood and local produce • Live Entertainment
CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
Developing Cairns
AQUIS
“Aquis’ own artists rendering”
DECODED ‘stalled’ to ‘back on track’ BY DAVID LEITH
O
ver the last month Aquis has gone from being described as ‘stalled’ to ‘back on track’. As I remain unsure of the difference between an IRD, an EIS and the lower part of my elbow, I thought it would be good to find out what it all meant… What is it? Aquis (pronounced Ackwis) is the casino and high-end resort development proposed for a cane-field site at Yorkeys Knob, just 10kms north of Cairns city. Consisting of a phased construction of 5 star accommodation and a super casino, blended in with ultra modern accommodation modules and other ancillary goodies, like a sports stadium and events arena, theatre, golf course, aquarium and a lagoon. Who is behind it? Billionaire Hong Kong tycoon, Tony Fung, his associate investors, with his son Justin heading it up as the face of the Aquis team. Aquis also plan to gather further investment through floating on the Hong Kong stock exchange. What’s it worth? An investment starting at $3.5 billion rising to a total of $8.15 billion is what is on the table – or in real terms, a hell of a lot. The development is designed to be constructed in stages, the most recent report outlining a $3 billion first phase consisting of one casino, four hotels - with 4000 rooms in total - and many other splendid things, including a central lagoon and golf course.
With an expected estimate of tourism numbers rising by over one million per year, and the associated billions of dollars those tourists bring with them. What’s the hold-up? This is where the EIS, IRD, probity and all melt together in one indecipherable pot. The EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) has been approved by the State. This means the developmental and operational ecological footprint of the project has been judged to be acceptable. Preparing this document alone represents a significant investment and it’s approval an equally significant step forward. For the Fungs, obtaining a casino licence is obviously pivotal. This is the IRD process (Integrated Resort Development) which boils down to a bunch of checks and balances that evaluate the ability and suitability of Aquis to deliver and operate the whole shebang. What’s happening now? The news is that Tony Fung has signed a process deed to re-enter the previously abandoned IRD Process. The deed is designed to illustrate the Fung’s commitment to moving everything forward. In early October, State officials and the Aquis team will meet to propose a deadline and timetable for submission of the IRD process.
But didn’t Aquis buy a Casino in Canberra? Doesn’t that mean it’s all over? The Aquis group did purchase a casino down south, but apparently this was a strategic necessity so that Aquis has an operational casino licence in Australia, and can float on the stock exchange at the beginning of 2016.
When will we know if it’s going ahead? There are still hurdles to jump, but the project is moving forward. The Fungs and their spokespeople are still talking in confident terms that the project is a goer and there are no signs that they have lost interest. A number of local, state and national pollies are also lending a shoulder to the application and, if nothing else, are helping to keep the reality of Aquis alive. If everything lines up, construction is likely to start in 2017 but it will be a matter of months before we can be sure one way or the other.
What will it mean for the local economy? In simple terms extra jobs - 3750 during the first stage construction period and 10,000 once operational. Added to that Cairns, FNQ and indeed Australia’s profile as a luxury tourism destination will be raised beyond the roof.
In summary, nobody knows and the sensible money is still sitting on the fence, or at the very most buying investment property in the northern beaches. But by this time next year Aquis will be everything we can dream of, or something we’d like to forget!
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CairnsLife
To celebrate the opening of the premises at Lake Street, Flight Centre Business Travel and Philippine Airlines are delighted to offer the opportunity to win two return tickets to Manila.
WIN TWO FREE RETURN
TICKETS TO MANILA
N E W
FLIGHT CENTRE BUSINESS TRAVEL CBD Store Helps Get Your Business Going Flight Centre Business Travel at Lake Street is the National Travel Agency’s most recent presence right in the heart of Cairns’ CBD store.
Since opening the new premises in August, Team leader Tanja Sipovac said bookings have been varied with a mix of domestic and international travellers taking advantage of the service.
It brings together both the corporate and leisure travel operations, which means the teams can cater to all travel needs across leisure and business for Cairns locals. It’s a flagship store for Cairns in that it’s the first to bring corporate and leisure together.
“Business travellers have unique and very specific needs and our travel managers are trained with these in mind,” Ms Sipovac said.
It’s a great, central location right in the heart of Cairns and provides the team with a bigger space to allow for growth. In addition to its great location, the new premises include Flight Centre’s latest corporate look fit-out with back-of-house set up for FCBT teams. Some of the key features for the leisure shopfront will include digital signage, interactive maps, ‘toblorone’ stand up desks and an adventure zone. The adventure zone is very much focused on selling local tours to cater to the many Flight Centre customers travelling to Cairns and looking to book at-destination add-ons.
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“We manage all types of corporate bookings such as airfares, hotel accommodation, car hire and even airport parking.” Between Team Leader Tanja Sipovac and her five colleagues, which includes an experienced Business Development Manager, Matt Trevett-Lyall, have more than 60 years travel industry experience to offer to clients. “Our experience across the travel industry can be a real help to your business get to where it needs to go, so you can focus on your business.
CairnsLife
FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN, SIMPLY COME INTO THE STORE AT 82 LAKE STREET, CAIRNS, AND SUBMIT A COMPLETED ENTRY FORM!
For the team at Lake Street, they provide a huge range of travel services and can easily sort out something like a domestic booking for you. If you did it yourself (where you pay approximately a $17 online booking fee), you still have to remember .... • Remember to uncheck the Travel Insurance • Select your favourite seat • Enter the credit card numbers and appropriate frequent flyer/loyalty program detail • Searched for the best deal • Checked your loyalty program • Uncheck the excess reduction for your organisation’s travel policy
Did you know that for a mere $3 more, you could get a fully organised, receipt free, secure business trip? Your extra $3 buys you the peace of mind of letting a Flight Centre Business Travel Manager take care of all the finer details for you. All you have to do is board the plane, pick up your car at the airport and check into your hotel room. The benefit of working with FCBT doesn’t end there though...We also reconcile your monthly travel for you! The above list was just one booking for the month. What happens at the end of the month and it is the time to reconcile all those travel expenses and receipts. Compare this to sending an email or making one phone call to your dedicated, professional Travel Manager, advising them of the dates you want to travel and where you are going to. Within two hours of contacting your Travel Manager you receive an email confirmation that everything is booked and ready to go. Time is money in the business world, and your time is better spent where it matters.
To discuss how Flight Centre Business Travel can help with your business and leisure travel needs, come into the store at 82 Lake Street, Cairns or call 1300 358 508.
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CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
Start something with St.George Bank today. Whatever you want to start, we can help. Speak to one of our friendly staff today about:
Home Loans Wealth and Retirement Planning
Finance Consolidation and Everyday Banking Business Banking
St.George Business Banking Centre 19 Aplin Street Cairns QLD 4870 07 4051 4237
stgeorge.com.au St.George Bank – A Division of Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL and Australian credit licence 233714. STG 00787 09/15
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Developing Cairns
Hinterland Aviation New horizons for local air service BY MICHELLE DRYBURGH
H
interland Aviation has provided a vital link to the rural and remote communities of Far North Queensland for more than 30 years. And it’s looking forward to many more with a refreshed vision and new direction following a recent merger. Broome Air Services director Peter Christoudias is the new owner of Hinterland Aviation and he is confident about the growing demand for regional air travel. Since the acquisition, Peter has has added two new aircraft to the fleet of 11, and plans to introduce additional units in the near future. “Larger aircraft types are also being added to assist with the anticipated growth,” says Peter. This growth includes new scheduled routes into Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw Others are also being assessed with a view to expand in this area and support communities and towns that have been ‘left behind’. Hinterland Aviation provides air transport between Cairns and Cooktown, Lizard Island and the South Western Cape, as well as charters by request. The company is a national leader with Single Engine Instrument Flying, a necessity to conduct Regular Public Transport (RPT) within Australia. Peter brings to the company more than 30 years experience in aviation and a thorough understanding of new and changing industry legislation, including important new rules surrounding safety standards. Hinterland Aviation prides itself on safety and is committed to achieving Worlds Best Practice for the security of staff and passengers alike. “The industry has been facing many changes over many years now and I believe that the future has mergers like this one becoming the norm rather than not,” says Peter. “The industry is only now beginning to understand
the new legislations with ADSB (automatic dependent surveillance broadcast), Part 145 and Part 42. These fundamental changes were required to be made by CASA to meet ICAO standards, however the lower end of the industry is seemingly not coping with these changes. There are many air charter Operators in Australia who do not have a functional Safety Management System (SMS) as yet. Both Hinterland Aviation, and Broome Air Services realised the importance of this nearly a decade ago and implemented a fully functional SMS.” Hinterland Aviation is committed to supporting Far North Queensland communities, employing a team of 40 local people. “Local people who have families that require the success and development of infrastructure to live in this beautiful city of Cairns,” says Peter. “They require all industries to be able to thrive; building, retail, education and medical just to name a few, and these industries require the support of local businesses such as Hinterland Aviation to offer them the service level they require and deserve.” Managing Director and pilot Mark Dorward has worked with Hinterland for the past 12 years. He says Hinterland Aviation remains optimistic about prospects in Northern Australia, and the company is ready to embrace further growth when opportunities allow. “We have developed comprehensive engineering and technical capabilities in addition to flying aircraft. This allows us to ensure all aspects of our operations are managed with continual improvement that reflects in the safety, quality and consistency of our product. “These cornerstones have given us the capability to partner with a wide variety of projects that require continuous aviation support. We want to be the leading one stop shop for aviation services within our market segment.”
Beechcraft King Air 200 The pressurised King Air offers a comfortable cabin for up to eleven passengers and is quieter than some popular business private planes. The King Air’s cabin is both generous in space and refined in design with contoured cabin chairs and corporate configuration to offer maximum comfort. Our King Air is also fitted with a medivac kit making it capable of conducting medical retrievals all over the country and Papua New Guinea. Seating Capacity: 11 • Maximum Speed: 525km/h • Cruise Speed: 470km/h • Max Range: 3740km 8 Service Ceiling: 35,000ft
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CairnsLife
De veloping Cairns
$1Billion Cairns International Airport
development vision on track
An inaugural SilkAir service from Singapore started in late May 2015 offering some direct flights and some via Darwin. The same month Philippine Airlines announced they would commence a direct Manila – Cairns – Auckland return service in December. Cairns Airport is Australia’s northern gateway to the Asia Pacific region. Holiday and business tourism passengers arrive into Cairns from around the world either via direct international flights or domestic services. Resources sector passengers travel between Cairns and various points in Asia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Cairns Airport continues to progress its 20 year $1B development vision. Construction of new Aviation, Commercial and Helicopter Enterprise Precincts on-airport will create opportunities for existing operators to expand their businesses and for new companies to establish operations in Cairns. These projects are currently in the planning and design stages and will move into construction in the near future. New international routes and growth in international passenger numbers have been one of the highlights of the past financial year for Cairns Airport. Jetstar added its third international Cairns route with a direct service to Bali starting in March 2015. These flights are popular with local holidaymakers and there are indications European passengers are using the new route to access Cairns and Great Barrier Reef. An inaugural SilkAir service from Singapore started in late May offering some direct flights and some via Darwin. The same month Philippine Airlines announced they will commence a direct Manila
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– Cairns – Auckland return service Kevin Brown, Chief Executive Officer in December. These international services add to the existing international network for Cairns which links the city directly with Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, Guam, Auckland and Port Moresby and a seasonal service to Shanghai. Cairns Airport continues to explore opportunities to grow export freight of the region’s live seafood, meat, dairy and horticulture produce to capitalise on the high demand in Asia for high quality fresh food products and add to the sustainability of international passenger services. China Eastern’s seasonal Shanghai service was extended to run from December 2014 to February 2015 with three flights per week increasing to daily throughout the month of February to meet demand during the 2015 Chinese New Year holiday period. Together with charter services by China Southern and Cathay Pacific, these flights carried many of the 20,000 or so Chinese New Year visitors coming to Cairns and Great Barrier Reef. China Eastern will operate the Shanghai service for Chinese New Year 2016 with another extended schedule that includes a five-week block of daily flights. Domestic services at Cairns Airport have shown strong demand across the network with airlines using available flexibility to add extra rotations to meet demand. QantasLink upgraded to all Q400 aircraft on their Cairns routes, increasing efficiency and seat capacity. Other regional carriers have entered the Cairns market with Air North flying to Gove and Darwin, Regional Express offering Townsville and Mt Isa services and a rebadged Skytrans flying a Cape York and Gulf of Carpentaria network.
CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
Love staying at Home
S T Y L I S H
L I V I N G
Just sometimes you walk into a workplace that exudes an almost tangible vibe that instantly energises you. WORDS BY SUZY GRINTER
I
don’t think it was la musique dolce or the sunlight playing on the stunning décor items displayed in front of me. I had walked straight into the very heart of a ‘lovers’ triangle’ comprising three people who have unbridled passion for interior design.
“Passion is Everything.”
Alan Blake is as energetic as ever. Whatever else he has done in the course of his illustrious career as a television producer, and councillor and owner of a commercial furniture company, it’s evident he has now found his niche. His tremendous respect for his team, Nola Craig and Shelley Clark is immediately obvious. “Both the girls have a tremendous amount of experience, which I truly value,” Alan says.
“Yes, people often can’t afford to get a complete refurbishment, so we work on creating something that is timeless and will all come together no matter how much time passes between the phases.
“I took the business on nearly four years ago and struggled through a very quiet retail hiatus at the end of the GFC. When Nola joined me, we looked long and hard at what was needed around North Queensland.
“We’re doing a lot of quoting, sourcing and presenting new and fresh ideas that typically represent and enhance our tropical environment,” Nola says.
“Nola’s background is ex Hilton, she has both concept styling and a food and beverage background.
Alan interjects. “But we’re not afraid of telling anyone there is an elephant in the room, we’ve no compunction about telling the truth. Our name is on everything and we’re only as good as our last job. At the end of the day, that has won us the trust of clients far and wide.
“Mondo’s at the Hilton was one of Nola’s concepts,” Alan explains. I can’t help but admire Nola already. “So we’ve taken what was a very stylish furniture business, and value added several other elements to it, running a full consultancy for residential and commercial. “Over the past ten to fifteen years or so, due to financial restraints in the prevailing economic climate, many resorts have been unable to facilitate a full refurb,” says Alan. “We are now working on a number of very exciting commercial projects” Nola says they put a plan together that will work over time.
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“Passion is everything as far as we are concerned. Nola spends a lot of time with the client getting to know them, their lifestyle, their likes and dislikes, their personality,” Alan adds. “We build a rapport which is so important, and we take whatever time it takes to find the right pieces of the right quality,” Nola explains. It’s all about having fun, reading people accurately and exceeding their expectations. The ultimate pleasure comes in watching our clients’ faces when they see what we’ve done for them. It’s that ‘how did you know?’ look. It is so very rewarding to sell the dream and deliver the reality.
CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
A cut above the rest… WORDS BY SUZY GRINTER
LeaAnne Cassaniti sits at a startlingly beautiful desk. I can’t take my eyes off it.
T
he desk is constructed of aluminium, powder coated in a rich teal colour. The table top of the desk is ornately cut, covered in glass to create its functionality. So delicate and classy. I want it.
I finally look up at LeaAnne, who looks all the more elegant seated at this desk of all desks. “I want it,” I say.
“They are all original designs,” LeaAnne explains. “I create the design, then Vince and the boys fabricate the pieces, which are then sanded for powder coating or other finishes. “We can work with steel, aluminium, stainless steel marine ply and various other materials,” LeaAnne explains.
LeaAnne laughs. “So does Cassandra at CairnsLife,” she says.
Mother to three young boys aged 12, 11 and 2½, LeaAnne worked for many years in marketing, but she has always been interested in design.
“Oh,” I mutter, jealous, but I think perhaps this desk isn’t going anywhere.
“There’s nothing better than be able to bring your passion to work,” she said.
Then I realised that on every wall, in every space on the showroom floor, is an “I want it”.
“The great thing about these products is that we can custom make just about anything to suit our customers. Any size, any colour and design, and in many materials.”
LeaAnne’s husband, Vince, owner of OceanBlue Boats in Cairns, builds custom made boats, and refurbishing others, including state of the art super yachts, for the past 13 years. About two years ago, Vince bought a water jet cutter. “I bought it to use in the boat building business, but we recognised an opportunity to diversify. “The water jet cutter uses a high pressure stream of water, with an added abrasive, to erode a narrow line in metal, or for that matter glass, stone and other materials. It’s even used to cut food,” says Vince. LeaAnne and Vince saw the opportunity to use this technology, in combination with LeaAnne’s design skills, to create unique and beautiful outdoor and indoor screens. This soon evolved into a wide range of distinctive products for commercial and domestic application, with applications in art and décor, privacy, space definition, introduction of sculptural elements, filtering light and air flow.
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OceanBlue Living is currently working on a sculptural 2.4m high gum tree for Einasleigh Council. “As Elders pass away, a leaf will be inscribed that can be affixed to the tree,” LeaAnne explains. OceanBlue Living is supplying all over the country and business is growing. “A project normally takes about 2-3 weeks to complete, and we are happy to install.” These products are definitely all they are cut out to be. I knew I shouldn’t have been let loose here as soon as I visited the OceanBlue Living website. Decorative fire pits were an instant tick. But then, so were the screens, furniture, lightboxes, shelves, mailboxes, gates, wall art, and even business logos. “As we tell our customers, the possibilities are endless,” says LeaAnne.
CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
CBWC October Luncheon Guest Speakers and Panel Forum Campbell Newman, Linda Newman and Gavin King. Venue - Shangri-La The Marina Cairns Time - 11:30am-2:00pm Date - Tuesday 13th October, 2015
Can Do: Campbell Newman and the challenge of reform
BY GAVIN KING
Connor Court Publishing, $29.95, Paperback, 250 pages approx. ISBN 9781925138658
A
s the son of two Federal Government Ministers, Campbell Newman was destined for a career in politics. After finding success as an army major and a high-flying management consultant, he took a leap of faith to become Lord Mayor of Brisbane and, ultimately, Premier of Queensland.
For the first time in this authorised biography, Campbell Newman’s incredible and often controversial story is revealed in remarkable detail and scope. The book provides a frank, honest and revealing portrait of his family, army, business and political life. Written by journalist and former parliamentarian Gavin King, “Can Do: Campbell Newman and the challenge of reform” also includes a broader discussion on the future of reform in Australia, as told to the author by some of the nation’s most prominent former and current politicians, business people and Campbell himself.
FAST FACTS ABOUT CAMPBELL NEWMAN
ABOUT THE AUTHOR GAVIN KING
Both his parents were Federal Government Ministers. His dad Kevin was a Minister in Malcolm Fraser’s Government, while his mum Jocelyn was a Minister in the John Howard Government His mum Jocelyn was once described as the “most powerful female politician in Australia” and controlled 40% of the Federal Budget, an estimated $50 billion funding amount in the mid-1990s Campbell was a management consultant for multinational companies for a number of years before becoming Lord Mayor of Brisbane. His insights on business, budgets, management and leadership were in high demand during his career in the private sector As Lord Mayor of Brisbane, he oversaw an annual budget of $3 billion and is renowned for building tunnels and infrastructure to meet south-east Queensland’s rapid population growth As Premier of Queensland, he focused on balancing the Budget and promoting economic development by cutting red tape, leading trade missions to Asia, India, the United States and the Middle East and streamlining approval processes.
Gavin King is a Cairnsbased journalist and former parliamentarian who has worked in senior positions at News Corporation including The Cairns Post and the Sunday Mail. He was the Member for Cairns and Assistant Minister for Tourism in the LNP Government between 2012 and 2015 and is founding editor of online news site Cairns Now.
Humanizing Politics, Launching Can Do in FNQ. Join us for an amazing array of guest speakers and Q&A.
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CairnsLife
De veloping Cairns
Change is well and truly in the air
‘Vision’ is a word that’s bandied around a lot, but sometimes it’s important to stop and consider the actual meaning - ‘the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom’. When I think about Cairns and envision the region in 50 years, I see us now at the tipping point of a change in fortunes. We all know it’s been tough over much of the last decade. For many local businesses, it’s now a case of taking some strength from that old cliché that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Fortunately, there’s a change well and truly in the air. We’ve seen Aquis receive Federal Government approval, construction has started on Stage 1 of the Aspial development and is imminent for the Adventure Waters Water Park and the Cairns Aquarium, while Cairns Regional Councils’ plans for The Precinct are well advanced. In the broader region, the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas refurbishment is underway and the Mt Emerald Wind Farm and the Cook Shire Solar Project are waiting on final regulatory approvals. Solid work is proceeding on the world-class Mossman Botanical Garden and the IFED, Olive Vale and Crystalbrook Station agricultural developments. Other projects – if not shovel-ready – are waiting on investment that is no longer ‘pie in the sky’ given the global investment climate – think Ella Bay, Nullinga Dam and the hydro-electric energy storage project at the old Kidston gold mine. In addition, there’s no doubt that local residents, industries, businesses and community sectors are already reaping the benefit of a host of government policies. We’re seeing better mobile phone reception and a faster and cheaper NBN. A focus on creating a new industry in tropical sports conditioning, Green Army teams on the ground, the biggest investment
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ever seen in the Great Barrier Reef and a determination to bolster aquaculture. When it comes to business, we’re cutting red tape and focusing on jobs – particularly supporting younger people entering the workforce and older people getting back into the workforce, together with tax cuts and deductions that will benefit every business. The most significant policy in my view though is the White Paper on Northern Australia. What we’ve got here is unprecedented - the blueprint for the North is now locked into policy for current and future Australian Governments, who will need to take this into consideration when making decisions that impact on the region. Roads, rail, ports, water, energy, tropical expertise, insurance, land tenure, tourism, agriculture, concessional loans, fisheries, indigenous enterprise, investment…. It’s all in here. We’ve even got a dedicated Red Tape Repeal Day for Northern Australia slated for 2016. It’s now up to us to be innovative and capture the opportunities that are going to be presented, to leverage further investment and further development into the future. A key factor that will enable this to happen is the alliance between peak organisations such as the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, Advance Cairns, Forum 4 Business Growth and TTNQ. Overall, I think we’re in a very good place – we’ve got a fantastic vision for where we want to be, the courage to be making things happen, together with the human capital and a positive investment environment to get us there. The Hon Warren Entsch MP Federal Member for Leichhardt Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia
CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
S
uzy Grinter WORD FACTORY
“My first mentor, a renowned and somewhat infamous Fleet Street editor, taught me to be pedantic in journalism. In other words, to be a
‘pain in the proverbial’ when it comes to spelling and grammar.
Developing Cairns
“He would hit me on the knuckles with a ruler if there was an error in a media release. I was just 21 and Group Public Relations Officer for Courage Breweries in the UK. It was a baptism by fire, but I owe him so much,” says Suzy Grinter. Long-time owner and founder of Word Factory, Suzy says the business is probably best known as Cairns longest running résumé writing service, but in fact undertakes all manner of creative writing projects: editing, proofreading, creative writing for business and individuals, web copy, proposals, speeches, media releases, promotions, in fact anything at all requiring writing skill. So how did Word Factory come about? In the early 80s, I worked as media advisor for the local Federal Member, a Minister in the government of day. When there was a change of government I went to work with a local solicitor. We started the business as a secretarial service at Trinity Beach in the new shopping centre. In 1988, the business was sold when I left Cairns for Perth, where I worked for Alan Bond, managing his Falcon jet fleet before heading to the Middle East. A marital breakdown in the United Arab Emirates saw Suzy faced with leaving Abu Dhabi or finding employment and a home. “In the 1990s, this was no easy task for an expatriate single parent, a rare species, definitely on the endangered list. Employment meant being sponsored, and there were few opportunities in those days,” Suzy explained. “I founded and chaired Abu Dhabi Environment Group, working in close cooperation with the Government and Abu Dhabi Municipality, as well as having the very valuable support of members of the Royal Family. These contacts were to be my saving grace. “I was offered a position as Executive Assistant to the Vice President of BP. My daughter Jess and I moved into a unit adjacent to the Grand Mosque, and I plugged my ears for the next few years. “Alongside my daytime job, I churned out copious feature articles for the Gulf News, including a regular weekly three page spread in the newspaper’s colour magazine – Gardening in the Gulf. I usually had at least two articles every week - I wrote about everything: dugongs,
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giving blood, amazing people, travels to Oman, Zanzibar, Malaysia… I did restaurant critiques and interiors. “I think I wrote about 350 articles in all, besides numerous media releases for the environment group and the Red Crescent,” Suzy says. WHAT WAS SUZY’S MOST CHALLENGING JOURNALISTIC PROJECT? “I was a skydiver when I was younger, then a scuba diver. I’ve owned and ridden horses all my life, worked in the deepest, darkest bush in Africa, I’ve done all sorts of things, but as a claustrophobic, spending three hours crawling in an uncharted pothole in the middle of rocky desert outside Al Ain for the sake of a story, was my worst nightmare.” When I returned to Cairns, I bought the business back as the owner’s husband was very ill, and I rebranded to reflect the fact that we cover all aspects of the written word. Word Factory was put on the back burner for a few years recently when Suzy took up the role of Electorate Officer and Media Advisor to the previous Member for Barron River, Michael Trout. “I kept it ticking over. You can’t desert your loyal clients, and I managed to fit them in somehow during three years of full-on employment, writing media releases, speeches, news articles, all the myriad things you do in such a position. “It was good to have a break, but I have come back to Word Factory revitalised,” Suzy smiles. As an editor and proofreader, Suzy has a full shelf of books edited over the years, some of which were written by local writers whose work has been accepted by major publishing houses.
“The wrong word in the wrong place is a branch through your bicycle spokes. It’ll bring you down,” Suzy quips.
CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
It’s all in the
swag. An innovators dream. BY MICHELLE STACPOOLE
F
They say necessity is the mother of invention.
or Tracey Beikoff, not being able to offer first aid assistance to her friend after a horse riding accident was the driving factor behind her creation of The Rescue Swag, a portable comprehensive first aid solution.
Tracey launched the first prototype of The Rescue Swag in 2012 as a way to raise money for the RSPCA. Enlisting the help of the tailor shop at Lotus Glen prison to make the first swag, the Mareeba based entrepreneur entered her invention in the 2012 TNQ20 Business Excellence and Tropical Innovation Awards. After taking out the prestigious New Innovation Category, and becoming a finalist in three other categories, Tracey realized that she had a viable product with market demand. “I got some really good validation that this is actually a product that I could retail,” says Tracey. Continuing to refine and develop the Rescue Swag, Tracey entered Channel Ten’s Shark Tank program. Pitching her invention before a panel of self-made multi-millionaire judges looking to invest in the next big idea, Tracey caught the attention of internet pioneer Steve Baxter. Investing $220,000 in the company in exchange for a percentage of the business, Baxter’s involvement has taken Rescue Swag to the next level.
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CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
“The business has transformed. We have increased 400% in our income since Shark Tank,” says Tracey. With a product tailor made to adventure and outdoor markets such as horse riding, boating, camping, four wheel driving, ATV and quad biking, the Rescue Swag is lightweight, portable, and fits easily into compact spaces. “The key point is that it’s portable. It’s made to go on the saddle. It’s made to go on the bike. It fits in quirky little spaces in the car,” says Tracey. Comprising of an outer shell that doubles as a sling and immobilsation device, the Rescue Swag has three separate first aid compartments to cover snake bites and burns, major accidents, and minor incidents. Also available with the swag is a Personal Locating Beacon. Known as the RescueMe PLB1, it is the smallest module on the market and comfortably fits into the front pouch on the Rescue Swag. “There is also a back up buddy app that has been developed since Shark Tank. It’s free and it works across both Apple and Android devices,” says Tracey. Interacting with the swag itself by using the device to scan the QR code on the Rescue Swag, first aid instructions and photographs can be accessed. Establishing solid partnerships has been a key requirement to the success of the Rescue Swag. With a reputable Australian medical supplier on board and a Brisbane based manufacturer providing quality production, Tracey is now looking further afield.. “In six months we’ve gone from a little business that is just ticking along and experiencing all the dramas that you have, to now we’ve got two international distributors who are seeking retailers in the US, as well as enquiries from Europe and New Zealand,” she adds. While Tracey admits that her success has not been without struggle, particularly in the early days of the business, pride in her product, a desire to make a difference and a can do attitude has kept her focused. “Keeping positive has kept me going,” says Tracey. “I’ve got the best of everything. I’m living on 80 acres in Mareeba which I absolutely love, I’m dealing with international businesses and got Steve Baxter ringing me up saying “Hey mate, how’s it going?””
“It’s pretty amazing.” For more information on The Original Rescue Swag, visit www.rescueswag.com.au
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Developing Cairns
MIGHTY HELPFUL
MITRE 10 CUTS A NEW ANGLE
Why do we buy locally? Because we want our hard-earned money to stay in our community, helping local business owners pay for their kids’ bicycles, as opposed to funding a national CEO’s holiday home. Local operators have first-hand knowledge of the community’s needs, surviving in the face of competition from nationals, because they go the extra mile. Cairns Mitre 10 is the only local hardware company in Cairns. Though clever branding and advertising may have you thinking that is not the case, the fact is, it’s a fact. Owner Anne Malone grew up on a farm in Bayview, and nursed for 18 years at Cairns Hospital, then squeezed in a bachelor degree in Commerce while raising two sons and a daughter. With an extremely demanding career position, husband Kevin leaves the management of Cairns Mitre 10 in his wife’s very capable hands.
“I love what I do, and I have a tremendous team, some of whom have been here for the duration,” says Anne. “All Mitre 10 stores are independently owned, and we are the only locally owned hardware business in Cairns, so in June we decided to rebrand to Cairns Mitre 10 and focus on trade, which has always underpinned Mitre 10’s business,” she explains.
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“We know prices are all important, and we are very competitive. “Our customers know we will drop everything to get a product if we don’t have it in stock. You can’t tell a regular customer, ‘Yes, we should have a delivery in two weeks’, if they have a deadline on Friday. You pull out all stops to get what they want, now.” Anne says Mitre 10 is putting more and more people on the road in its commitment to the trades. “Undercover dry areas for loading were also a tradie priority here in Cairns, and the most surprising priority coming from the research was the provision of clean toilets! It just goes to show, it’s worth asking your customers what they want,” Anne said. Each of the Malone family have contributed to the Cairns Mitre 10 team. Sons John and Paul worked at the store on weekends, but John is now a carpenter, and Paul an architectural draftsman with Fisher Buttrose in Cairns. Daughter Bridget has a degree in Communications, but for the moment she works in the Mareeba branch of Cairns Mitre 10. Anne has very useful involvement with Mitre 10’s National Advisory Council and Standards and Compliance. I’m the first one to condone the wielding of an impact drill or chain saw by my own ‘gender’. I was curious as to how this very feminine mum of three came to own and manage a huge retail hardware store? “Kevin recognised the need for a retail hardware outlet to service the Northern Beaches. I started off working weekends, and before I knew it, I was holding the reins. It’s been a steep learning curve, but I’ve enjoyed every minute.”
CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
YOUR
DESIGN
... let’s get it
right
Building a new home can be a daunting exercise so if you think you are alone, you aren’t. I often deal with clients who have never built before and I like to make it exciting and fun as this is the opportunity to have a home personalised to you and your family.
F
irst step to take is to decide on the best block of land for you. Maybe you can’t decide which block would suit your needs or your budget so start talking about what design is suitable at this stage. There are many homes in our area that are not suited to the land they have been built on. I consider this to be the most important aspect of good design for our tropical climate. It’s a good time to look at your design requirements and budget before confirming your land as some blocks are not suited to all types of construction and may not suit the layout you prefer. You should go to the land at varying times of the day to see what direction the breezes come from and whether they are cooling breezes or even warm breezes. Look at views from the land and whether you will still have these once other homes are constructed around yours. Your preferred block of land may be best suited to a split level design to capture the breezes and views, as there are many sloping blocks of land in the Cairns area, so you should make sure your builder is experienced in this type of construction. The land may be an unusual shape and not suited to an ‘off the plan’ design so make sure you can personalise your plan. The person you are dealing with should understand this and have the expertise to make the most of the block’s attributes and not waste space on your land.
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CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
The designer or builder should be listening to you to ensure the final home design suits your family’s needs. If this is your first home check that it’s affordable for you and will be comfortable for the early years. If this is a long term family home then check that your family won’t ‘outgrow’ the home and it will suit you over many years. If you are downsizing check that you won’t be spending all your spare time maintaining your new home.
I’m happy to meet with you and help you move forward on building your new home.
These aspects are some of the important considerations in your new home design. Roslyn Smith Affinity Designer Homes & Value Homes (NQ) Building Designer and Licensed Builder Phone: 40518866 Mobile: 0439 855851 ros@affinitydh.com.au
Affinity Designer Homes has opened a new display home at Canopy’s Edge Estate that utilises many of these simple design principles along with some energy saving fittings and features. Come along and inspect this comfortable and liveable home designed for the tropics.
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CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE
CAIRNS QUALITY
HOMES
All images from our Beautiful New Canopies Edge Display Home Enjoy a look round At 5 Whipbird Close Smithfield Sat-Sun 10:00AM to 4:00PM - Mon-Fri By Appointment
Developing Cairns
Canopies Edge Display Home 5 Whipbird Close Canopies Edge Smithfield Sat-Sun 10:00AM to 4:00PM Mon-Fri By Appointment
At
Cairns Quality Homes they pride themselves on individuality - every home they build is specifically tailored to for their clients’ needs. They value their clients, and believe that the client-builder relationship is a critical success factor for a construction company. The optimal way to foster that relationship is giving the clients what they want. Managing Director of Cairns Quality Homes, Phillip Terranova, has been providing that personalised service fort almost 30 years now, since getting into business in 1983. Before Cairns Quality Homes, Phillip started off as an apprentice carpenter in the 1970s. He put in his time there, finished the program, and then moved into doing renovations. From there, he shifted slowly into building houses as well. Growing the business in that way proved to be an asset because of the depth of the knowledge and experience he was able to amass. Cairns Quality Homes began because Phillip and his team saw a gap in the market that they had the ability to fill. “We basically felt that there was a need for up-market homes,” he says. “So we decided to call our business Cairns Quality Homes as a way of backing ourselves into doing that.” Unlike a lot of project builders, Cairns Quality Homes flourishes in the market of one-off homes. “If they give us something a little bit different or difficult, we actually thrive on that,” Phillip says. At Cairns Quality Homes, they will work from their own architectural designs, or their client’s - they are very flexible.
Visit us at 191 Newell Street CAIRNS, QLD, 4870
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“If a client comes in with a bit of paper with a scribble on it, we will convert it into a house that is workable and practical.” The homes that Cairns Quality Homes build, in addition to being personalised, utilise unique architectural designs that are both affordable and practical. They also aim for energy efficiency in all matters. Another point of pride for Cairns Quality Homes is there customer service and commitment to getting it right. “If there are any problems, we go through and make sure we sort them out as quickly as possible.” After a job is completed, the clients never come back to them with problems.
Phone: (07) 4054 6363
CairnsLife
|
www.cairnsqualityhomes.com.au
Developing Cairns
BUILDING HOMES,
All the cards are on the table when you build with Summers Homes
I
f you’re looking for a new home builder that is completely transparent in what you get….No guessing, or waiting days or weeks for quotes for upgrades, no “one time offers” or “special discounts”, where the real deal is all there every day, then talk to the team at Summers Homes North Qld Pty Ltd What really sets Summers Homes apart, just as their advertising says, “ What others call extra’s , Summers Homes call standard”. It’s not just the 20mm stonetops throughout ( yes even in the laundry) the fully tiled interior, Alfresco’s & Porches, the Daikin split system ac’s, the floating vanities & soft close cabinetry, high end fittings, the driveways & path or even the 900mm quality appliances & security screens that are standard inclusions, it’s also the conditions of your home site as well ! Whilst many others will charge extra for M & P sites & higher wind ratings, Summers Homes never have, never will. “ Many clients are very concerned with the extra costs that may be incurred by having a soil report that classifies their home site
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CairnsLife
as anything other than S class, and what that may mean for them in additional slab upgrades”. Summers Homes offers the peace of mind to our clients that whatever the result of your soil test, or wind rating, it won’t cost you a penny more. Every slab & house design is certified and engineered to meet exacting standards, and we do this at no extra cost to our clients, so no matter what structural upgrades are required to suit the conditions, we will cover these costs. If your estate covenants require a 25° roof pitch over a standard 21° - we don’t charge any extra for this. Summers Homes have been operating in the Far North for several years, and in early 2014 Director & Owner, Greg Summers decided to focus on the new home market in the Cairns area, and are currently building from Mission Beach to Mossman, inc the Tablelands. “ Last year we set ourselves goals for 2015, but expected it would take quite some time for our reputation for quality & service to be built. But clearly the people have spoken, and with a few months still remaining of
Developing Cairns
2015, we have well & truly exceeded our target and are continuing to grow. In handing over a few recently completed homes to their new owners we have been really touched by how genuinely happy our clients are with their beautiful new home and their whole building experience. We understand, building your dream home is a huge journey , with a lot of emotional & financial investment. We listen very closely to what our clients want, so all their hopes and expectations are met. People often ask us how we can be so price competitive without compromising on quality. It’s simple really , we have established excellent buying power with our suppliers, we keep low overheads ( no fancy town office for us !) and we keep profit margins to a minimum. “ All the advertising in the world will bring you brand awareness, but actually delivering is what’s most important, by building a reputation and real credibility. We pride ourselves on genuine personalised service, a quality finished product and exceptional value. We believe we deliver on all 3, and clearly this is being recognised and appreciated, as shows in our growing number of happy clients”, said Greg. Summers Homes North Qld Pty Ltd new display home, The Maison 257, has been receiving fantastic feedback from all who visit. Its spacious open plan design, combined with clever practical features, makes it a winning combination. We offer our own designs or welcome yours , slightly modified or highly customised, its entirely up to you. The Summers Homes team have over 30 years combined experience, and look forward to working closely with their valued clients.
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CairnsLife
SummersHomes North QLD Pty Ltd
P r e m i u m
L i v i n g
E x p e r i e n c e
Visit Summers Homes new display home, at 10 Woodlock Drive, Edmonton, open every Saturday & Sunday 12- 4pm, or by appointment. Alternatively contact our office 40455761, during business hours. www.summershomes.com.au
SPRING INTO YOUR NEW DIXON HOME SMITHFIELD
14 Castleton Entrance 4 • • • •
3
Smithfield Village Estate Balinese Style Entrance Designer Kitchen High Quality Appliances & Fittings
2
2
• Daikin Air Conditioning Throughout • Fully Landscaped • Lap Pool • Monitored Security System
Price $695,000 Inspect By Appointment Contact sales@dixonhomescairns.com.au www.dixonhomes.com.au
SMITHFIELD
16 Castleton Entrance 4 • • • •
2
Smithfield Village Estate Private Master Suite Solar Power & Hot Water Daikin Air Conditioning Throughout
3 • • • •
2
Fully Landscaped Lap Pool Monitored Alarm System Sleek Modern Kitchen With Adjoining Butler’s Kitchen
Price $550,000 Inspect By Appointment Contact sales@dixonhomescairns.com.au www.dixonhomes.com.au
MT SHERIDAN / FOREST GARDENS 1 Lago Crescent 4+
3
• 4 Bedrooms Plus Study • 3 Bathrooms • Living, Dining & Multi-Purpose Room
2
2
• Pool & Timber Deck • Magnificent Kitchen With Double Oven & Caesarstone Benchtops
Price $599,500 Inspect By Appointment Contact sales@dixonhomescairns.com.au www.dixonhomes.com.au
Over 2,000 house and land packages available online at www.dixonhomes.com.au BUILDING FROM MOSSMAN TO CARDWELL – THE TABLELANDS – INGHAM – TOWNSVILLE – AYR
6 SENSATIONAL HOMES
AVAILABLE NOW SMITHFIELD
18 Eagleview Place 4+ • • • • •
2
2
Fully Air Conditioned Canopy’s Edge Estate Tiled Roof Feature Portico Large Family Home
2
• Deluxe Kitchen With Stone Bench Tops & Butler’s Pantry • Fully Landscaped & Fenced
Price $750,000 Inspect By Appointment Contact sales@dixonhomescairns.com.au www.dixonhomes.com.au
SMITHFIELD
16 Eagleview Place 4 • • • • •
2
2
3
Fully Air Conditioned • Gourmet Kitchen & Canopy’s Edge Estate Butler’s Pantry Pool & Decking • Dream Ensuite With Tiled Roof Freestanding Bath Solar Hot Water & PV Unit • Triple Garage
Price $795,000 Inspect By Appointment Contact sales@dixonhomescairns.com.au www.dixonhomes.com.au
BENTLEY PARK 4 Tyenna Close 4 • • • •
2
Brand New Feature Portico Tiled Roof Fully Landscaped
2 • • • •
2
Fully Air Conditioned Deluxe Kitchen Huge WIR Room For A Pool
Price $465,000 Inspect By Appointment Contact sales@dixonhomescairns.com.au www.dixonhomes.com.au
1300 10 10 10 172 Mulgrave Road, Westcourt
/dixonhomescairns
$15,000 GREAT START GRANT AVAILABLE^
SENSATIONAL UPGRADES FROM RESORT SPECIFICATION ENTRANCE FEATURES • 3.2 x 1.2m Portico With 590 x 390 Feature Colour Columns And Lintels (If Optional Façade Shown On Standard Plan) • Corinthian Windsor 1200mm Stained Timber And Glass Entrance Door • Gainsborough Trilock 3 In 1 Omni 600mm Stainless Steel Pull Handle KITCHEN • Caesarstone 20mm Square Edge Quartz Benchtop • Stylelite High Gloss Kitchen c/w Brushed Aluminium Kickboard • Glass Splashback In Solid Paint Behind Cooktop (As Per Original Plan) • Blum Soft Close Door And Drawers (Excluding Corner Cabinets/Pantries) • Bronte 1160 1 ¾ Deluxe Stainless Steel Sink c/w Accessories • Barrow Gooseneck Sink Mixer With Pull Out Veggie Spray APPLIANCES • Option 1 – Bompani 900mm Gas/Electric Upright Stove c/w Gas Connection c/w 900mm Stainless Steel Canopy Ducted To Eave • Option 2 – Rosieres 600mm Pyrolytic Electric Oven And Rosieres 600mm Induction Cooktop • Plus Asti Vita 600mm Stainless Steel Canopy Rangehood Ducted To Eave • Asti Vita 600mm Semi-Integrated 6 Program 12 Place Setting Dishwasher
BATHROOM & ENSUITE • G James Semi Frameless Pivot Door Shower Screens • Andric Mixer Tapware, Maleney Shower Head And Empire Bathroom Accessories • Adesso Edge Wall Faced Toilet Suites • Napoli 1500 Or 1700mm Freestanding Bath (Space Permitting) To Ensuite Or Bathroom • Heated Towel Rails (4 Bar) • Custom Caesarstone Silk Gloss Soft Close Vanities c/w Porcelain Basins INTERNAL FEATURES • LED Downlights • Gainsborough Feature Lever Door Handles • Corinthian Motive Smooth Finish Internal Doors • Mirrored 2.4m High Sliding Wardrobe Doors In Bedrooms GARAGE PANEL DOOR • Steel-Line 5.2m Wide x 2.3m High Feature Remote Panel Lift Garage Door (Subject To Engineering) SITE COSTS • Footings And Slab Thickenings To: Class S, M And H Sites ASK ABOUT OUR SOLAR BONUS • Your Choice Of: • 1.5kW PV Solar System Or • 250L Electric Boosted Solar Hot Water System
^To approved applicants. *Promotion is based on Resort Specification only. Dixon Homes Cairns reserves the right to alter specifications and/or substitute the make/model or type of any standard inclusion, to a product of equivalent standard, without notice. Limited offer, duplex designs upgrades one side per promo. Two kitchen plans/butlers kitchens, only main kitchen is upgraded, conditions apply. Limited time only. Carrington Homes P/L trading as Dixon Homes Cairns QBCC 78120.
1300 10 10 10 Over 2,000 house and land packages available online at www.dixonhomes.com.au BUILDING FROM MOSSMAN TO CARDWELL – THE TABLELANDS – INGHAM – TOWNSVILLE – AYR
172 Mulgrave Road, Westcourt
/dixonhomescairns
TRANQUILLITY BY NAME, TRANQUILLITY BY NATURE STAGE 2 SED NOW RELEA
SOLD
SOLD
STAGE 3 SED NOW RELEA
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
Hamelin Street, Bentley Park (Off Fitzmaurice Drive) One of the last remaining elevated hillside opportunities in Cairns. Large level blocks with stunning valley views stages two and three are now available for sale. www.tranquillitycairns.com.au
4050 5200 Over 2,000 house and land packages available online at www.dixonhomes.com.au BUILDING FROM MOSSMAN TO CARDWELL – THE TABLELANDS – INGHAM – TOWNSVILLE – AYR
172 Mulgrave Road, Westcourt
/dixonhomescairns
KRYSTAL WILSON & FRAN WELSH SSKB CAIRNS
Developing Cairns
Leading the way IN STRATA MANAGEMENT BY MICHELLE STACPOOLE
“You have to have the passion within the team to make it happen,” she says. Building the team numbers also ensures that SSKB building managers are able to take on new clients without overstretching resources and becoming unable to deliver on the company’s quality service principles.
Led by directors Tim Sheehan and Paul
To prevent this from happening, SSKB cap the quota of clients per building manager based on their available support staff.
Wood and their shared
“We cap it so we are not overstretched,” says Fran.
vision of ‘every detail
“A lot of other companies don’t, and they have so many buildings to look after that in the end no one is getting adequate service because they just can’t stretch themselves that far,” she adds.
matters,’ SSKB have firmly established themselves
Assisting Fran in the Cairns office, Community Manager Krystal Wilson came to SSKB over twelve months ago from a background in real estate and business management.
as an industry leader in strata management.
E
stablished on the Gold Coast in 1995, the company has become a trusted name in body corporate and community management.
Pursuing a pioneering approach, SSKB shifted from the standard corporate mentality of others in the industry, focusing instead on providing the highest level of customer service to make a positive difference in the lives of their lot owners. Underpinning their expert knowledge with their unique brand of business principles, SSKB also operate out of offices in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Tweed Heads, Melbourne and Cairns. The Cairns office is headed by Senior Community Manager and Team Leader Fran Welsh. With SSKB for five years, Fran relocated to Cairns in April to grow the northern branch of the business.
With a portfolio of properties from Port Douglas to Mackay, and including clients such as the Ramada in Port Douglas, Harbour City Views, Nautilus on the Esplanade, and Rydges on the Esplanade, Fran and Krystal are dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of engaging an effective strata management company. “A body corporate manager is there to provide guidance and support to the committee, in accordance with their statutory obligations to ensure the day to day running of the building is seamless and solution focused,” says Krystal. “We assist the committee, and the committee as appointed representatives acting on behalf of all owners ensure the common property is maintained and enhanced,” she adds. Finding innovative ways to assist body corporate committees has led SSKB to create a series of ongoing educational seminars. Run from their offices around the country, the programs keep committees and potential clients informed and up to date on all aspects of body corporate management in a more relaxed social environment. After all, at SSKB every detail matters.
“We are very hands on,” says Fran. “We have quite a few buildings coming on over the next few months that we have secured, and then we are planning for continued growth after that,” she adds. With the plan for the next three months to include taking on extra staff to assist with the anticipated influx of buildings to their portfolio, Fran believes that building the right team is fundamental to delivering on their point of difference.
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For more information on SSKB’s Work Health and Safety Seminar on 14th October, contact SSKB Cairns on (07) 4059 1399
CairnsLife
Developing Cairns
Maggie Furnell P O S H
L I F E S T Y L E
BY MICHELLE DRYBURGH
What’s trending? Imagination is a beautiful thing. And when it comes to selling a home, or simply enjoying the space you live in, that certainly rings true. Creating beautiful spaces is all in a day’s work for Maggie Furnell who specialises in home interiors, commercial fit outs and a professional home-staging service, ensuring properties look their best for sales photography and inspections. Her business Posh Lifestyle is also an importer of contemporary indoor and outdoor furniture, sold factory direct to the public and wholesale to commercial clients. This multi-faceted approach allows Maggie to assist a wide range of clients, from tenants and homeowners looking to furnish their homes, to offices and hotels in need of complete refurbishment, and anyone keen to sell. Posh Lifestyle also stocks a small but unique range of homewares and accessories to bring character into any space. Selecting just the right piece for each individual is what Maggie loves most; a passion realised while living in Southern California.
“My interest in décor and furnishings started then, I found the choice and styles intoxicating,” she recalls. “When I moved to Cairns I found the lifestyle and weather compatible and wanted to share my love of design.” Since establishing Posh Lifestyle as a furniture retail outlet in 2006, Maggie has seen some highs and lows in the local Cairns economy. It was during a particularly tough few years she realised the need to diversify, introducing the home staging service and factory outlet sales. Maggie is now excited by the strengthening market and looking forward to what the future may hold. “I believe Cairns is on the edge of exploding with all the new projects coming along and Posh Lifestyle is excited to grow with Cairns. 56
“I am working on expanding the importing side of the business as I have been approached from all areas in Australia and know there is a definite need for purchasing online. I have agents in each state and am already seeing the benefits. “ Perhaps as a result of the greater economic confidence and optimism, Maggie says the trends for 2015 are bright, bold and colourful. “We’re definitely seeing intense colours, bringing that happy, carefree feel of a brighter future. “I love working with people and finding their particular style to focus on. Everyone is so different and we are here to assist and motivate all clients with their own fashion ideals.
CairnsLife
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Developing Cairns
CAIRNS REGIONAL PLANNING SCHEME
The new scheme aims to protect the characteristics that residents value, while balancing sustainable growth and economic development. Elements of tropical urbanism – such as vertical greening and street canopies to provide shade – will feature in future CBD development, reflecting the “city in a rainforest” principle.
After years of hard work and input from all areas of the community, the new Planning Scheme for the Cairns region is in its final stage of development.
The new scheme also recognises that Cairns comprises many communities, each with their own individual identity. Within the new scheme, local plans have been developed for eight areas across the region to identify and protect the unique aspects of the communities and facilitate development opportunities.
T
his has been a long time coming. Work started on the new scheme in late 2011, with the development of a strategic directions paper, which set the undertone for the draft scheme. Since then, every facet of development potential in the Cairns region has been assessed and condensed into one all-encompassing document.
It was an overarching goal of this new scheme to make it easier to live, visit and do business in Cairns. The draft planning scheme eases regulation, streamlines approval processes and provides a framework with a focus on outcomes, rather than process. The plan encourages the right development in the right place by offering lower levels of assessment wherever possible.
A process like this can’t happen without significant input from our community. Council went well beyond the required public consultation to engage the community throughout the lengthy process, recognising that the development of a planning scheme would affect every homeowner, businessperson and investor in our region.
On behalf of Council, I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed in any way to the development of the new Planning Scheme. It’s been a long road, but one that will benefit our region for many years to come.
Public workshops, stakeholder group meetings and even shopping centre visits by planning staff have helped to get a varied range of feedback, all of which has been carefully considered in the making of the final draft.
The draft Planning Scheme has now been forwarded to the State Government for final approval and will be adopted by Council in the coming months. To learn more about the Planning Scheme, visit www.cairns.qld.gov.au.
It is as a result of the wide-ranging contributions from residents and industry representatives, we have developed a strategic yet flexible, relevant and consultative document that will prepare our region for the next 20 years. Planning schemes are important to any region. They set guidelines for all development and identify areas for future growth. This process is particularly important for a region such as ours, which is blessed with unique natural features and character.
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Peter Tabulo
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL
Developing Cairns
BANORA
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
B
anora International Group, with an enviable reputation as a homestay company of choice, is in fact a multifunctional company with more facets than a radiant cut diamond. Janine Bowmaker admits the remarkable growth of Banora has been largely due to ahighly competent and energised team and incredible support from my wonderful family. “Events like 9/11, swine flu, tsunamis; all those things have affected our business over the years. You have to move with the times and diversify, so we’re always developing new and exciting programs. Banora International Group now has five main divisions: Education by Recreation; ASAP Homestays; Australian Farm Tourism; Aussie Home Visit and Study n’Volunteer Australia. “Our study programs range from a few days to several weeks’ duration, incorporating home stay, an English language school and lots of educational tourism product,” says Janine. “The Great Barrier Reef is a must. We’re so lucky to have two World Heritage listings on our doorstep. “We have homestay as a separate entity, so clients can come to us just for homestay without having to do the whole package, and in that case we have contracts with CQU, JCU, UIL, TAFE, and various other schools and agents throughout the world.” Most clients are high school students but they have guests of all ages with their oldest visitor to date being 76. Some time ago, Janine felt that as a tourist, she would want to meet Australian people but not necessarily stay in a home, instead enjoying the freedom of a hotel. “So we decided to develop a dinner tour program, picking them up and taking them to dinner with an Australian family where they would meet local
G R O U P
people, experience family life and an Aussie barbecue, and learning a little local slang. It’s now included in several series tours from Europe and Japan. “We purchased Australian Farm Tourism in 2010, because we wanted to create business in our off season and we needed to develop our product into other markets besides Asia. “Jackson, my son, was just six weeks old when we closed the deal. I wondered what on earth I’d done,” Janine admits. Australian Farm Tourism is a good union for Banora, taking them from a company that focused 100 percent on Queensland to one that operates all over Australia – 2000 beds; an immediate doubling of business. Within this company division, Banora also coordinates professional technical visits, Australiawide. This might include a behind the scenes tour on a local farm: dairy, vegetable, fruit, wheat amongst many; a meeting with the local agricultural board or a visit to a local coal mine or similar. “Now we get asked to source interesting topics that may appeal to clients and the sky’s the limit. I dream up ideas while unwinding over a glass of red wine on a Friday night, and we use our extensive networks to bring them to fruition. “Another aspect we’re developing, and which has received significant interest, is our Voluntourism and Internship initiatives, branded under the Study n’Volunteer (SVA) banner. This enables the company to give back to the community through volunteering while offering guests a more profound experience during their travels. We try to incorporate things that are a little left field. Guests have an opportunity to volunteer, perhaps planting trees, or helping out at wildlife refuges,” says Janine. “From that, our internship sector has taken off, where local businesses have opened their doors to
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students. The students do vocational studies at the local universities or TAFE, then go out into the field to enhance their skills. It’s also a great opportunity for local businesses to benefit from students with international skills, knowledge and bilingual capabilities. They have proved to be tremendous assets to several enterprises in our region, in the media, in aviation, tourism and at Council, to name a few.
“During the day we’re just making it happen, me and my totally indispensable, fabulous team,” Janine says candidly.
Developing Cairns
THINK CAIRNS FOR
WORK, BUSINESS, STUDY OR LEISURE If you are an overseas national and thinking Cairns, Far North Queensland, for study, work, business or for a visit then there are a multitude of visa options available for you to visit or migrate to Australia. The choice of visa depends on your purpose of travelling to Australia.
Cairns offers a perfect environment to study being the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and heritage listed rainforest. There are opportunities to study at vocational schools, university, primary and secondary school and English language schools. The Australian Border Force (ABF) offers many types of student visas to international students, their accompanying family members and parental guardians. The employer sponsored visa classes including the 457 temporary skilled work visa and the permanent Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) and Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa are available to visa applicants who have a lawfully operating employer in Australia to sponsor them to work in Australia. The 457 is a temporary option with a visa validity of up to four years. The ENS and RSMS visa programs enable employers in Australia to sponsor highly skilled workers and grant permanent residency on the condition the visa holder works in their nominated position full time with their employer for two years.
The Skill Select Program is also available for professionals and other skilled migrants who are not sponsored by an employer and who have skills in certain occupations required in Australia. Visa Options under this program include an independent visa, a state and territory sponsored or a relative sponsored option. The skill select program uses a points test to determine eligibility and points are given in regards to English ability, age, qualifications and working experience. If you would like to visit Australia for tourism purposes or to visit friends and family or to visit Australia for short term business purposes then there are a range of visitor visa options available. The tourist visa streams allow for visits up to 12 months stay for the purposes of a holiday, sightseeing, to visit relatives or friends and other short term non-work purposes. Lastly business options are available for applicants wanting to establish or manage a new or existing business or to invest in Australia. For further advice on the right visa option for you, seek the advice of a registered migration agent.
Want an Australian Visa? At Visa Connection we provide expert and personalised immigration advice to individuals and corporations worldwide. We have a vast knowledge of: • Australian Migration Law • General Migration Advice • Family sponsored visas • Spouse and Defacto visas • General Skilled Migration • Australian Citizenship and • Work sponsored visas (457 and RSMS/ENS)
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Call us today on: (07) 4051 9043 to arrange your FREE half hour cosultation Registered Migration Agents Fiona Ryan, Registered Migration Agent No. 0640004 e info@visaconnect.com.au www.visaconnect.com.au
Developing Cairns
CUSTOMER
LEADERSHIP WHEN WE HEAR OF ORGANISATIONS WITH A RECURRING MANTRA “THE CUSTOMER IS AT THE CENTRE OF EVERYTHING WE DO”, WHY IS IT THEN THAT THIS IS SO OFTEN THEORY AND NOT PRACTICE? WE INVEST A LOT IN OUR PRODUCT, OUR POSITIONING, OUR MARKETING, AND OUR PEOPLE; BUT HOW MUCH DO WE INVEST IN OUR CUSTOMER LEADERSHIP?
M A R K M AT H E W S / / C H I E F E X E C U T I V E / / A D VA N C E C A I R N S
I
n almost every case when Customers feel they receive sub-standard service, they automatically blame the person they have contact with. However, the responsibility ultimately rests on the leaders of the organisation. What happens at the Customer ‘touch point’ is the responsibility of senior management. If we want to keep Customers, we need to lead in the efforts to elevate Customer service. Leaders of an organisation must decide that Customer service will be a key priority. They must establish this culture at all levels. A decision will come from the top of the organisation and permeate through all levels. People throughout the organisation must believe that good Customer service behaviours are an essential part of the company values. This state must be created on purpose, and for purpose. Leaders will hire people who know how to work with Customers. They will look for people with experience at helping Customers understand their brands and
their products and get the most value from their services. Leaders will look for people with a proven track record of doing the right thing for Customers. Leaders looking to hire the right people will do thorough background checks and ask a lot of behavioural questions. Give people – at all levels in the organisation – the authority to make decisions. The scope and magnitude of decisions will vary by title and responsibility. However, every person at every level should be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the organisation. Start by asking leaders at all levels to make a list of five things their people can do without having to refer to their supervisor. Place appropriate guidelines around the actions that can be taken, and trust your people to make the right decisions. The outcome will be enlightening. Provide a ‘safety net’ in case they get into a tight spot. This ‘safety net’ should
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instill confidence that the organisation will support its people at every level in their decisions. When people know they work for a Customer-focused organisation they will give much more to their individual efforts. It is rather ironic that as technology brings such a profound impact on our lives, that quality Customer service is becoming more valuable. And a clear point of difference between organisations. Leaders will motivate the people in their organisation – at all levels – to want to serve others. Establishing the right culture is key. Financial incentives and career advancement only go so far. When the leaders of an organisation place Customer service as one of their top priorities, they have the right to expect everyone to do the same. Let your actions and behaviours inspire others. ‘The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers’.
ENTERTAINMENT
Q&A
Georgia R se with
1. What can you tell us about Georgia Rose Runners? Georgia Rose Runners – The name George spanned 3 generations in my family. It was my Dad’s name. I changed to Georgia and with the resurgence in the name Rose the two names went together perfectly. I initially commenced in mid 2010 – desire to do something completely different to see where it could take me and open up possible opportunities to earn a bit of extra money. At this time I really wanted to work in Home Décor retail stores although no-one was interested in giving me a job (the age old adage - no previous experience) so I decided – well I can actually make this stuff anyway – let’s give it a go in my spare time. I wanted to offer a very unique and individual product at an affordable price for anyone looking to purchase soft furnishing for their home. Tablecloths, aprons – I have around 15 lines now. A superior product with quality finish to my product is very important to me. I am keen for people to purchase something that can’t be found elsewhere. 95% of my products are “one offs.” It’s a sense of buying an item that no one else has or can obtain. It does make the product very selective for choice but that also keeps it very unique. And….it’s Australian Made. A lot of the placemats and runners are reversible. Customers effectively get two products for the price on one. A bright and cheerful mood for the summer and outdoors coordinated with a contemporary or formal reverse for indoors. The concept has worked very well and to my knowledge, not available in large stores. There is something available for everyone as prices range from $5-00 to over $100-00. The range is extensive offering contemporary, formal, bright and cheerful, floral, geometric, rustic and versatile. Items to suit winter and summer months, themed products – Christmas and Halloween and a cowboy range. Aside from markets – items are also sold at Fine Treasures in Mareeba. 2015 and Georgia Rose Runners is a big part
of my life. I love it. 2. What is your favourite item you design and why? Peg bags – an original idea and concept. It was the first item in the burlap / rustic range. It opened up a whole new range of products - from here I went onto to create burlap table runners, garlands and scented sachets. It is a very popular range. Completely unique from my original products of table and bed runners, placemats and cushions. I showed my neighbor my very first “prototype” peg bag and she loved it. It was an instant sale. Each one is very individual and placing coordinating fabrics together with embellishments / motifs / lace becomes almost meditative. Creativity is a fantastic way to unwind and relax. The ideas unfold. 3. What do you love about your career Several things I love about what I do The opportunity to create at will with the range of fabrics, colours and prints available in Australia and globally makes creating items and putting colors together very enjoyable.. I can create items so unique and individual. Generating my own income (small or large) gives a real sense of achievement and overall satisfaction. Being in a position to make my own decisions set my own direction, marketing the product and seizing opportunities as they arise A real sense of empowerment and self-assurance. 4. How long have you been in business? Since mid--2010. An idea that has steadily grown from there with a real surge after being made redundant in the construction industry in 2013. That was a quantum leap. 5. What inspires you and why Initially it was hearing and reading about other people in business who started small, believed in themselves and their ideas, and put themselves where they are today with hard work and sheer determination. Lorna Jane, Richard Branson, AJ Hackett. I have read their success stories - they are just a few. Today inspiration comes from contact with so many very individually talented,
creative people – their talent is very inspiring and encouraging. A few of my friends are running their own businesses and this is immensely inspiring – seeing other peoples talent and in operation drives me - there is a common interest. It creates a very supportive environment. So many of my friends have been very supportive and encouraging of what I do and always interested in the path I am taking. Repeat business is a great inspiration to keep going. It’s a great feeling when you sell an item, you meet these people again and they tell you how awesome the product is. Almost five years on, there has been a lot of repeat business. It’s tremendous. Anyone in business can really appreciate and relate to these moments. Good diet, exercise and music s is a huge inspiration for me – it gives me energy and opens the mind. 6. What is your dream project? I have many dream projects – though for Georgia Rose, eventually I would love to do markets in Vancouver. Promote the product at this level would be a great adventure. In the last couple of years I have undertaking promoting my product through markets in Western Australia and New Zealand. 7. What is the best piece of advice you have been given. Wasn’t actually given the advice but I did see this on one of Lorna Jane’s shirts – Never Never Give Up – I often apply this – especially if I’m having a down moment. Yip they happen sometimes. Recently I was watching an on-line clip by a very successful motivation speaker, Rachael – Jayne Groover - residing in America. She asked what do we fear most – success or failure – for me it was fear of failure – to put aside a creativity and all my products would be awful. 8. Professionally, what is your goal? For the concept and individuality of my quality product to become well known through promotions and marketing.– The sky is the limit – keep creating and seizing new opportunities
What’s on in Cairns – Live Theatre EARLY BIRD TICKET S NOW ON SALE
S ho w R uns 16t h t o 24t h O c t o b e r
$18.00
early bird tickets on sale for a short time only.
... setting off on Christmas Holidays
www. t he r on d o. c om . au
The great Aussie tradition of going AWAY each year for Christmas “Hols” is shown as journeys of self discovery for 3 families. The story starts at the end of school play night and covers the preparations and the events of their holidays The various families and characters interact as their journeys cover more than mere miles. Michael Gow’s multi award winning play puts a Shakespearean twist to the colourful Australian landscape of the late sixties. His sharply observed, clever, funny and yet very moving script, prompts us to consider what is ultimately most important in our lives.
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Standard tickets are on sale at TicketLink
Tickets on sale now..
Melbourne
Cup
TUESDAY TUESDAY
33 NOV NOV
Auditorium Gala Lanterns Luncheon Luncheon $$38 P/P 38 P/P
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ge Bevera Wine & Beagveerage WinePa&ck Package
Doors Doors Open Open 12pm 12pm
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MEMBERS $10 MEMBERS 10$15 NONMEMBERS NONMEMBERS $15
Brothers World of Entertainment | 99 Anderson Street | Manunda | P:40531053 | www.brotherscairns.com.au
Rockin’ Cairns BY MICHELLE STACPOOLE
The Screaming Jets
The Screaming Jets lead singer Dave Gleeson chats to Michelle Stacpoole about the band’s upcoming tour, their new album, and burning the candle at both ends.
D
ave Gleeson has always had a deep connection to Cairns.
While The Screaming Jets have been performing in North Queensland since the early nineties, the front man fondly recalls his grandparents driving from their hometown of Newcastle to Cairns every year for their holiday. “They used to drive their little Toyota Corolla up the coast. They just loved it,” says Dave. Back in town on the 16th October, Dave and the rest of The Screaming Jets, Scott Kingman (guitars), Jimi Hocking (guitars), Paul Woseen (bass), and Mickl Sayers (drums), will be performing at Brother’s Leagues Club as part of their Rock N Roll Rampage tour. “The name refers to those great old days when rock bands would come storming through cities and suburbs, rockin’ out and contributing to the delinquency of minors,” says Dave. Rocking out nationwide, The Jets are taking their tour to club and pub rock venues to play at grass roots level. According to Dave, while playing on a big stage to sell out crowds is a fantastic experience, large venues are usually concentrated around major metropolitan areas. By taking their tour to the regions, more fans are able to see the band perform live. “We like to not only get out there and play to people in far flung places, but we love to come to those places and just hang out,” he says. The tour coincides with the release of their new album Chrome, however Dave reveals that the album was initially called Kiss me Between the Hangers, a title that has followed him around since his early days of rebellion. “Back in the nineties when I first told the record company, they were mortified that I was going to call it that,” says Dave. As the new record has a serious tone with potential international reach, the band again reconsidered the name. “I don’t know how they would have taken Kiss Me Between the Hangers over in the US market,” says Dave.
“I’ve actually been burning the candle at both ends because I’ve been singing with the Angels as well over the last four years,” says Dave. “It’s one of those things. If people want to keep seeing it then you’ve gotta keep bringing it, otherwise they’ll forget about you,” he adds. With their heady brand of rock and wild onstage antics this is not a problem The Screaming Jets are likely to encounter. Since bursting onto the scene over 25 years ago with their debut album All for One, the band have cemented their place as Australian rock icons. With over thirty venues on their Rock N Roll Rampage tour, The Jets are looking forward to spending some down time while in Cairns.
“I’m probably going to have to bite the bullet and use it as the title for my autobiography. Or maybe have it engraved on my headstone,” he laughs.
“We cannot wait to get there,” says Dave.
With a new album and a national tour about to kick off, The Jets don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
Book your tickets to The Screaming Jets at www.ticketmaster.com.au or call 136 100
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LEADERSHIP-CHALLENGED
O
n Monday the 14th of September 2015 Malcolm Turnbull said Australia needed a different style of leadership. “We need advocacy, not slogans. We need to respect the intelligence of the Australian people,” he said. The following day he was sworn in as Australia’s 29th Prime Minister. For those of you who are mathematically inclined, that’s five PM’s in just over five years. There’s a real possibility that by the time this magazine hits the shelves, we could even be up to PM No.6 and Turnbull’s tribute hashtag #PutOutYourSilverFox could be trending across the nation. So, why does an Elephant’s pregnancy, 1 year & 9 months, last longer than a Modern-day Australian Prime Minister? And do put the steel-trap memory jokes on-ice please…This curious phenomenon can only be explained in a compound word, Leadership-Challenged. Yes, the nation has demonstrated that we’re undeniably LeadershipChallenged and that we seriously struggle to elect an exemplary leader let alone a competent one! The NT News said it best with their accurate front-page sting “Rich Dude Becomes PM.” While I find the simplicity amusing, I am far more concerned that sobriquets such as ‘Super-Rich’
& ‘Tycoon’ may be considered to be more worthwhile than virtues, like compassion, commitment, honesty and transparency. I’m almost certain, that Malcolm’s position on the 2010 BRW Rich 200 List has helped his political cause, but it’s glaringly apparent, at least to everyone outside of the LNP, that he is going to need much more than his fiscal prowess to successfully navigate the country through a raft of pressing issues such as housing affordability, marriage equality, family violence, refugee policy and then some. While, there has been a ‘shift’ in political-morality in recent years, the problem lies not in the shortage of desirable leaders, but rather, in a leader’s inability to maintain and sustain their innate leadership qualities. As such, the Federal MP, Scott Morrison, has proven to be an exemplary case study. In his maiden speech to Parliament in 2008, he said, “From my faith, I derive the values of loving kindness, justice and righteousness, to act with compassion and kindness, acknowledging our common humanity and to consider the welfare of others.” According to SMH, in 2014, the Australian churches accused the Abbott-government of “state sanctioned child abuse” in the immigration detention system and
called for MP Morrison to step down from his position as guardian for all unaccompanied minors. If this claim holds true, Morrison was shamefully condemned by his own words and as a result he became part of the problem, not the solution. All too often we witness potentially bright, philanthropic leaders selling their souls in order to keep up with the ‘Canberra Games’. Only to be left for dead, in a professional sense, and to then sadly metamorphose into jaded, unenthused and miserable individuals. While the challenge is great, an exemplary leader must stay true to their ideals; resist the temptation to listen to white noise, particularly opportunistic chiefs of staff, and to recognize that with great privilege comes even greater responsibility. So, Malcolm, to quote your predecessor (remember the guy you knifed?) in his final speech as Prime Minister: “Being the Prime Minister is not an end in itself, it’s about the people you serve.” Now, that is the style of leadership this country needs so desperately. You can hear Ilaria on Hot FM’s Breakfast with Illy & Shad. Follow Ilaria on Twitter: @ilariabrophy
Enrol now Opening 2016 Construction of MacKillop Catholic College, Mount Peter is underway! Stage 1 will be completed this year, in time for the 2016 school year. Prep to Year 3 will be offered in 2016, with the College growing progressively over future years to reach full Prep to Year 12 status. Enrolment applications are now being taken for 2016, and future years. Enrolment enquiries can be made to the College’s Principal, Luke Reed on 4045 5262 or email office.mountpeter@cns.catholic.edu.au Alternatively, visit the temporary office of MacKillop Catholic College at Piccones Shopping Village, Edmonton, near Brumbies and opposite the Post Office. Application for Enrolment forms are also available on the College website at www.mackillopcatholiccollege.qld.edu.au
Inspiring Hearts, Minds and Spirits
www.mackillopcatholiccollege.qld.edu.au 66
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Mel bou rne
Sweep
stakes
Live
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Cup day
From 3Pm to sundown, Featuring
Johnny Sanchez
restaurant and deck canapés with 3 hour drink package (12 – 3pm)
$
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venue #bluewaterbarandgrill
Phone 4057 6788 full menus and bookings at bluewaterbarandgrill.com.au/melbournecup
Lighthouse room
99
3 course set menu with canapés 3 hour drink package (12 – 3pm) Limited Numbers
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incl tap beer, house wine & soft drink
mumm
Ultimate Pamper
120
incl a glass of G.H.mumm Champagne on arrival, tap beer, house wine, basic spirits & soft drink
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the Peroni
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Prizes for Best Dressed
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SOCIALS
BOOK
WIN YOUR NEXT FUNCTION
WITH US TO A TRIP FOR
TWO TO
BALI !!
Community Training Australia
Official Opening of the Cairns Campus
*conditions apply: contest through til the end of November one entry draw per 10 person function
CORPORATE CHRISTMAS PARTIES, BIRTHDAYS, BUCKS, HENS
functions@thewoolshed.com.au
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SOCIALS
TICKETS FROM
39
$
OCT 7 - DEC 19
CAIRNS CENTRAL
7-9pm | WED • THUR • FRI • SAT Velvet Underground at the Reef Casino
The Summer of Me Launch
Post a pic of this advert on face book tag in “Ben Murphy” and stand a chance to win your “Illusion Impossible” night to remember for you and 3 friends!
4050 7750 info@benmurphy.com.au Ben Murphy-Magician 69
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www.benmurphy.com.au
2015 HIA-PIONEER NORTH QUEENSLAND
housing and kitchen & bathroom
AWARDS
WHEN
6.30pm - Late | Friday 16th of October 2015
WHERE
Pullman Cairns International 17 Abbott St, Cairns QLD 4870
TICKETS
$130 per ticket or $1,170 for a table of 10. Ticket includes: 3 course meal, beer, wine & entertainment by The Waits.
DRESS
Formal
RSVP
Wednesday 7th October 2015
HIA EVENTS PO BOX 1825, Thuringowa BC QLD 4817 P 07 4755 6607 F 07 4773 1777 | E Nth.Qld_Events@hia.com.au OR register online at hia.com.au
BABY
Cairns’ smallest citizens will be officially welcomed into the community next month at the 2015 Baby Welcome ceremony.
WELCOME Families can now register babies born since 1 October 2014 for the annual event, which will be accompanied by a family expo, on Saturday 31 October. This year’s festivities have been shifted indoors to beat the heat and will take place at The Pier Shopping Centre. “The Baby Welcome Ceremony and expo has become an important part of the Council calendar each year,” Mayor Bob Manning said. “We’re looking to add to the 120 babies and 30 stalls we had last year, which should be helped by the nice, air-conditioned venue.” “With around seven babies born every day at Cairns Hospital alone, we’re confident we’ll get a great turnout.” Each baby will be formally welcomed at the ceremony by Mayoress Claire Manning and their family presented with a commemorative certificate.
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“It’s great to be part of this special day, helping families and the Cairns Community celebrate our new arrivals,” Mrs Manning said. “The expo also provides a nice opportunity for families to come together for a free day out, celebrate their new additions and connect with local businesses and community organisations to help make family life a little easier and more fun.” Stallholders are encouraged to register early with spaces limited. The 2014 expo featured stalls from childcare providers, community organisations, clothing shops, toy shops, cleaning products, family entertainment venues, health and wellness professionals and clothing retailers. Parents and stallholders wishing to participate can complete an online form via Council’s website or download and submit forms via post. Registrations close on Sunday 25 October.
CairnsLife
Christmas Functions
Organising a Christmas party is stressful, unless you have the gift of supreme confidence, nerves of steel and unflappable focus. There’s a lot of pressure, usually a lack of time and co-operation, and of course the continuous scrutiny of your peers to deal with.
The
By avoiding these five classic mistakes when arranging the Christmas do, you can ensure it’s one less thing to worry about in the run up to the festive season.
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1. Leaving it to the last minute The festive season is a busy period, not just for attendees but also for potential venues. So book in early, and if you can’t book early then book early. Basically there is no substitute for choice, and the later you leave it the less there is. Get other people involved. Try creating a Facebook group and people can fill in what dates they are available. This way you can ensure you find a time that suits the majority.
TOP
MISTAKES TO AVOID
2. Holding the party in your office If you’re planning a work do, then don’t have it at your office. No, definitely not - the reward for a long hard year of work for your
when planning your office Christmas Party
organisation’s employees cannot be another long night in the office! The office will always be the office, regardless of how many Christmas trees and tinsel streamers you put up. 3. Forgetting transportation You’ll need to make sure that people can get there. If you can, laying on transportation to and from the venue, whether a taxi or bus, is a nice touch. Ensuring that your fellow guests can get home or stay over (if a hotel event) is even more important. 4. Not providing enough food Food is a key part of any event – and a Christmas party is certainly no different. If you’re opting for a sit down meal, then make sure this is the first thing on your agenda. If you’re providing a buffet, canapés or nibbles, then make sure there are enough to go around. If people leave the party on an empty stomach, then that’s the thing they’ll remember. 5. Forgetting to have fun If you’re the organiser, it’s often difficult not to become too invested in the event. Remember to relax and enjoy your creation....it’s Christmas after all!
GROUP ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE Follow the Northern Star to Estilo this Christmas, and celebrate the festive season with a Spanish Fiesta under the stars on the Estilo Deck.
$35PP* Includes: • Estilo Domingo Spanish BBQ Board • Make-your-ownMojito crate for the group to share • A private booth Additional Mojito crates charged at $5 per head. Whole deck hire available for larger groups. *Minimum 20 guests.
QT Port Douglas will ensure your company’s Christmas party plan is high on celebration & low on administration! For more information or to make a booking contact the Sales team:
E sales_portdouglas@qthotels.com.au P 07 4099 8900 / W qtportdouglas.com.au
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T: 07 40449022
T: 07 40530390
E: fiona_mead@rydges.com
E: john_forde@rydges.com
RYDGES
Let Us DISH You A Merry Christmas With PARTY Packages Starting From $39 choose from 15 indoor and outdoor venues complete with your own christmas tree and festive theming
www.rydges.com
BEER REVIEW
Oktoberfest
GUY HUNT
It all began on 12 October 1810 with the Royal wedding, in which the citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities.
W
e now know this celebration to be Oktoberfest. We were lucky enough to travel to Europe in 2010 and submersed ourselves in the local event for the 200th year celebrations. And what a beer fiesta it is! Yes, we even wore traditional lederhosen & dirndl.
If you would like to try these they are Augustiner, Hacker Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten. Many breweries around the world create their own replication of an Oktoberfestbier and these are referred to as Oktoberfest-style beers.
Oktoberfest celebrations in Germany are full of colour, mouth-watering traditional foods, Oompah bands and enormous beer halls fitting just under 10,000 people in each tent. Thousands of people from all over the World make the trek to Munich to immerse themselves in what could be summed up as eating, drinking and singing. This liquid gold we all seek is served in 1L beer steins and for around €10 a glass (beer + tip) we also secured our own ‘beer hostess’ for the time in our tent. During the 16-day Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich it is reported that 1.5 million gallons of beer is consumed! Each day decorated horsedrawn carts carrying barrels of beer are paraded through the event. The Mayor hammers a spout into the wooden keg to kick off the event. The oak barrels that beer is served from provides a unique flavour to the Oktoberfestbier. By aging beer in wood it gives the brew elements of the wood’s own flavour profile. Oak or toasted Oak is the most frequently used material in the beer industry. Oktoberfestbiers have a full character and oaky notes from aging in the barrel. (Obviously if you consume many 1L steins of this beer, the taste may be lost in a hazed blur). Oktoberfestbier is deep amber in colour and has an alcohol content of 5 to 6.2%. Authentic Oktoberfestbier is brewed by the breweries within the city limits of Munich.
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Oktoberfest traditionally starts in the third weekend of September and ends the first Sunday of October. We do however in Australia see Oktoberfest celebrations continue right through October in venues. So dust off your lederhosen or dirndl and go enjoy one of the Oktoberfest celebrations happening in your area. Until next time “Prost”
CairnsLife
wine review
Spirit of Cairns CAIRNS DINNER CRUISES
INE of the month MICHAEL RYAN BRANCH MANAGER AT MORGAN’S CAIRNS Photo By Nakia Morrison
Treat yourself to a Sunday Lunch sailing on the calm waters of Trinity Inlet. What better way to relax with friends and family than with a sumptuous buffet lunch including seafood and fresh local produce.
Departs Sundays 12 noon, Cairns Marina for a 2.5 hour cruise.
I
n her 1959 classic, “home made wine secrets”, British housewife Peggy Hutchison suggests that ‘Making wine is like throwing a ball –you take a good aim and throw straitly, and yet the minute the ball leaves your hands it starts a career of its own, and you simply have to stand by and watch it develop. That is the way of wine.’ This is a marvellously whimsical approach to the craft but one that would leave modern winemakers wondering is Mrs Hutchison was in the habit of typing whilst tippling.. Commercial winemaking of course is anything but enigmatic. It is more aligned with chemistry as our huge wine producers aim for consistency across brands. Everything from the preferred varietal clone, yeast, oak and ultimately blend is carefully controlled to meet the consumers expectation, year after year – vintage after vintage.. The wine ‘buff ’ who makes up just a tiny fraction of the market is therefore required to satisfy his
Cairns Local Rates or her urges by seeking out those small wine producers who do have the liberty to follow Peggy Hutchison’s dream. One such winemaker is Claudio Radenti whose eponymous sparkling Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (60/40) is about as special as you can get. I finished the last bottle of my 2001 vintage from the cellar last week – unfortunately… This Tasmanian wine from Freycinet is one of Australia’s great sparkling wines. Matured for a staggering 9 years on its lees, this 2001 wine was not released until 2011. Made like the great Champagnes, it is a 1 kg t-bone of a wine with magnificent mid palate weight and exquisite mouth-watering nectarines, apricots and citrus flowers on the nose and palate. The bouquet is further enhanced by the bakery scents of brioche and rising bread. The wine is a delightful straw colour with active beading and a deliciously addictive finish. See if you can find a bottle – good luck!
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Adults $55 Children $35 (age 4 - 14) Infants free of charge. Local ID required upon boarding.
Spirit of Cairns 4047 9170
Cairns Marina E: info@spiritofcairns.com W: www.spiritofcairns.com
let’s do lunch
Bluewater BAR AND GRILL
All our produce is selected from local suppliers who carefully hand pick fresh ingredients to tantalise your ‘taste buds’. Please enjoy matching beer, wine and cocktails with your favourite dish from our extensive wine menu.
$24.50 | 2 Course (Entrée & Main) or $34.50 | 3 Course (Entrée, Main & Dessert)
Choice of one dish for each course Entree Tempura Prawns (3) Chicken Liver Parfait Caprese Salad (V) Main Cracked Pepper Calamari Braised Beef Cheek Wild Mushroom Linguine (V) Dessert Chocolate and Hazelnut Brownie Coffee Crème Brulee Matching Wines Available Please advise staff of any allergies
MONDAY TO FRIDAY 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Bluewater
4057 6788 7 Harbour Drive, Trinity Park, QLD E: events@bluewaterbarandgrill.com.au F: Bluewater Bar & Grill W: bluewaterbarandgrill.com.au
Rydges Esplanade RESORT CAIRNS
Each Friday from 12pm to 2pm, CHB takes on an Italian air with live cooking of pasta on request, pizzas tasty salads and desserts. From just $19.50 per person, this all you can eat menu, is value-laden and also includes an icy cold glass of house wine or beer. A selection of pastas - be it spaghetti, penne, fettucini and gluten-free options and a variety of sauce ingredients open you up to all sorts of delicious possibilities. In addition to the hot pasta, guests are invited to dine from the selection of cold salads, grilled vegetables as well as hot dishes like lasagna, pizzas and garlic bread. A choice of delicious cakes and fruit as well as tea and coffee is the perfect way to finish off Friday lunch. CHB is located on the ground floor of Rydges Esplanade Resort. The restaurant and bar is open seven days from 10.30am to 10 pm. A choice of new, a la carte dining menus are available as well as the Fire & Ice Buffet that is served nightly.
Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns 07 4044 9053 Cnr Kerwin Street & The Esplanade, Cairns Bookings not essential but highly recommended
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Mondo CAFÉ BAR AND GRILL
Come on over to the awardwinning Mondo Café Bar and Grill at the Hilton Cairns hotel and experience a unique alfresco dining experience on the waterfront of Trinity Inlet. Take in the stunning views, relax beneath the shade of our giant Poinciana tree and indulge in Mondo’s tasty light Lunches from $17 or savour our extensive all day menu offering flavours from around the world and signature dishes such as the hanging Mondo barbecue and famous sizzling fajitas. Not around for Lunch? Enjoy weekly specials and events from Family Night every Tuesday to Live & Local every Friday, showcasing the best of Cairns’ local musical talent, like us on Facebook to see what’s happening. OPEN MONDAY through SUNDAY 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Mondo.Cairns
07 40 526 780 Located along the waterfront of 34 Esplanade, Cairns E: mondo.cairns@hilton.com F: www.facebook.com/Mondo.Cairns
Ow n e r s a n d t h e i r p e t s What breed is Lulu? Lulu is a Maltese Shitzu Pomeranian. She is about a year old. Lulu spends her days with you in Lulubelle’s at Edgehill. Not many dogs have a store named in their honour....or was it the other way around? I had the store first so when I got Lulu it was a no brainer. Lulu really loves to sit on the counter and greet the customers when they come in. In fact, if I don’t take her to work she barks at me!
Beck & Lulu
How does she interact with your customers? Lulu rolls over and gets them to scratch her tummy and wags her tail. She plays with all my customers kids - or the other way round as the kids love playing with her too. She offers a good respite for mums trying to shop as it keeps their children entertained. The kids sometimes even take her for a walk.
Tropical Arts has reimagined Shakespeare’s harrowing tragedy as a muddy contest of endurance. A swampy, rope course battlefield transforms to bind Macbeth into his own doomed destiny.
VENUE: TANK 3 DURATION: 2.5HRS SHOW COSTS: 7PM–$25 / $20, 11AM–$15 / $12 INFO: AUSLAN INTERPRETED SHOWS – 23, 28 & 31 OCT
Lulu gives her own unique fashion advice and enjoys dressing up. She has her own wardrobe that includes a tartan dress, but her favourite is her pink tutu. How would you describe the bond that you share? We are very close. Lulu’s breed makes her adoring and very dependent on me. She is with me most of the time and is always near me, even in bed.
Beck Child is the owner of Lulubelle’s Clothing at Edgehill
ARTS CENTRE
PAUL GRABOWSKY IIRO RANTALA JAZZ UP NORTH SERIES JAZZ UP NORTH SEXTET SERIES
TANKS UNPLUGGED
(FINLAND)
SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER
FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER
This all-star brass and rhythm sextet brings a musical language developed over twenty years to the Tanks for an unforgettable night of contemporary jazz.
COST: $40 / $35 (PG) TIME: 7.30PM VENUE: TANK 5 – FULLY SEATED
tanksartscentre.com
Unassuming Nordic musician on the outside, zany jazz rebel on the inside, Iiro Rantala has a reputation for taking piano playing to exciting new places.
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COST: $30 / $25 (PG) TIME: 7.30PM VENUE: TANK 5 – FULLY SEATED
All tickets sold through 78
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2015
23–31 OCTOBER
She has a lot of personality and she is quite a madam – she knows what she likes! When she is not helping out in the shop how does Lulu like to spend her days? When she is not serving customers in the shop, she enjoys sleeping on the couch. Her best friend is a ginger kitten named Oscar, and they are always playing together.
2015
MACBETH
SHAKESPEARE AT THE TANKS 2015
What makes Lulu so special? Lulu has an adoring nature and love of people. She is also very laid back and happy to just sleep and socialize when at work
FRIDAY 6 NOVEMBER
Tanks’ own series that showcases the best of live and local music, this month proudly presents TROY BRADY, CLARKETOWN and GRETA STANLEY.
COST: $10 / $7 (PG) TIME: 7.30PM VENUE: TANK 5
ticketlink.com.au
LRC15805
TaNKs
Tell us how Lulu came to be with you... I found her on Gumtree. She lived locally and I was able to meet both her parents and her brother from the last litter. As soon as I saw her I fell in love and knew that I just had to have her.
TaNKs 2015
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ARTS CENTRE
I n t e rv i ew W I T H
PLAYING NEXT MONTH Tyrone noonan BY EMILY SHUMBORSKI
A
cclaimed vocalist Tyrone Noonan’s musical proclivities are, across the board, eclectic. It is an undeniable fact that will be confirmed when his jazz quartet, Palimpsest takes the stage at Tanks Arts Centre on Friday 13 November. The jazz project takes on sounds from swing, Latin, soul, modern and folk music. Tyrone Noonan, the Australian multi-instrumentalist and talented composer, is influenced by his Aussie roots but has spent a lifetime exploring exotic and international sounds. Tyrone has been home for a few years now and has made Brisbane his home base but his love for international influences has not abated. Tyrone is not one to keep still; he has been a part of numerous bands to keep the momentum going. Audiences would remember him from the early noughties from his band George, with sister Katie Noonan. The band was a hit: reaching double platinum and spawning the hits Breathe in Now and Breaking It Slowly.
PALIMPEST JAZZ UP NORTH 2015
After their hiatus Tyrone took to exploring his love of jazz. While in New York, Tyrone immersed himself in the great jazz influences the city had to offer. He became a frequent sight in jazz clubs both on the stage and in the audience. He had the chance to catch Sonny Rollins’ 80th birthday show and did a few jazz gigs himself.
FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER With acclaimed vocalist Tyrone Noonan (ex. George) at the helm, this sparkling jazz quartet will take you on an entrancing journey across continents, cultures and song-writing eras. The name refers to adding something new to something old, and Palimpsest have created a timeless groove of their own, fusing elements of swing, Latin, soul, modern and folk melodies. The jazz project from singer/songwriter Tyrone Noonan of No 1 charting, ARIA award-winning Australian band George, Palimpsest will win you over with its ´seriously smooth and sexy sounds´ (Time Off Magazine).
The release of the chart topping jazz album, Palimpsest was a tangible outlet for Tyrone’s search for new sounds. The name, Palimpsest Tyrone explains ‘is a Greek word that means updating text to make room for new writings. Old writings would be scraped off tablets so they could be reused for new ideas.’ For him the band Palimpsest embodies this notion, ‘I’m taking old songs and rewriting over them to bring new life.’ For Tyrone, Palimpsest and George have had a symbiotic relationship, “They have both influenced me as a performer,” he says. “In Palimpsest I’m able to explore stuff that couldn’t be reached in George but I still get a lot from modern pop. Everything helps everything. Jazz is a great teacher.” And you can hear it’s teachings in Palimpsest’s unique sound. Palimpsest has created a timeless, yet current sound that encompasses Tyrone’s international experiences. Audiences at Tanks can expect to hear some originals as well as Jazz standards and the odd soul hit.
COST: $30 / $25* (CONC) (PG) SHOW STARTS: 7.30PM – FULLY SEATED TIX: THROUGH TICKETLINK 1300 855 835
“There are so many great Jazz tunes,” he says. “And Jazz really is the best way to interpret other people’s music.” Tyrone will be giving new life to some of his favourites including Frank Sinatra, Vince Jones, John Hendricks, Al Green and Marvin Gay. You might even hear a jazz version of Radiohead.
MUSIC • ARTS • COMMUNITY • EVENTS • CULTURE
LRC15816
*A transaction fee applies to all ticket purchases.
This will be Tyrone – and Palimpsest’s – first time performing at Tanks. “I’ve heard amazing things about the space and audiences up in Cairns are always so appreciative,” he says. Palimpsest will be performing at Tank on Friday 13 November. Tickets are available through Ticketlink. For more information please visit www. tanksartscentre.com
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You never know who you might bump into at Villa... Modern mediterranean cuisine. OPEN for breakfast, lunch & dinner 7 days a week.
CAIRNS Cnr Esplanade & Alpin Street 4051 9000 MELBOURNE 252 Lygon St, Carlton 03 9650 7990
PHONE: 4031 3033 C o n te m p o ra ry Gre e k C u i s i n e • B a l c o n y w i t h v i e w s o v e r E s p lan ad e & C o r a l Se a • F u n c t i o n s a v a i l a b l e
LEVEL 1 CORNER APLIN ST & ESPLANADE CAIRNS (ABOVE VILLA ROMANA) DINNER EVERY NIGHT FROM 5PM • LUNCH: FRIDAYS FROM 12PM 80
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B u s i n e s s P r o f i l e F e at u r e
TOP TEN
Specialists in their Fields Each month CairnsLife is proud to interview TEN local businesses that deliver top consulting talents in their respective fields to the local community. Expert advice at the beginning of any project or endeavour will ultimately save you time and money and bring about a better result in the longrun. In the following pages we have invited specialists from all walks of business to participate and outline their specific talents.
Catalogue instore now!
CA SEE I U LIF RNS S AT ES WO THE 17 TYL M & 1 E E EN 8 O XP ’S CT O
outside
L I V I NG
We practice family law and de facto law which encompasses:
FR
TA K
EM
EE
EH
OM
E!
2015-2016 Collection
• Resolution of property issues following relationship breakdown, whether the parties were married or de facto, including same sex relationship • Assistance with the resolution of parenting arrangements • Assistance with issues arising out of domestic violence • Divorce applications • Cohabitation agreements • Pre-nuptial agreements • Binding financial agreements • Surrogacy and assisted conception agreements
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MONTHS INTEREST
FREE*
MONTHS INTEREST
FREE*
Whatever your space, taste and lifestyle, talk to the Specialists!
136 Anderson St Manunda Ph 4032 4223
Suzanne Hadley LLB QUT QUEENSLAND LAW SOCIETY ACCREDITED SPECIALIST
w w w. hadley f am ily law. c om . au
82 Scott Street Bungalow Cairns QLD 4870 P (07) 4044 5000 • F (07) 4031 1287 • hadleyfamilylaw
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Inspirational outdoor living
Inspirational outdoor living
* Minimum spend $1000 applies. Offer ends 31/10/2015. Approved customers only. Conditions, fees and charges apply. The plan is payable by 36 approximate equal monthly instalments (exact amounts specified in your statement). See in-store for details. Credit provided by GE Capital Finance Australia (ABN 42 008 583 588), Australian Credit Licence 392145.
CairnsLife
top 10 consultants
AUDiOHEALTH Healing more than hearing BY MICHELLE DRYBURGH
“Joanna, I can hear the green ants marching along the fence.”
E
ven after 30 years of restoring peoples’ hearing, responses like these never cease to amaze Joanna Magee.
She has dedicated her life’s work to providing people with the gift of sound, just like her father, Sidney Bacon, before her. AUDiOHEALTH is owned and operated by the Magee family, with clinics in both Cairns and Sydney. Their passion for helping restore hearing now spans three generations, with Joanna and her husband John’s son Aaron running the Sydney clinic and daughter Kerry managing the practice in Cairns. “It really is a pleasure to making a genuine difference to our clients’ lives,” says Joanna. “Hearing loss is about so much more than hearing. It affects relationships too, and people can start to lose their place in the family if they can no longer join in conversations around the table, or their loved ones just don’t bother to call them on the phone anymore. “What people don’t realise is just how far technology has come to restore hearing, with discreet devices nobody will even know you’re wearing. People don’t need to suffer in silence.” Joanna’s father made headlines in the 1980s when he introduced the first miniature hearing aid to Australia, teaming up with newsreader Ross Symonds to unveil the ‘Invisi’ hearing instrument on national television. And history is repeating, with AUDiOHEALTH’s impressive results and glowing unsolicited testimonials published in The Cairns Post and the Sydney Observer in recent months.
A Sydney client was delighted to learn about the advancements in technology when she attended an AUDiOHEALTH information session, and later received one of the high-tech devices. “She is 100 per cent deaf in one ear and 80 per cent deaf in the other,” says Joanna.
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We had technology she had never come across which picked up sound from her dead ear and sent it wirelessly to her other ear. For the first time in her life she could hear from her dead ear side and tears came.”
AUDiOHEALTH prides itself on sourcing the very latest technology, which Joanna says can provide better sound quality than people with normal hearing. “Someone wearing one of these devices will be able to hear more clearly and correctly in a noisy environment than someone with full hearing capacity,” she says. “There are now apps available that allow a wearer to place their smart phone near the person sitting at the other end of the table, and the sound is wirelessly transmitted to their hearing device. The devices can even be set to identify changing noise levels and adjust themselves accordingly. We have come such a long way.”
One glowing report came from a Cairns father whose two-year-old daughter thought he was ignoring her when she spoke to him from the back seat of the car. “He received a device which can actually pick up sounds from right around the head, and he can focus it to pick up speech coming from behind,” explains Joanna.
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AUDiOHEALTH offers free no obligation hearing checks for people of all ages. For more information visit www.audiohealth.com.au
CairnsLife
top 10 consultants
PAVING
THE
WAY
Roslyn Smith was inspired to break stereotypes from a young age. BY MICHELLE STACPOOLE
H
er mother, a draftsman’s tracer and cartographer, encouraged Roslyn to pursue her passion in a traditionally male dominated area.
Obtaining her Architectural Drafting Certificate through what is now the Sydney Institute of Technology, Roslyn worked for architects and engineers on projects from homes, factories and hospitals through to pump stations and sub divisional works, as well as being the first female fabrication plant manger in Queensland for Campbell’s truss plant. Roslyn admits that working in the construction industry has not been without its challenges. “I used to get quite frustrated when I was managing the truss plant and builders would come in and say ‘Hey girlie can I see the boss’,” she says.
“It’s
been an interesting transition over the years for the general public to accept a woman in a building or construction role,” she adds.
Roslyn says that these days the industry is great in that respect, with more young women entering the building game in a variety of roles. Obtaining her Queensland Builders Licence in 2000, Roslyn has managed Affinity Homes for nearly 14 years. Passionate about providing the most suitable homes for our tropical climate and conditions, Roslyn believes that the most important thing when building a home is getting the design of the home to suit the block of land. “There are so many homes that are built that don’t make the most of the land’s natural assets. Some builders are only interested in the contract and either don’t have the expertise or don’t see the importance of looking at the home as a total project,” she says. Roslyn and the team at Affinity Homes understand that the design and construction process takes in the total home building experience, and can include anything from colour and design features to complementary landscaping and new products. Supported by a team of quality trades people and professional and qualified staff, Roslyn says that having a one on one relationship with owners from initial design concept to handover is an important part of the service Affinity Homes provide. “I really want the owners to enjoy the experience as this way they can have a home that is tailor made to them, based on their ideas,” she says. Understanding that there is an opportunity in Cairns to make a difference with houses that are suited to the tropical environment, Roslyn and the team at Affinity Homes aim to continue offering a personalized building experience while still being competitive in the market. “Affinity is not a volume building company, but I like to think that I can put that little bit extra in to the homes so that the owners really enjoy the experience and the home for many years,” says Roslyn. Afterall, breaking the mould is what sets Roslyn Smith apart. Contact Roslyn and the team at Affinity Homes on 07 40518866
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top 10 consultants
YES
I N S U R A N C E S O L U T I O N S Specializing in insurance requirements for medium to large businesses, Bodo Lenitschek has been advising clients on insurance for the past 13 years.
O
perating as an independent insurance consultant through his firm Yes Insurance Solutions, Bodo is passionate about finding the best insurance options for his clients. Below, Bodo outlines the importance of buysell agreements. A buy-sell agreement is a contract that provides for the future sale of your business interest or for your purchase of a co-owner’s interest in the business. Buy-sell agreements are also known as business continuation agreements and buyout agreements. Under the terms of a buy-sell agreement (assuming you are the seller), you and the buyer enter into a contract for the transfer of your business interest by you (or your estate) at the occurrence of a specified triggering event. Typical triggering events include death, disability or suffering a Trauma event. Ideally, buy-sell agreements are fully funded through life, TPD and possibly Trauma insurance. After determining the value of the business, you, your advisors, and the other parties to the agreement will determine the amount of cover that is required to ensure the survival of the business and that all parties are satisfied with the outcome. If you own a business and are concerned about how the death or serious disability of you or a co-owner might affect its operation, a funded buy-sell agreement can help by ensuring that you will be able to purchase your partner’s share, eliminating any doubts about the continuation of the business. You
can also avoid the dilemma of being in business with your partner’s survivors. There are also costs involved in establishing a buy-sell agreement. If you think that a buy-sell agreement might benefit you and your business, consult Bodo at Yes Insurance Solutions about the pros and cons of setting one up. Don’t let this happen to you: Stan (35) and Oliver (36), enter into a business together, ABC Electrical Pty Ltd. They are so busy setting up the business, they do not put a funded buy-sell agreement in place. They think there will be time to do that ‘sometime in the future’. Oliver dies unexpectedly two years later. The business is worth $3,000,000 by this time. The business partners hadn’t made the time to arrange insurance or get their solicitor to write a buy-sell agreement, outlining the sale price and transfer terms. Stan wants control of the company, as he will now do all the work and doesn’t want to share 50% of the profit with Oliver’s wife. Oliver’s wife, Wilma, agrees and is happy to sell the shares she inherited from Oliver. They do not agree on a price - Wilma wants more that Stan wants to pay. Stan can’t get
financing from the bank now that Oliver is gone, so Wilma looks to sell her share to an outside party. Outside parties assess the business, but no suitable offers are made. Wilma is now forced to work with Stan in the business in order to support herself and her family. Stan resents Wilma being part of the business, since she has no expertise in the industry. The business doesn’t thrive as it used to when Oliver was alive, so the revenues reduce, which impacts on Wilma and Stan’s profit. A Life, TPD and Trauma policy on both Stan and Oliver’s lives should have been purchased, in conjunction with a written buy-sell agreement for $1,500,000 each, which represents the agreed value of the shares. This policy would have provided Wilma with $1.5 million for the value of Oliver’s shares. Stan would have received the shares and the sole right to run the business and draw profits. You can reach Bodo now for a free appraisal of your individual insurance needs on 0409 322 447 Tel: 1300 512 229 AFS Licence No. 243313 Authorised Representative of Synchron
Email: bodo@yesinsurancesolutions.com.au • Website: www.yesinsurancesolutions.com.au
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top 10 consultants
Leading the way in Corporate Travel BY MICHELLE STACPOOLE
S
ince opening the first dedicated Flight Centre Business Travel (FCBT) office in Cairns in April 2013, manager Tanja Sipovac has steadily grown the business from a one person operation to a team of five dedicated Travel Managers. Also encompassing two separate business travel teams that operate under the retail umbrella, FCBT are leading the way in corporate travel management. Located in new offices on Lake Street, the team service clients from Mackay to the tip of Cape York. With a combined industry experience of over sixty years, Tanja and her team specialize in providing complete travel solutions for small to medium businesses within North Queensland.
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We are all experts in our field,” says Tanja.
“Corporate clients need undivided attention, and this is what we offer. Nothing is a problem, and certainly nothing is too difficult,” she adds. By operating as an extension of her clients business, Tanja takes care of everything associated with travel. This frees up businesses administration staff, enabling them to utilize their time more effectively. “There are a lot of businesses that benefit from the stress taken out of booking their travel,” says Tanja.
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With a purpose of making life easier for clients, Tanja also believes that when travelling for work you need to be comfortable. “It’s a lot about location and convenience, so you can relax at the end of a hard day,” she says. It’s not all work and no play however. FCBT also handle the leisure travel arrangements for their corporate clientele. “We also book their personal trips as an extra service,” says Tanja. “For example, if a director of a company wants to take his family to the United States over Christmas, they generally come through us and we can use our corporate rates so they get the best possible deal,” she adds. With a plan to grow FCBT in all areas of Tropical North Queensland, Tanja focuses on building strong relationships with her corporate clientele. As the majority of contact with businesses is via email or phone, Tanja makes a point of scheduling visits to her clients to keep them engaged. By also hosting regular social events, the FCBT team are able to interact with clients in a more relaxed environment. “I have great visions of being able to help more and more North Queensland businesses,” says Tanja. “I’m local and easily accessible, as are my team,” she adds. With a portfolio of clients from a wide and diverse range of industries, the team understands the remote travel requirements of businesses operating in North Queensland. “You’re not ringing Sydney or another city. We understand when people are travelling to places like Bamaga or Thursday Island, or Aurukun, and how to get them there,” says Tanja. “This is important to local businesses,” she adds. For all your business travel needs, contact the team at Flight Centre Business Travel on freecall 1300361518 or call into their office at 82 Lake St, Cairns.
CairnsLife
top 10 consultants
Affinity Education Group BY MICHELLE DRYBURGH
Putting the heart back in childcare It’s a place where beautiful memories, exciting adventures and lasting friendships are made. Early learning centres are a home away from home for many young children, and Affinity Education Group is working hard to ensure Cairns youngsters are cared for in a comforting, secure and supportive childcare environment. The Group operates Village Kids at Bentley Park, A Step Ahead Early Learning at Clifton Beach and Early Learning Centre Smithfield. Always striving to provide the very best, new services and offerings are in the pipeline including introducing language lessons, art classes in a room dedicated to artistic creation and expression and a café just for parents. “Our services have been evolving throughout the months and we’ve had a great response from our existing families and families new to the services,” says Smithfield centre manager Melissa Considine-Griffiths. “We are always looking to grow and better our services for the children. We are currently in the middle of very extensive talks with some outdoor environment experts, aka the preschool children, about changes we could make to our outdoor areas. These negotiations can take time but we will take all of the information and ideas and come up with a plan to create an environment to support learning and inspire dreams.” Affinity Education Group services aim
to provide the community with caring and educational environments in which children are encouraged to explore, socialise and play. The centres are open to children aged between six weeks and 12 years old, staffed by a passionate team of early childhood educators.
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Our team of educators range in age and experience,” says Melissa.
affordable option for families, all of the centres provide children with Morning tea, Lunch and Afternoon tea. Meals are prepared fresh on site every day, based on individual dietary requirements and nutritional needs. Nappies are also provided at no further charge. “Affinity Education Group is built on a commitment to early childhood education and giving the children of our community the very best possible experience,” says Melissa. “We believe experience and knowledge is essential when building a team in early childhood education and ongoing professional development opportunity is essential.” “We are very strong believers in the benefits of childcare for children, especially in the first five years of life. These are the years in which the foundations for learning are laid. Having a positive, engaging, interactive and caring environment to grow in over these years gives children the very best possible start to their education journey.”
“Some of our educators have been with the service for over 14 years. This shows a great passion for early childhood education and dedication to the community.” Aiming to make childcare a simple and
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4 Faculty Cl, Smithfield QLD 4878 4057 7722
top 10 consultants
WGC Lawyers (WGC) WGC have been operating in Cairns for over 40 years. They continue to have a very strong partnership run by Eddy Lago as Managing Partner. The firm has a diverse practice covering the areas of Commercial Law and Litigation including:
• Conveyancing • Family Law • Property and Leasing • Wills and Estates • Management Rights • Construction Law • Commercial development • Governance • Employment Law • Debt Recovery
The firm is seeing a new guard of lawyers coming through its ranks, who, before commencing practice with WGC, have had a variety of industry experience other than just the law. Supported by Commercial Partners, Michael Huelin and Graham Dutton – Associate Thomas Cameron and Commercial Lawyers Petrina Cao-Kelly and Erin Priest are starting to cut their teeth in areas of management rights, leasing and business and commercial projects. TOM CAMERON made Cairns his home over six years ago, being admitted to practice in Tasmania, and moving up to the region with his now wife Leah. He worked for a legal firm in Cairns before joining WGC and becoming an Associate in 2013. Before finishing his law degree in Tasmania, he gained experience in various industry sectors such as agriculture, fishing and the wine industry as well as working in retail and frontline customer service roles. He is a passionate advocate for Native Title and is currently a Board member of Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service Aboriginal Corporation. Tom is also a mad keen soccer player. Tom has experience across a wide range of legal areas including Commercial Law; Franchising; Commercial Dispute Resolution and Litigation; Native Title; and Family Law. PETRINA CAO-KELLY has had an interesting career before commencing law. Petrina is considered a local having lived the Cairns region for over 20 years.
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Petrina worked for TAFE in finance and administration for six years. She then joined the Queensland Department of Communities for another six years and worked in the areas of Human Resources and Policy. Petrina went on to formalise her knowledge and experience by completing a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting and Law Degree. Petrina is a passionate advocate for local youth support and is a board member of YETI (Youth Empowered towards Independence). She practices in Commercial Law areas of Body Corporate; Leasing; Property and Business Sales and Commercial Litigation. ERIN PRIEST’S working life began in Mackay where she worked as a legal secretary before deciding to become a court reporter with the State Reporting Bureau. She can type at speeds over 100 words per minute! She then went to work in her family electrical business and for a local builder before the law came calling again. After finishing her law degree with second class honours, Erin moved to Cairns to be an Associate to Justice Henry in the Cairns Supreme Court. As a result, Erin brings with her a vast knowledge of the court process, both administratively and procedurally. Erin is currently on the FNQLA organising committee for the Carbolic Smoke Ball and an avid tennis player. She practices in Commercial Law areas of Body Corporate; Property Law; Conveyancing; Business Purchases; and Leasing. For more information visit www.wgc.com.au or ring 07 40461111
top 10 consultants Anne Riley
Campus Cafe
Experience the Difference
Firsthand Be prepared to be surprised the first time you visit Community Training Australia’s Cairns Campus! Spacious, well-lit training rooms, inviting couches and a coffee machine to make delicious coffees – could a student’s life get any easier?
C
ommunity Training Australia was founded in 2004 by psychologist Toni Mehigan who envisioned something more than just a band-aid solution in community services. The Rainforest Campus in Cairns is the most recent addition to our Australia-wide facilities. Campus manager, Anne Riley, is a true Cairns local and believes Community Training Australia’s training will provide amazing personal fulfilment and life opportunities to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Anne has lived and worked all over Australia. She’s now settled in Cairns and loves our laidback beach lifestyle. Anne and her passionate team are here to train people to create lasting change. “I am thrilled with the response to our new Campus,” says Anne. “The public have been so supportive and really love the relaxed atmosphere we’ve created. If public response is anything to go by we will be running the same number of courses as the other 8 Community Training Australia campuses by the start of 2016.” Pursuing your studies can be daunting, whether you want to upgrade your current skills or gain new ones. Everybody at Community Training Australia knows that sometimes, it can be difficult to decide which option to choose. Finding the course that fits in with your lifestyle can make all the difference. At the Rainforest Campus, we are offering two courses, so you can choose to do a Diploma in Counselling (CHC51712) or a Double Diploma in Child Care (made up of the Diplomas of School Age Education and Care (CHC50213) and Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50113)). The courses run for three days a week, with the third devoted to study and tutorials with trainer support. 89
“
We sit apart from traditional education institutions”
You are invited into our new Cairns campus & café for our free introductory days in Counselling on Tuesday 6 October and for Childcare on Tuesday 7th October. An evening PD counselling workshop 6 – 8 pm on the 6th will also be free to the public. We are open, so call in now for a tour of the campus and find out why we are different – a range of study options, Fun, Fast and Friendly! By helping students to ‘live what they learn’ we sit apart from traditional education institutions. We offer student counselling, career guidance, tutoring, language and literacy support and overseas opportunities! Call now 1300 COMMUNITY or 0447014866, or pop into 11 Sheridan Street opposite Rusty’s Markets.
CairnsLife
top 10 consultants
Quality Assured BY MICHELLE STACPOOLE
For Megan O’Neill, having a head for figures is a family trait.
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rowing up working in her father’s family accountancy practice in Brisbane (her brother is also an accountant), Megan gained experience in the industry from a young age. “I got all my experience working with Dad, doing tax returns and accounting and that sort of stuff,” says Megan. “I’ve done things backwards. I got all my experience, then I thought I’d better go and get a degree,” she says. With a Masters in Accounting, Megan is also a Fellow Certified Practicing Accountant (FCPA), a Registered Company Auditor, a Self Managed Super Fund auditor, and has her Commissioner For Declarations. Branching out on her own in 2008, Megan started Cairns Quality Accounting, a boutique firm specializing in tax, accounting and audit. “The philosophy of the firm is that we want to provide friendly, value for money service, essentially to the smaller entities and businesses around town,” says Megan. “We also have clients interstate and overseas. The wonders of technology allow this to happen,” she adds. Operating with a small team of two accountants and an office manager, Megan believes the advantage of using a smaller practice over a larger firm is that you have a dedicated accountant who wants to get to know you and your business personally. “There is a lot of personal information that we need to know in order to prepare tax returns and accounts, so we find that the friendly relaxed approach we have with clients puts them at ease,” says Megan. “They are able to speak quite freely with us about what’s going on,” she adds. This familiarity with clients and their needs is also essential in providing the correct advice, as frequent changes in legislation may affect certain businesses. “With each change of government, they like to bring in new rules. For example the new budget measure for small entities to be able to write off assets less than $20,000,” says Megan. “Those sort of things we need to advise our clients on, whether it’s a tax client or an accounting client, just so they know what the rules are in relation to that,” she says. In an evolving industry, to ensure businesses are compliant and operating within the set parameters, Megan says using an auditor can be beneficial. “Auditing should be seen as a learning experience and not something to be frightened of,” she says. By engaging the services of Megan and her team at Cairns Quality Accounting, all audit needs, as well as taxation and accounting, are taken care of. “We are here to help,” says Megan.
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We are here to help,” says Megan.
To contact Cairns Quality Accounting, call (07) 4031 8046 or visit their office at Suite 23/25-29 Grafton Street, Cairns.
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top 10 consultants
Property. It’s about the people BY MICHELLE DRYBURGH
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haron Baragry puts the real in real estate.
She has a down to earth nature and enjoys working hard behind the scenes. Her focus isn’t on self-promotion, but rather selling property, and helping buyers and investors into their next home or investment property. Her approach is anything but old fashioned, rejecting traditional print marketing for the immediate and limitless platform of online advertising.
“I wanted to work in a different way, and build relationships with both buyers and sellers. Service is paramount, it needs to be superior.” Coming into the end of the year, the property market is busier than ever. Sharon says there is a flurry of activity happening, and the buzz of even more on the horizon. “We go through roundabouts and swings, peaks and troughs, and it’s important to remember Cairns isn’t the only place that’s had a hard time.
“The market has changed, people want everything now,” she says.
“The Global Financial Crisis effected everyone and it was worse overseas. We are very lucky here in Australia, Cairns is an absolutely wonderful place to be.”
“They don’t wait for the Saturday newspaper to see what properties are out there. They go online and find out, so it’s important to present each property in the best possible light.” Buying and selling many of her own properties since moving to Far North Queensland at the age of 18, Sharon was always interested in real estate.
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In 2008 she began her career with another local agency, and the following year launched Cairns Asset Real Estate.
Sharon says it’s the relationships with people she enjoys the most about her role, and she is grateful for the majority referral work she receives. “It is a humbling experience being invited into a client’s property knowing someone said ‘ring this lady, she will help’.” www.cairnsassetrealestate.com.au
CairnsLife
top 10 consultants
DAVID SMITH AREA MANAGER, FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND
Queensland Country Credit Union
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uying an investment property or a first or forever home can be a daunting prospect. However, helping people through the home buying process is the best part of David Smith, Queensland Country Credit Union’s Far North Queensland Area Manager’s day. ‘The best part of my job is helping People’s property dreams come true.’ He said. With over 35 years lending experience, David enjoys helping people reach their financial goals. ‘Whether it be an initial conversation with a first home buyer about how to start saving for a house deposit or being the first to congratulate a Member when they pick up the keys to their new home, it makes my day to think that I have helped them achieve an important milestone’ Mr Smith said. ‘And whether you come to see me and my team at Earlville or my Smithfield Branch Manager Dianne Clarke, as our Television commercial says – ‘we help home loans happen!’ He added.
MY TOP TIPS FOR HOME BUYERS
1. But I love it! Figure out what you can afford and set a budget. There are lots of handy online calculators available that break down your mortgage into weekly or monthly repayment amounts or how much you can afford to borrow. Check out ours – www.qccu.com.au 2. Look at any money you owe on credit cards and personal loans. Consider consolidating debt if it will save you money. Remember any existing debt will reduce your borrowing capacity. 3. Do your research. Get to know the area/s you are looking at buying into; visit open homes to get a feel for the properties on offer and walk or drive around the neighbourhood after dark or at different times of the day. The Queensland Government’s Smartmaps website is a good place to start researching valuations and sale prices - https://www.qld.gov.au/ housing/buying-owning-home/smartmaps/ 4. Make a list Decide before you start looking for your new home on what is a ‘nice to have’ and a ‘must have’. This is especially true if you are house hunting with a partner or a family as everyone will have a different priority list. Agree a common list of ‘must haves’ that are nonnegotiable. And always remember, that mustard yellow 70’s bathroom can be modernised and a pool or large shed added later with an additional home or renovation loan. 5. Let’s talk Buying a home is probably the biggest purchase a person will make in their lifetime. Take your time to consider your options and talk to family, friends, real estate agents or your financial institution/s. Your local lender at your bank or credit union can help talk you through the home buying process and offer pre-approval on a loan amount, before you fall in love with your forever home. 6. Refinance If you are spending too much time not getting answers about your current loan, not getting the service you deserve and importantly not getting the home loan package you think you should have a come and see us at Queensland Country Credit Union for a no obligation and very competitive review of your home loan – it’s a lot easier than you may think.
‘
we help home loans happen!’
Earlville Branch 514-516 Mulgrave Road | 4033 5299 Smithfield Branch Smithfield Shopping Centre Branch | 4038 3999
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Robotic Assisted
RADICAL P R O S T A T E C T O M Y
Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomy is now the procedure of choice for the surgical treatment of prostate cancer. It is not carried out automatically by the robot but by the surgeon sitting at the console in the left of the picture, the assistants watching the screens on the right with the robot arms inserted through small incisions (approximately 1.5cm) in the patient. The advances of this system are designed to improve on conventional laparoscopy with the assistance of robotic instruments that contain jointed wrist designs that allow for exceeding the natural range of motion of the human hand. It is rather like the use of a Playstation®. It enables the surgery to be magnified so that important structures can be preserved and the surgery is more accurate. There is less bleeding during the procedure, less pain because of the small incisions and patients are able to return to normal activities quickly. The advantage of robotic assisted radical prostatectomy is that the complication rate is generally much lower when compared to laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and open radical prostatectomy. The main concerns for patients when considering a radical prostatectomy as the treatment for their prostate cancer are first of all, the ability to clear the cancer and then the two main side effects related. These are urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. The continence rate following open radical prostatectomy has been reported between 90-92% where as after robotic assisted radical prostatectomy it was 95-96%. Data on potency following radical prostatectomy is not clear to date.
However, it has been suggested that robotic assisted radical prostatectomy has some advantages in recovery of potency over the other procedures related to being able to more accurately identify and preserve the nerves but still clearing the cancer. This is significantly related to the experience of the surgeon. Clearance of cancer outcomes following surgery are an important aspect of any surgical technique. One way to measure these is positive surgical margin rate. This is the distance between the cancer and the normal tissues and occurs when the distance is too close. Robotic assisted radical prostatectomy has been shown in multiple surgical studies to be superior to open techniques with as low as 8% in cohorts. It is important to remember that not all patients with prostate cancer require surgery. As with any treatment, the idea is to live for a good time and a long time and as a result treatments need to be tailored for the individual. Sometimes no treatment is the best treatment.
Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
• Choice for the surgical treatment of prostate cancer • Immediate access for private and public patients • There is less bleeding during the procedure
Cairns Urology has immediate access for patients requiring robot assisted radical prostatectomy in both the public and private sectors.
DR NEIL GORDON Urologist Urological Surgeon at Cairns Urology M.B.B.S (Melb) F.R.C.S (Glasg)F.R.C.S Ed F.R.A.C.S., F.I.C.S
98 Spence Street Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia PO Box 7787 Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
P (07) 4041 0700 F (07) 4041 4007 reception@cairns-urology.com.au www.cryotherapy.com.au
Health T H E B I G G E S T A D VA N C E I N I M P R O V I N G P R O S T A T E C A N C E R D I A G N O S I S
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE PROSTATE SCREENING AT C A I R NS R A D I O LO G Y Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia and the third most common cause of cancer death in men. More than 3000 men die of prostate cancer in Australia every year; almost twice as many as Breast Cancer. Until now, a blood test called PSA (prostate specific antigen) and a digital rectal examination were the main ways of detecting prostate cancer. ‘Many men are then sent for a transrectal ultrasound biopsy (TRUS)’, said Dr Daynes, radiologist at Cairns Radiology. An ultrasound probe is inserted rectally to identify the prostate gland. A small needle then passes through the ultrasound probe to collect small samples of the prostate gland. Because it is difficult to clearly visualise where the cancer is located, usually 12 needle samples are taken, sometime more. The procedure is usually performed under a local anaesthetic with sedation with some patients requiring a night in hospital.
Until recently, this was the only method available to make a diagnosis of prostate cancer. NO MORE! Over the past few years there have been major advances in the detection of prostate cancer, in particular the multi parametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) that examines the structure and function of the gland. ‘mpMRI allows the radiologist to see the possible cancer’, say Dr Daynes, ‘this means far fewer needles up your rectum as you can see the needle going directly into the area of maximum concern’. Only one or two needles are generally needed with mpMRI instead of possibly 12 or more with the traditional ultrasound guided method. This has major advantages for patients in reducing discomfort, bleeding and risk of infection. Multi parametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging is done on a special 3T Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner along with specific software and a specialty biopsy robot
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that is used to obtain extremely accurate biopsies of the prostate. All of this equipment is fully owned and operated by Cairns Radiology. CAIRNS RADIOLOGY, located at 121 Sheridan Street, Cairns is one of three international Centres of Excellence for Prostate Cancer in Australia that provide such a service, leading the way for better detection of prostate cancer. No longer is there the need to travel south for the service. A locally owned and operated practice, CAIRNS RADIOLOGY continues its commitment to providing high quality care to the people of Cairns and surrounding areas. ‘This is our focus’, says Robin Gordon, C.E.O. and one that is ongoing. Cairns Radiology provides all MRI services along with general and dental x-ray, ultrasound and high definition FLASH CT, the fastest, most precise and one of the lowest dose scanners available on the market today. Call 4051 9729 to schedule an appointment.
Health
This man is wearing a hearing aid. You would never know. Lyric is the world’s only 100% invisible 24/7 hearing aid. Worn for months at a time, it has also been scientifically proven to reduce the effects of tinnitus* for those with hearing problems. Don’t ignore your hearing loss a moment longer. For a FREE Lyric guide and to find out about our 1 month trial offer, contact us and Start Connect Hearing Today.
Cairns - 4053 6111 www.connecthearing.com.au/lyrictrial *Based on a 2014 study by Phonak
IncontiLase IntimaLase Laser urinar y stress incontinence treatment
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• Solution for urinary stress incontinence, prolapse, vaginal tightening and atrophic vaginitis • No surgery, minimal discomfort • No anaesthetic needed • Walk in / walk out procedure • Safe and quick • Great results with high patient satisfaction
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Call us today 4041 5770 for a consultation
Suite 2, 200 Mulgrave Rd, Cairns • www.skinalertcairns.com.au • reception@skinalertcairns.com.au
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Lioness Dress in Cherries by Sajeela Jamie Model: Sara Hasham Photo: Evert Materman Made in Cairns. The Pier, Cairns Oceana Walk, Cairns www.wildsugar.fashion
WILD SUGAR by Sajeela
be wild be sweet be you
The Pier
There’s so much to discover at
The Pier
SHOP NEW SEASON SEAFOLLY ONLINE AND IN STORE NOW CAIRNS CAIRNS CENTRAL SHOPPING CENTRE THE PIER SHOPPING CENTRE DFO CAIRNS PORT DOUGLAS 12 GRANT ST WWW.SPLISHSPLASHSWIMWEAR.COM (07) 4041 5544
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The Pier
There’s so much to discover at Every once in a while you come across a shopping destination that ticks all the boxes. A place where you can enjoy an eclectic mix of specialty retailers, restaurants, café’s and health and beauty options, in an upmarket tropical environment. The Pier Shopping Centre is that place.
exclusive swimwear and clothing brands as well as an extensive range of beach accessories such as shoes, bags and hats.
You’ll also benefit from 3 hours free undercover parking, which means that you can indulge in some stress free retail therapy and dining knowing that your car is taken care of.
In keeping with the boutique theme, KD Collection, a ladies and gents clothing retailer, offer high quality apparel and accessories from hand picked Australian and Global brands.
Taking care of clients is important to Candice Burgstaller from OMG Gifts, a unique and innovative gift store. Candice says that her customers are able to purchase gifts that they may not find anywhere else.
With hand woven cotton ladies clothing, Shoetopia shoes and bags and a collection of hand made jewellery, Leslie and Jane at Cat’s Miaow offer a tailor made shopping experience with a unique personal touch.
“I make a lot of things myself, and my focus is on using local and Australian products,” says Candice.
Of course, with unsurpassed marina and esplanade views, The Pier Bar have your lunch or dinner needs taken care of, with a mouthwatering menu that includes wood fired pizzas and char grilled food.
With over ten bars, restaurants and cafes, not to mention the vibrant retail outlets, you’ll be able to relax and unwind in styleand comfort.
According to Store Manager Karen Fluker, Splish Splash Swimwear offers
w o m e n ’s c l oth i n g
S pec ialisi ng i n
Gifts & Es s enti al I tem s
Cat’s Miaow womens clothing is completely unique locally designed dresses and accessories capturing the spirit of the tropics....
Come and visit us at the Pier and see our range “Unique & innovative” 3D tactile gift books and fantastic colouring in books for adults. The perfect gift for the person who has everything…
Find us at the Pier ( 0 7 ) 4 0 4 1 36 0
P: 07 4051 3538 98
CairnsLife
The Pier
The Pier
N A B R U ET r E e R m T S um S e l y St
Stocking Australian and Global Independent Brands
For those of you wanting to work out at, you’ll find the convenience of world class gym facilities available at Your Fitness. From the moment you walk through the door, the helpful and qualified staff are on hand to assist you in achieving your fitness goals. Why not take a walk along the magnificent boardwalk and take in the view of the marina, or indulge your taste buds at one of the many bars and restaurants on offer.
Visit us at The Pier Shopping Centre, Cairns KDCollectionAustralia KDCollection_AU @kdcollectionaustralia
To find out more, head down to The Pier today. Open seven days a week, what are you waiting for?
►group fitness classes ►24hr gym use ►free exercise programs ►pool access
your fitness @ the pier
SHOP G41 PIER SHOPPING CENTRE p. 40315277 f. 40315377 www.yourfitness.net.au 99
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The Pier
Seafolly Daisy Duke Shirt Chambray - $119.95 Seafolly Denim Ridge Short - $69.95
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The Pier
Seafolly High Neck Tank Top - Deja Blue - $119.95 Seafolly Hipster - Deja Blue - $79.95
Jets A-Line Dress - Fusion - $94.95
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The Pier
Seafolly Project Kaftan - $79.95
Isola DD/E Cup Balconette Bra - Gypset - $144.95 Isola Hipster Pant - Gypset - $84.9
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The Pier
Isola Engineered Kaftan - Gypset - $179.95
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BY MARCIA EBDELL-BLANCH 4058 0511 www.asyoulikeit.com.au Like us on Facebook Hair, Make-Up & Photography By “As You Like It Hair & Beauty”
HAIR DESIGN With Maddox we wanted to have some fun, he always admires his Dads Funky Hair Cuts so this time it was all about Maddox. We gave Maddox an Undercut with a textured Mohawk to add height and Fun. Every little boy dreams of being daring enough to Carve up his hair & getting the Parents on side, well this was Maddox’s lucky day. We created an asymmetrical Carving which spanned from 1 side to the other incorporating a David Bowie Style Flash with funky disconnected curves. With the added fun of Temporary Super Hero Green to make his Day…….
X MADDyO Beach it
From Trin
TIP OF THE
MONTH
With Summer fast Approaching it is time to stock up on Sun Care Hair Care & Body Care Particularly protecting against U.V, Heat & Dehydration. These products also help fend off the excess of Chlorine with pool time throughout Summer. Have a Safe and Happy October & Team “AsYou Like It” will see you in November with countdown Christmas Starting.
Each winner will receive a gift pack valued at over $180!
Diamond Jewellery & Watch Consultants
10B Shields St, Cairns • P: 4031 3939 www.diamondsandtime.com.au
NOW OPEN
PEDICURE • MANICURE • NAILS MASSAGE • WAXING • LASHES
With luxury and relaxation in mind we adopt a natural and eco approach to our beauty treatments. Natural, locally sourced product, raw and fresh ingredients and a simple, stylish aura of urban tranquillity
4053 2205
SHOP 2 / 1 PYNE ST EDGE HILL QLD 4870
hello@sodanails.com.au www.sodanails.com.au
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Shop online and save! Free shipping for all orders over $50
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Shop Address: 14 Kehoe Place, next to Whistle Shop cafe opposite the Yungaburra market grounds Follow us: www.facebook.com/globalfreestyle For info phone: 4095 2727 Website:
www.globalfreestyle.com.au
What are you
WORTH? with Eva Grabner
I am finding more and more candidates underselling themselves. Be it due to desperation or not knowing their market worth. Why is this happening? Why do some candidates undervalue and underprice their worth? Are interviewers bulldozing candidates into accepting less? Are more people new to the job market after a number of years in one role, therefore, unfamiliar with the ‘lay of the land’? Is this the first time some people haven’t been headhunted for a job? I actually dread the thought of the number of candidates going directly to employers and underselling themselves. Recently I recruited a senior role for a client and scheduled a number of interviews with highly qualified candidates. One of whom was asking for far less than he was worth. When I questioned this, he claimed that this was the ‘advice’ he had been given during his search for employment as the market had changed. This is possibly a whole other blog topic, but to cut a long story short, with my guidance, this candidate went on to secure a role with a salary commensurate with his experience. What I enjoy most about what I do is that I know what the market rate is, whether it be city based or not. A lot of factors are taken into consideration when a salary is offered. Is it a remote location? Are housing prices cheaper? Is the standard of living
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better? Are there large or small businesses predominately in the region to impact the market rate of any particular skill set? Using these facts, along with my experience in placing people throughout Australia, I am then able to give both my clients and my candidates a realistic expectation when it comes to their true market value. I want my clients to feel that they have an employee that will add value to the business but I also want to place a candidate that feels valued and is remunerated at the market rate (at least). Are you unsure as to what you should be paid or what you should be paying your employees? There are many salary guides available that are issued annually from some of the world’s top recruitment firms. Your recruiter would be happy to help I’m sure. I sure would!
Eva Grabner is an Executive Recruiter and Search Consultant with nearly a decade of experience across a multitude of industries, and the Managing Director of Elite Executive. www.eliteexecutive.com.au
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KW AUTOS
Why is quality motor oil important?
C
hanging your cars oil at regular intervals is a vital part of keeping your cars engine running properly. The purpose of engine oil is to keep the internal parts of your cars engine lubricated and cool. It keeps the moving parts from grinding against each other causing wear and tear. Apart from protecting your engine , motor oil reduces rust and corrosion by limiting your engines exposure to oxygen. There are generally three types of oils: • MINERAL OIL - Made from refined crude oil • SYNTHETIC BLEND OILS - often designed for older high performance vehicles. • FULLY SYNTHETIC - Contains no minerals. Fortunately ,changing your oil is a simple and relatively inexpensive procedure.
Different cars require different types of motor oils . Here at KW Autos we use high quality Penrite engine oils. Penrite is Australian Owned and all their oils are blended right here in Australia for Australian conditions.
We bring you reliable car servicing and the security of knowing the mechanic working on your vehicle is fully trained and qualified.
Over time dirt accumulates in oil , the filter will do its job and remove dirt for awhile , but eventually the filter will clog. Dirty oil is thick and abrasive , so it causes more wear. If engine oil is not changed regularly it will eventually stop lubricating and the engine will quickly wear and fail.
For a mechanic you can rely on book a service with your local Repco Authorised Service centre today. Call David or Loralie at KW Autos on 40510312.
At KW Autos we recommend changing your oil at minimum, every six months or 10 000km or as per the maintenance schedule of your service book. Trust, experience and knowledge is what Repco Authorised Service stands for.
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CLIENT SAYS...
We were after a dressing room, not a wardrobe. We worked with Russell on the design, and came up with some great ideas between us. The end result is an incredibly useful & practical storage and workspace. The level of detail is incredible. The end result? Amazing, and very workable.
OK hands up – who has ever wanted a Sex in the City style walkin wardrobe? This wardrobe is bigger than most master bedroom suites and has been specifically designed for the most fastidious person – it is, after all, a very private and personal oasis. There is ample drawer space, pigeon holes, hat shelves, long and short hanging space and LED lighting everywhere. The dedicated shoe cabinet has been carefully designed to display a collection, is lit with LED lights, and has glass doors to prevent dust settling on that special pair of Cinderella slippers or the favourite Gucci lace-ups. The feature of the room is multi-purpose island area. “His” side with an upholstered bench is the ideal spot for putting on your shoes, the bench itself housing additional storage; and the
DESIGNER SAYS...
Best Renovation Kitchen over $20000
“Hers” side offering a matching ottoman and a cleverly designed dressing table. The lid lifts up to firstly provide a large mirror, but also to reveal layers of compartmentalised trays for jewellery and accessories. Both edges of the cabinet swing out to reveal all manner of hair styling products including dryer, curler, tongs, straightener etc, all hung neatly and ready for use. The whole space is air-conditioned and is finished in a lush, embossed, dark timber-grain for a totally luxurious feel. This room is an example of the versatility of Artizan Cabinets, and proves that we don’t just make kitchens, but we design and manufacture living spaces. This wardrobe was part of an over-all house package of cabinetry, which was recently recognised by the Master Builders with their Trade Specialty Award for Cabinetry/Joinery for 2015. We would like to thank our clients for their faith in Artizan Cabinets to deliver them a design space that suited their lifestyle both now and into the future.
Winner
2014
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178 Scott St, Bungalow QLD 4870 (07) 4051 4007 www.artizancabinets.com.au QBCC 1269261
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