CHARLIE

Are you originally from Coffs Coast? 

I moved to Sawtell in 1989. The first day I surfed at Sawtell, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. That’s because I learned to surf at Bondi. It was a place where the waves were terrible and if you didn’t surf well, you didn’t get any respect in the water at all and no waves. The upside was that the intensity, in and out of the water, meant that the general standard of surfing was very high. I surfed in the shadow of some of the all time greats of Australian surfing – guys like Cheyne Horan, Joe Engel, Richard Cram and Brad Mayes. It was a tough but privileged surfing apprenticeship, and I am grateful for what that time taught me.

How have you progressed your career?

I had the chance to have a professional career as a surfer when I was young, but there was just not the money in those days to maintain professionals. Most of my friends who turned pro in the ’70s lived on the generosity of others and only scraped by. I decided to get a qualification and enjoy competing as an amateur. Many of the other amateurs I have competed against over the last 40 years have become very good friends. Competitive surfing has kept me fit, healthy and always striving to do my best.

Are you excited about competing at Ecuador?

Yes. I get excited about any competition, however. It gives me an incentive to keep surfing every day, even if the waves and weather are rubbish. I am excited about meeting up with old friends from around the world and making new ones in Ecuador. That is really the best part.

Is this your proudest career moment? 

I am certainly proud to be the captain of the team. I finished second at the World Titles in NZ in 2003 and hope to go one better this time.

Which five words best describe you?

I like to go hard!

How would you describe your team mates? 

The best thing about surfing in the Australian team is that you are surrounded by like-minded people. They are the type who ‘suck the marrow out of life’. Seven-time World Professional Champion, Layne Beachley, is a good example. Each of my team mates is different, and hopefully we will support and complement each other well. Individual success is important but for me, more pride is derived for winning for our country.

SCOTT 

Also a Coffs guy? Do you live here with your family?

I was born in Melbourne, but my mum and my older sister moved to Coffs when I was about 2 or 3, then moved to Toormina when I was 9. I had 2 more sisters arrive, so was the only boy as I grew up. My mum still lives in the same house, one sister lives in Melbourne, one in Cairns and one between Brisbane, Sydney and Coffs.

My wife, Karen, was born and bred in Sawtell and we have been married for 17 years now, but we’ve also been a couple since we were 16; we met at Toormina High School. We have 2 boys aged 14 and 9. Karen’s mum, dad and older sister are still local to the area too.

Who is in your team? Where are the others from? 

The Australian team consists of only 9 surfers. There is one other local, Charlie O’Sullivan, who is team captain; others include 7-times World Champion Layne Beachley, and former WQS surfer and ISA World Champ Jake Spooner. They have also invited Occy and Luke Egan, but they have not been confirmed as attending.

What career aspirations did you have as a younger man, and would you say that you’re achieved these goals?

I did try to have a career in surfing until I was 17, but the reality is unless you have money, you can’t travel to compete. I started working to earn money, and just never stopped, and the surfing stopped too. In the last 13 years, I have been right back into it. So for many years, I wondered what could have been if I had been able to have a crack, but that is the same as most young sporting kids; it’s tough to actually go above the teenage competitions to a career in sport.

What are five words that best describe your career? 

There are many words that could describe my surfing, and the best 5 words would be dedication, enthusiasm, love, training and persistence.

What’s the best lesson that you’ve learnt along the way?

The best lesson I have learnt is to enjoy the competition experience and make sure you are prepared. There are a lot of good surfers out there; the difference can mostly be put down to the mental strength and focus of competing. When you feel like you can win and you give it everything, you can do anything in sport.

Who has been your biggest influence?

A big influence of mine is Kelly Slater; he is only a year younger than I am and still pushing, but other locals such as Richie West, who still surf amazingly and is into his 60s, are the biggest inspiration of all.

What dreams do you hope to fulfil in Ecuador?

I am not going to Ecuador for a holiday; I definitely want the title and to see the team, and others in the team, win titles too. This is my first time on the Australian Surfing team; it is an honour and a privilege to have been selected, so I will be wearing the Green and Gold with pride. I will have my wife with me, and the family and friends can watch it live on the internet.

Thanks guys; safe travels.

This article can be found in issue 31 of Coffs Coast Focus

This article can be found in issue 31 of Coffs Coast Focus

Phillip Simpson is an eccentric artist from Sawtell. He cleans part-time, but his real passion is for painting … and he is the epitome of creativity.

Are you from Coffs Harbour?

No, I am not originally from the Coffs Coast. I lived in Gladesville as a younger bloke. I was born in Ryde Hospital. I am the youngest of five siblings.

I would describe myself as a disco funky bunny compared to my hippy brothers and sisters, and I always enjoying being funny.

One of my friends at church, Scott, has a voice that reminds me of a cartoon character I grew up with: Dudley Do Right of the Canadian Mounties, who battled the evil Dick Dastardly.

I have an 18 year old daughter, Felicity. I reckon if any Dick Dastardly came into her life, I would take them for a ride – just like affable comedian John Candy playing Uncle Buck in the movie of the same name … then talk about a tradition of having it cut off if they misbehave. I’ve have always had a wicked sense of humour.

I date online. Many women try and con me online, so I say to them: “Oh baby, since you came into my life, even the hostages in the basement seem more chilled”.

I grew up loving Star Wars and Dr Who, so there has always been a rich imagination. I played in the bush with friends Graeme Edwards, Jamie Little and Matthew Gale. I loved lizards as a young bloke.

How did your love for art come about? What has been your biggest influence? 

I grew up drawing dinosaurs … Putting together model aeroplanes … I drew motor bikes and cool cars for other kids. I have always been fascinated by art rocker David Bowie. I am eccentric and extremely creative. I love Rugby, and I admit I even get bored if there is no creative open play.

I took art in high school, where I would paint these elaborate sci fi themes, which never really took off. I never felt good enough to go somewhere with my art. My art teacher seemed a strange mixture of Catholicism and New Age – she encouraged me – a lot.

I moved to Sydney’s Northern Beaches in 1981, and in 1985 I got involved in Christian Theatre Images. I played cricket and had humorous, fun times. I will always remember Mark Shultz being able to take a sharp catch, without ever losing his cigarette (laughs). Humour features in some of my art.

I was married in my mid twenties, which lasted six years but nothing exciting to report there. Ancient history, really, but I do have a lovely daughter, Felicity. She is studying Psychology. I hope she doesn’t analyse me. She might need a head full of Monty Python. I was divorced in 1996 … Briefly moved back in with my parents. During that time, I wrote poetry on the shores of the Northern Beaches. I stupidly lost my poetry book somewhere. I stayed on for a while after my parents left the Northern Beaches. I used to go to a DJ night called ‘The Sounds Of Seduction’; the club was full of fun people. Everyone would dress up – very colourful times (laughs). The resident DJ was Jamie Adenlader aka JKatz.

I have a Twitter account, where I encourage people to get on the scene. I moved to the Coffs Coast in 2001 for family reasons. After a brief stay in Bello, I moved to Sawtell. I did a bit of art training with a lady who was an artist at the Community College around the Central Mall in Coffs. Sorry … her name has gone on me. I have settled in Sawtell. Like me, it is quirky.

What does a day in the life of Phillip Simpson look like?

Apart from art painting, there is Lara, the name for my bass guitar. Always jam up a funky element with James Brown Bootsy Collins Parliament Funkadelic The Ohio plays and The Meters on spotify radio. I really must get back to exercise. I have two sisters, Maryanne and Vicki. Oh, and there is also my plan to be an evil clown and take over the world. Not even Austin Powers will stop me. I always enjoy good humour. Must not forget the one and only catch phrase: “Do you know me, Benny?” My nephew is a superstar; I take him to the cinema. I also have two cleaning jobs.

Where does your passion for art and creativity derive?

Art resigned in me after the loss of a relationship. First, the art therapy dance with thick brushes, then finer detail followed one day when I decided it was time to get down, get funk and move on. I understand art like an art machine.

Have you exhibited?

I have exhibited with CHESS Employment. I enjoy the support from Rachel, my mentor and friend. We enjoy having a laugh together. I am always cheeky. The other day, I strode into Coffs Harbour quite manicly, then Rachael said: “I know you … gosh, you’re a character! You did that deliberately”. One of the exhibited pieces was a home for Bogans.

Doing this interview is a real challenge, but made me realise I don’t often enough appreciate the good stuff in my life; thank you, Jesus. Would love to develop my art further and get it exhibited. I think my dream job would to be a full-time artist, and I am committed to being a good, wise Solomon Christian.

Got to say the support of family and friends on Facebook has been heartwarming!

Thank you Phillip.

This article can be found in issue 31 of Coffs Coast Focus

We all know that you are the wonderful owner of Pansabella Providores at Coffs Central. You have recently moved into a brand new space. How is that all coming along? What is the most exciting thing about your new adventure?

The new store is fantastic, thank you. We have been totally overwhelmed by the reaction of the Coffs Coast community. There has been so much support and encouragement. Everyone really seems to love what Gowings have done with the centre, and people just love the space.

The most exciting thing about the new adventure is the opportunity to provide our service to even more people. We were very limited in the old shop in terms of space. We can now offer a better menu because of the new kitchen, more seating even in wet weather, an expanded deli selection, a dedicated flower area, and the option to dine with us at night three days a week.

How did your fascination with having your cookbooks autographed by their authors begin?

My fascination with cookbooks began as a little child. I loved to watch my grandmother cook, and I guess I started ‘collecting’ cookbooks from her and my mother’s kitchen. When I say collect, I mean I would keep them under my bed as if they were my own! The autographed side of it really started when I was living in London, and I worked with a few of the ‘celebrity chefs’. I was able to meet them and get my favourite book autographed. This continued when I moved back to Australia, meeting the likes and working with Pete Evans and Donna Hay. I was very fortunate to meet these people and really wanted a ‘keepsake of these fortunate events’

Who really inspires you in relation to your passion for food? 

It was my family who really encouraged me to cook from an early age. There are quite a few old photos and even some tragic home movies of me standing on a little stool stirring a wok and pretending to be hosting my own cooking show.

From the modern era, I think Jamie Oliver is my biggest inspiration. His ability to make food so approachable, so easy and so delicious is fantastic. For someone who was very technically trained, he has been able to take the ‘cheffiness’ out of his technique, so everyone can cook his dishes.

Donna Hay would be a close second. She has done a similar thing in terms of making her recipes ‘approachable’, always with fabulous results. In fact, Jamie Oliver was quoted as saying that Donna Hay was, in fact, his favourite Australian cooking personality on his last visit to the country.

Do you like MasterChef? What is your opinion on that show; do you think it’s good for the industry? 

I’m have really enjoyed the latest series of MasterChef the Professionals. Marco Pierre White truly is the very best of the best. To hear anything he has to say on food is truly an honour. The contestants aren’t just ‘saying it for the camera’, when they say he is their hero. As far as top end cuisine goes, he is God to the food industry. I met Matt Preston a few years ago – I think after the second series of the show. He certainly is a ‘big personality’, who truly loves his food. But I just love the way Marco can connect people’s passion in life to the food they cook. I think he is a little less scary than he has been made out to be and has a very philosophical outlook on what motivates people to cook.

I think it (the show) has its good and bad points. I think consumers may get slightly the wrong impression of what goes on in a commercial kitchen. The preparation required for service is constant. My team start at 6am and continues on working until 6.30pm on a week night and past 11pm during night service. When you hand make as many components as we do, it never stops.

But I love that it has engineered a different type of passion in people around food, really highlighting the skill of the professionally trained side of the business, and I have certainly picked up quite a few new tricks and techniques as a result.

Who and where is the strangest place you’ve asked an author to sign your cookbook? Or a favourite story?

Margret Fulton was absolutely one of the funniest people I have ever met. I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of her latest cookbook at Quay Restaurant in Sydney. We were treated to a interview with her on a  little stage before our lunch was served. She told a brilliant story of a time she accidentally singed off most of her eyebrows carrying a flaming pudding to the Christmas table one year. Her Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery is my number one go to book about all things food.

Any final words:

All the signed books will be on display in Pansabella for the next month.

Thank you Kristi.

We want to know about you! Let us know what you collect, and you might just be our next Collectors Corner guest!

e. melly@focusmag.com.au

ph. (02) 6650 9343

This article can be found in issue 31 of Coffs Coast Focus

AUTHOR – ROBYN MCLENNAN

It gives me great pleasure to have this third and final book of The Clunkerton series, The Clunkertons and the New Beginning released. Writing The Clunkerton books has been an amazing experience.

At the beginning, I had no idea that a second or even a third book would evolve. It was towards the end of writing The Clunkertons of Sunnybank Creek (the first book) that I realised I’d left the door open for a follow-up story, hence The Clunkertons and their Unforgettable Journey.

My ten year-old grandson was a little saddened with the ending in this book  and like the first, it left him wanting to know more. So after much soul-searching, The Clunkertons and the New Beginning came about. His straightforward comments and tick of approval that the three books were now ‘connected’ was very satisfying indeed. I felt I had passed the test.

The inspiration for the stories to begin with came from the wonderful Lilly Pilly trees in the Coffs Harbour area. Again, being close to the creek and the surrounding bush, it was not difficult to let the imagination run away from me whilst sitting quietly with pen and paper. Story one was on its way!

The 1996 flood in Coffs Harbour left quite an imprint on me, and this is how the second story came about. After being rescued by a very special platypus, it shows how the Clunkertons were able to move on against the odds and start all over again.

This third and final story really began at the Marina, where my husband and I would often go for walks. On many occasions we would spot the same little turtle paddling in and around the boats that were moored there. I often used to wonder how it got there. A new tale was soon beginning to emerge.

And of course, no story would be complete without the aid of Kakita the Kookaburra. She has been there in all three books. She often comes and sits on our balcony. Where would I be without her?

Jules’ clever and colourful illustrations have brought all of the above to life. Even now, when I look closely at his work, I am still discovering all the subtle and hidden details which I was unaware of before. Just matching the Clunkies’ hats with each Clunkerton for example, was quite a fun thing to do. It really made me smile, especially in this third book, where the number of Clunkertons begin to increase.

Jules and I actually completed the three books (with many drafts from me) in two years, and it has been quite a remarkable journey working with him. He is a very, very patient man, especially considering I do not have the internet or email, but somehow, with all the meetings and the help of my son, we managed to get around it. He is a survivor!

I have been most fortunate in that Book Warehouse, Dymocks, Botanic Gardens, The Bunker Cartoon Gallery – even the local library who arranged a book launch for us last year – have been very supportive and encouraging towards myself and local writers. Also, my hairdresser, Jenny, the Plaza and Sawtell Post Offices were very obliging in allowing me to place the books on their shelves.

ILLUSTRATOR – JULES FABER

T

here’s an old adage which states:  “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”. I have always firmly believed in this, as whenever I’ve wanted to try something new, the opportunity just seems to materialise almost from nowhere. For many years I’d been a professional cartoonist, but had never truly dipped into the ‘design’ element and wanted to test the waters. Sure, I’d constantly worked with the process of laying images out and planning them so they read right and such, but I’d never taken on the role of designing a major publishing project like this.

When Robyn approached me with the concept for her first book, I immediately saw the opportunity to learn the processes necessary for laying out a children’s book ready for press. In the past I’d been a co-editor on a well-received comic book series, but that wasn’t so much about designing as it was about collating a bunch of other cartoonists’ work into a tangible book.

With The Clunkertons, I had the opportunity to explore the ways a page can be laid out so that it helps the narrative along and so the words don’t trample all over the art and vice versa. There were no word balloons to make things easier here, nor were the characters going to be much help – having no arms and three legs, I had to rethink a lot of my traditional knowledge base regarding expression in cartooning. It ended up being a project that took me around six months to plan right and I learned a lot in those months, as I discovered parts of design I’d always had an idea existed but had never had to confront before.  By the time the book was finished, I had picked up an enormous amount of knowledge and had, happily, done what I set out to do – learn about the process.

So when the second installment came along, I was ready for it. The book was to be the exact same size to maintain continuity on the bookshelf, so I was already prepared for that technical side. In the first book I’d made the mistake of creating the art first, and this meant I had worked around its form the whole time. This time I worked with the page templates and sizing before creating the artwork, which sped the process up considerably. Within two and a half months, the book was completed – much faster than the previous one. I had explored some new things, including comic book-type imagery and whilst I’d done this to an extent in the first book, the second book lent a little more confidence. For example, cave scenes utilised a lot of blacks, and I put white text directly onto it rather than use narration boxes. The second book gave me more time to explore new ways of designing a page.

Naturally, by the third book that confidence had grown, so that I could effectively marry all the skills picked up in the last two books. Wanting to try something I had considered in the last book, I planned double page spreads to further put the reader into the characters’ world. Again, I created the artwork using the page templates and brought in my animation experience to create ‘widescreen’ page layouts. Due to this last chapter of the trilogy having a slightly higher page count, it was possible to do this several times. By the time it was done, this final book was wrapped up in just under six weeks.

Overall, I got an enormous amount from the experience. I think the universe hands us opportunities all the time, if only we’re open to them. And in the end, I think that’s what the old adage: “When the student is ready, the teacher appears” means. Stay open to it, and a world of opportunity will suddenly materialise.

This article can be found in issue 31 of Coffs Coast Focus

Please introduce yourselves. Where are you from? What school did you both go to, and how did you meet?

My name is Ben Burton, and this is my girlfriend, Elise Loprete. We are 21 and 18 years old. As weird as this sounds, I guess we’re a young couple who share a passion for coffee and Volkswagens, and of course, each other. We’re both local to Coffs Harbour. I moved here with my family from Tamworth eight years ago, and Elise came up from Sydney with her parents too. Elise just finished her HSC at CHEC, and I went to Coffs Harbour Christian Community School. I wonder one day will we get to make coffee for our school Principals?

We met through friends a couple of years ago. We were friends at the beginning and then BANG – now we’re in love.

What is Rustic Bean Espresso, and how did this business come about?

Rustic Bean Espresso is our mobile café – or I like to call it a ‘pop-up coffee shop’. We operate and run our pop up coffee shop out of the back of our Kombi Van. The whole idea of it is to mix our passion for coffee with our united passion for the beloved aircooled Volkswagen.

It all began over a simple conversation that I was having with Elise, my brother Sam, his partner (who doubles as our coffee roaster) Kirby – over a beer. We were just  discussing casually how cool it would be to sell coffee out of a Kombi Van (laughs). At this point (June 2012), I personally owned a 1960 VW Beetle, and Kirby owned a Kombi.

After driving her bus, we were in love with the idea, and within a few weeks we took a road trip to Sydney to sell my Beetle, and pick up our brand new 1970 lowlight Kombi (well it wasn’t new – it was a complete bomb!) But now, with a load of hard work, the ‘Rustic Bean Espresso’ was born.

From picking up the Kombi, it sort of just snowballed quickly into something great! The idea that was once a conversation over a beer has became a reality. Elise and I have been so blessed in the fact that we shared a vision of exactly how the van would look, and how we went about it. She is really stylish and has a keen eye for the cool vintage theme, and plus, she makes an amazing sandwich! I guess my strengths are the ability to turn a wrench (thanks Dad!) This meant that we were able to team up and get most of the van done without pulling each other’s hair out! I’m pleasantly surprised that there were no fights, and we worked really well together to execute the end result.

The plan was: lower it – a lot. Keep it ‘ratty’; we like the raw look. We wanted to honour the period style sign writing on the side. And if we agreed on one thing; it was to pump out damn good coffee!

The general reaction from the public has been overwhelming! It’s funny: everyone has a story about a Kombi! I’m always hearing, “My Great Uncle Charles used to own a Kombi van; we would pile all the kids in the back and go to the beach on a Saturday”, or, “You kids are so silly … should have done in it a proper car – something more reliable!” (Laughs.) People can relate to the old fashioned Kombi van, and we get a buzz from explaining the history of our van and our journey whilst pumping out epic coffee in the morning to the passersby! It’s awesome to be able to stand with the customers that we’ve just served and swap stories, hear their ideas and meet new people. That’s the real highlight in a career like this!

How would you describe the journey? What are some of the challenges the business has faced?

One word? HARD! It’s endless challenges every day.  Problem number one? Our Kombi hadn’t been registered since 1988. It needed more work than we could’ve ever imagined, just to get it to roadworthy standards. And then we had to work day and night to get it fitted out as a mobile pop up coffee shop!

We started with replacing the decrepit suspension.  Lowered it – multiple times. We had to replace the motor, the brakes, the interior, the wheels, tyres – it goes on!  The only real thing we kept original was the paint job. We figured we would keep the outside the way Mother Nature had obviously wanted it to look.

Our parents have been a massive part of the journey as well. We completely ‘did up’ the Kombi in our parents’ driveway … my parents’ place, if it was a nice day, or if it was raining we took it over to Elise’s parents’ place and worked on it in their garage. We stained the concrete on their driveways (laughs) and we totally decorated both front yards with random engines, engine parts, coffee machines, generators and bins worth of junk. The support they’ve offered us has been priceless – despite making the front of their houses look like a junk-yard, they still always offered us a lending hand and kept telling us when we would feel overwhelmed, “Don’t give up!”Parents are awesome, aren’t they?

Then with the agreed idea to keep the van in its natural state, came the task of trying to find a suitable name that would reflect the car’s personality and individuality. It was on another road-trip, this time to Byron Bay to pick up interior cabinets, when Elise looked across at me and said, “Oh my God! Ben, Rustic Bean!”And so it was born.

The next drama was trying to fit out a beaten up old bus to make it become a Espresso van, on a budget … of course, whilst meeting the health regulations.

This meant doing everything ourselves. Countless hours were spent on the inside of the van, turning it from originally being a nine seater micro bus, to the pop up coffee shop you see today.  Naturally there are no perfect parts to turn your hippy van into a café. It’s not like you call a store and order parts for a Kombi van café fitout. Everything is custom made.  Stainless steel benches were made by Kirby’s mates in Brisbane.  Cabinets are recycled, then modified to fit. Suspension had to be aligned five times, raised, then lowered – this went on, and on each time we’d add a new component to the van. There were times when I was lying under the van, skinned knuckles covered in grease, that I could’ve given up.

The night before we were due to open, all we had to do was install the generator and of course, we had no engine power! We had no petrol and no humour. The first week of opening, the van’s distributor broke. But we didn’t let that stop us. We still drove it with huge bangs, backfires and cursing!

You’re both very young to have experience with Council permits. Has this process been easy?

Council has been AMAZING! And completely understanding that we are young and just trying to have a go. From day one, they supplied us with a list of things needed for Council approval, and they patiently listened to our phone calls when we didn’t understand the red tape. When the van finally passed inspection (after seven months), we now look back and are pumped that so many people in the community have gotten behind us and shown such awesome support!

Where do you source your coffee?

We get our coffee from Kirby Berlin, the face behind Penny Farthing Coffee Roasters. It’s a boutique local roastery. Kirby has created the most beautiful blends of beans, from countries such as Papua New Guinea, Honduras, and Guatemala, to create the finest coffee you can buy.

Coffee is very competitive industry. What makes your coffee skills stand out against café baristas?

Both Elise and I have worked separately in the industry before joining forces. My experience was gained at Urban Espresso Lounge, and Elise has worked at a handful of different cafés around Coffs Harbour.

We have both worked with and under Kirby, who was Australian latte art champion. She is a great talent and has taught us skills from enhancing the flavours, latte art and how to get the best pour.

It’s a random thing, to collect Kombi Vans: where does this passion come from?

The passion is really more for Volkswagens, for all the aircooled models. Elise had wanted a Kombi since she was young and had a picture of a sky blue camper taped to her pencil tin in Grade Six. Elise’s first car is an old blue 1974 Kombi Panel. Our next project is to get that back on the road!

For me, I just love cars. Since I got my licence four years ago, I’ve owned 26 cars. The last 7 of those were Volkswagens. I used to want every car I saw, and scoured eBay for cool looking cars. I bought a 1964 Beetle, and that’s where my love for the humble Volkswagen started.

Where can we get a cup of your coffee? Do you have a daily schedule of where we can find you?   

We are only freshly opened and are still building up business, but our first point of call is servicing the businesses down on Duke Street, near Centrelink each morning, so please come down and give us a go! You can’t miss it. Or remember, we’re mobile, so if you’d like us to visit your business – please give us a holler!

What are your plans for the future?

Right now the plan for the future is making this business sustainable and successful, then we will probably look into something more permanent (I mean a business with walls) … a café, maybe?

We are looking at expanding into events. We can cater for any outdoor event, work functions, the races, weddings or festivals.

Thanks guys. Good luck with everything!

This article was published in issue 30 of Coffs Coast Focus

How did the band form? Where are you guys from?

I’m not entirely sure how the band formed. I’ve only been involved in the band for the past two years. I think Adam Spark (Sparky) and Ian Kenny were friends who hung around the same scene of people. Sparky was studying music and Kenny was (and still is) singing for a progressive Rock band Karnivool.

These two West Australian lads started writing music with no intention of forming a band. I think when the songs took shape, they realised it would be awesome to have a drummer and bass player. So incidentally, they ended up as a band.

Give me a brief history of the band and what inspired you to make music together? 

Once the band was formed, they played a few shows in local pubs around Perth and more regional areas, and the more they played, the more people started to come to their shows.

They released two EPs in 2005, and then local radio stations started playing the songs. The band followed that up with an album in 2007 called Day One; triple j got involved, and their listeners started growing fond of the band.

The band then started touring, and their fan base began to swell. In 2008, the band released their second album, Universes, which reached gold status in sales.

In 2010, they released their third record called Birds of Tokyo – Self Titled and toured with Silversun Pickups in September and October 2010. The band received six 2010 ARIA Music Awards nominations. I think the record went platinum – maybe even double platinum. I know the one single, Plans, transformed the band into something much bigger than they expected.

This brings you up to the point that I joined the band. I was working as an accountant whilst maintaining my songwriting passion in another band called Sugar Army. Out of the blue, Adam Weston, their drummer, calls and asks me whether I’d like to join Birds of Tokyo for some upcoming shows. I soon found out their interest in me was from a creative perspective. We played all over Australia, and then we began to work creatively on the latest record, March Fires.

You’ve just released a new album; how does it differ from your older material?

I think if you listened to the first record and this record, March Fires, you’d be surprised it was the same band. The weight and size of the songs on March Fires carry a much bigger sound. It’s become less about the masculine side of music that hard Rock harbours and more about the atmospheric journeys that songs can take you on. This record is no longer about the individual, but more about the community at large.

The messages are bigger, and they involve the listener. We replaced ‘me’ and ‘I’ for ‘we’ and ‘us’ and invite the listener to believe it’s their song, not the band’s. When past records would entice angst and show conviction, this record provokes nostalgia and positivity.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?

Adam Spark, our guitarist, is the driving force of the band. He comes up with chord sequences and sound designs that act as treatments for bigger ideas. Ian Kenny is our wonderful singer, who can drop beautiful melodies in the most unexpected and expected moments. Once those two align their talent, a song is born.

On this record, songs were written in a more collaborative effort. This time around the themes of the music were more socially driven. Such as the song, This Fire, where we created an idea of walking through a scene of urban destruction and embracing it for its beauty.

Another song, Lanterns, is a journey song. It’s the universal story of man acknowledging the point in his life where he’s outgrown the world he lives in. It’s about forcing oneself to leave the nest, to find new challenges and to grow as individuals. The story reaches an epiphany that whilst we may feel alone when we choose to leave our comfort zones, these greater souls are unified in the quest for new beginnings. “On we march ‘til we meet the dawn, we will light our way with our lanterns on.”

Could you briefly describe the music-making process?

I think all songs have to reach a point where you play them once, and you want to hear it again. That’s no easy task (especially if you are picky!) You’re always searching for that moment as songwriters where you feel it’s flawless … when it’s got a message, a meaning, a groove and a feeling! So when chords and melodies are put together, we tend to take risks exploring options for the songs. Sometimes I like to be messy and as a songwriter put the kitchen sink in there and see if we can reverse engineer a cohesive idea. If you have the talent and creativity to write music, it becomes all about your ability to solve problems with logic and skill.

What are your thoughts about selling your music online and about illegal music downloads? What are your predictions about the future of CD and vinyl sales; do you think digital music will ever completely replace these formats?

I think the CD and vinyl will never die completely and will become akin to a rare species of animal. The world is full of lovers of convenience. Listening to music on your iPod or computer is just much quicker and easier than using a CD or vinyl. So, it’s not a great time to invest in the CD world.

File sharing and transfers are the way of the future; in fact, they are the present. The new Apple iMac don’t even come with CD-ROM drives anymore. Why? I guess Apple doesn’t see a future in it. Selling music online is great.

I use iTunes all the time, and it’s simple and convenient. I guess the downside is that music can be owned and consumed without a trade. We can simply share it with our friends or share it with strangers at monstrous volumes. This can be very detrimental to the career of artists relying on actual sales to support their lifestyle.

It’s not a great position for the music industry to be in. Instead of growth and expansion, only the larger and more established artists are sustaining their careers. The diversion of music is at stake here!

What are your future plans and upcoming releases or tours? What do we have to look forward to this year?

We are heading on an Australian tour in late February and playing shows right throughout March. The tour is aptly called The March Fires. We are playing all the major cities and many regional towns. This tour is our album tour.

We plan to give people a taste of the sonic unravelling of our latest construction. The live show is going to be completely new for us. We’ve taken the time to engage professional light and visual programmers to create a show that’s larger than life. It’s not just your usual pub Rock band playing your favourite songs. We want to create an event and visual theme for every song we play. I’m excited!

Interview with band member Ian Berney.

This article was published in issue 30 of Coffs Coast Focus

What is Regional Development Australia Mid North Coast?

Regional Development Australia (RDA) is a partnership between the Australian, State and Local Governments to develop and strengthen the regional communities of Australia. RDA Mid North Coast is a not for profit Incorporated Association that operates in the dynamic environment of the local government areas of Greater Taree, Port Macquarie/Hastings, Kempsey, Nambucca, Bellingen, Coffs Harbour and Lord Howe Island.

A key role of the RDA is to act as a conduit between business/community and government to ensure that government is responsive to local needs and priorities. RDA Mid North Coast has three principle objectives including ‘Connecting People, Coast and Valleys’ to broker and facilitate the development of the region connecting via partnership with stakeholders.

How will the Mid North Coast become more competitive in 2013?

RDA Mid North Coast has been at the vanguard for advocacy and promotion of High Speed Broadband and the value of NBN Co, producing Australia’s first Regional Digital Strategy. The roll out of the NBN in Coffs and across the region is a game changing opportunity for regional Australia. Coffs Harbour is currently in the process of the fibre rollout with Taree soon to follow. The exciting news for the region is that Fixed Wireless & Satellite will service nearly 22% of the region to be fully operational by the end of 2013.

We are providing information to Councils, Business and the community through our “Broadband Toolkit” on line through our website (www.radmidnorthcoast.org.au). RDA Mid North Coast is the producer for the major expo in Coffs Harbour, T.H.E (Technology-Heath-Education) Exchange Expo & Seminar program. This year T.H.E Exchange will be rolled out as a Road-show in each of the local government areas and will complement the Digital Champions project where we are looking for individuals to promote their digital broadband experience to their community. T.H.E Exchange will be in each of the council areas in July – be prepared for the digital revolution.

How do we identify and communicate the key issues for the Mid North Coast?

Our purpose is to develop and facilitate industry in our region and it is up to all of us to be competitive in the current economic climate. RDA Mid North Coast utilises five tools to ensure relevance these include: Research, Communication, Facilitation, Alignment and Leadership.

One of our most important tools we have is research. Government and industry are constantly producing quality data relevant to our region. However the most important consideration for RDA Mid North Coast is to interpret that research and identify implications that may benefit or impact industry and/or our community.

RDA Mid North Coast in partnership with the La Trobe University commercialised Regional Economic Modelling & Planning tool (REMPLAN); has developed a free ‘Regional Digital App’ on its website (www.radmidnorthcoast.org.au). The App is free and provides research data on up to 19 industry categories and compares any of the 6 LGAs with the whole region and NSW. We encourage everyone to become familiar with the RDA/REMPLAN ‘Regional Data App’. While the app is simple to use, in the coming months we will be providing free seminars to Business Chambers and economic, social and environmental organisation on how to best exploit the data – contact RDA Mid North Coast for further details.

How do you communicate the key issues and achievements for the Mid North Coast?

RDA Mid North Coast’s website (www.radmidnorthcoast.org.au) has become a portal for information on Industry, Community and Government. A cornerstone of our communications strategy, the site is a model for other RDAs around Australia, carrying information from the Broadband Toolkit, Grant Links & other Resources. In addition, the site offers details of RDA MNC services, including the Regional Migration Scheme (RMS) and other Federal programs such as the Regional Development Australia Fund.

RDA MNC recently audited its Web Traffic for the last year identifying over 25,000 unique URL visits. More significantly though was that 39% of those were return visitors and that the average time of the site was over 3.5 minutes per visitor.

In summary

RDA Mid North Coasts Board and Staff are pleased to contribute to the FOCUS “Women in Business” supplement and we thank the women involved in our region for their leadership to our objective: ‘Connecting our products, services and capacity to our neighbours, our nation and the world’.

RDA Mid North Coast

Phone. (02) 5525 1500.

Email. admin@rdamidnorthcaost.org.au

This article was published in issue 30 of Coffs Coast Focus

Stacey Piggot, you’re originally a Coffs girl? We like this …

My family moved to Coffs Harbour when I was four, and I stayed until I finished high school. I love it; I get back whenever I can. My dad is still there and a lot of my closest friends have moved back to raise their families. I think it will always be my home, as long as all of those people are still around.

It is a place to exhale and escape from the craziness of the big smoke; walking along Boambee Beach without another soul on it is my kind of heaven. I find it really grounding to go home; I feel like a kid again when I land. I am proud of my correlation to Coffs – growing up with that strong sense of community has served me well in city like Sydney that is notoriously about the individual.

Tell us about your career …

I started working in music by accident. I was working as a freelance journalist and waitressing at a friend’s restaurant in Bondi on the weekends, and I met Donna Simpson from The Waifs, who was also a waitress.At that point, they were taking care of their own booking, management, distribution and publicity and they had a new record and tour coming up. Donna suggested I do some publicity for them.

So I went and sat in the newsagency with pen and pad and wrote down names and phone numbers out of magazines and papers, went home and started calling people. That was at the very brink of a major shift in the music industry; the notion of an independent artist crossing over to the mainstream was pretty foreign at that time.

The fact that I was totally clueless and had no industry experience was a blessing, because I had no expectations and therefore no limitations. I still work with The Waifs today; it has been a long and fruitful relationship. They have since  gone on to win a couple of ARIAs, collected a number of platinum records, sold out national tour after national tour and played on stage with Bob Dylan, all while remaining 100% self funded. Working with them attracted more independent artists who needed help with their publicity, and eventually there were so many on my books, being a publicist suddenly became a full-time job. I have been lucky enough over the years to work with some of my favourite artists like Clutch, Bon Iver, Neil Finn, Augie March, Henry Rollins, The Drones, The Jezabels, The Mark Of Cain, and loads more.

Every New Year, I get to go down to Lorne on the Great Ocean Road and watch eight or so months of work blossom, when amazing local and international acts blow people’s minds at The Falls Festival. I have small team of amazing staff who work with me, and we get to blast great music in the office all day while we talk about it. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my life, to be honest.

Music is one of those things that just keeps on giving; it’s a universal language that doesn’t care about age, gender, religion or geography. There is nothing that gives me the feeling I get when I listen to music or see an awesome gig. I love it!

What is the motivation behind the book?

I come into contact with grass roots acts, and a lot of them seem really lost with where to start when it comes to media. There are so many platforms to cover with online, print, TV and radio, and it can be really overwhelming if you don’t know where to start.

They also have a this idea that to get anywhere they need to spend a lot of money or have a third party act on their behalf. For young acts, spending outside of their financial means on a publicity campaign can be a futile experience and can leave them with a mass of debt, bad relationships with the people they owe money to and a world of stress. When I have been talking to artists who are starting out, they seem genuinely surprised that they can contact media themselves and also surprised when I give them examples of some of our clients who manage their own careers.

I wanted to provide them with a collection of ideas, experiences, stories and explanations that, I hope, will inspire them to pick up the phone and just start calling people to get things moving, rather than sitting there waiting for the phone to ring. Nothing in life happens unless you get up and make it happen, and we are missing out on some really great music because the makers of it are waiting by the phone.

I also wanted to add in some first hand experiences from artists who have taken things into their own hands to start those balls rolling to highlight the number of pathways musicians can create to make their music a paid career, rather than just a pipe dream.

The stories from the artists are riddled with differing opinions on various aspects and assorted successes and failures as a result of their particular pathways, but the one thing they all share is the drive to make things happen for themselves and the hunger to keep going in search of a break when someone has told them no. It is that kind of tenacity that makes or breaks an artist. Talent is everywhere, but talented acts who are willing to work their butts off are not as common.

I hope that when people finish the book they will feel more confident to forge their own course and more clear on what to ask for and expect back should they get to the point of wanting to engage a third party to help spread the word about their music. I hope it will save them some money and save them some hard lessons by hearing those learned by the artists they admire.

When does the book go on sale?

It is on sale now through www.twofishoutofwater.com/book

Thanks so much for having me!

Thanks Stacey.

This article was published in issue 30 of Coffs Coast Focus

Introduce yourself … when and why did you move to the Coffs Coast?

Not until my early 20s, after having grown up in leafy suburban Sydney, did I discover an affinity with the country. For three years, I travelled around Australia in a converted Ford F100 van, working wherever I could, doing anything I could – an approach that kick-started a diverse range of work experiences once back in Sydney.

Twenty years later, I took the first tentative steps towards my tree change, escaping the all-consuming corporate chaos in 2004 to buy a small café in the seaside town of Sawtell. What I found was a warm, welcoming community with wonderful local characters, and I immediately felt my move to the country was like coming home.

No longer in the café business (although still drinking way too much coffee), I’ve spent the last few years focused on writing stories – life-affirming novels of small town life and the country roots that run deep within them.

How did you get started as an author?

Unlike those authors who have written since they could hold a pen, the desire to write a novel didn’t hit me until later in life (although my mum is likely to tell you my story telling was quite prolific from a very young age). I dabbled for years, trying to fit writing around a busy corporate career. Not until relocating to Coffs Harbour did I dig out those old manuscripts, never dreaming I’d one day see a book with my name on it sitting on a bookshop shelf.

You have secured a two-book deal with Simon and Schuster. Can you please tell us about your debut novel, House for all Seasons, and what inspired you to write it?

House for all Seasons is the first book in my Seasons Collection, with Book 2 – The Simmering Season – due for release in March next year. My inspiration for my novels is the changing seasons. Where I live in the picturesque Bonville Valley, every season is unique; the sights, sounds and smells stirring my creative side. If I was clever enough, I’d capture it on canvas.

As a writer, what I love about the seasons is the contrast, and contrast is what makes great characters and conflict in a story. Creating four female characters as different as the seasons seemed like an interesting premise.

Poppy, a tough, ambitious journo still craving her father’s approval; Sara, a breast cancer survivor afraid to fall in love; Amber, a spoilt socialite addicted to painkillers and cosmetic procedures; Caitlin, a third generation doctor frustrated by a controlling family and her flat-lining life.

From that kernel of an idea, House for all Seasons grew into a story of unravelling friendships, tightening of family ties, and the unsettling after-effects of choices made. Mostly it’s a story about coming home to find your place in the world and discovering small towns can keep big secrets.

How many genres do you write in? What do you write about?

I am influenced by something I heard Jodi Picoult say: “The best books straddle genres and attract a variety of readers.” I write what the business calls popular fiction (a.k.a. commercial or women’s fiction) with its broad themes appealing to a broader audience (making the distinction from what the industry refers to as literary).

Despite the label, House for all Seasons would sit just as comfortably on a shelf alongside more literary works or contemporary romances. I’m happy to be labelled ‘popular Australian fiction’ if it means more people read my work. That, after all, is why I write.

What is the Bellingen Readers and Writers festival? How long has it been going and what can one expect to experience there?

In its third year, the Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival is regarded as a must-do on the cultural calendar, and I’m thrilled to be amongst such literary talent; this year’s lineup is amazing and with a focus on women writers, their stories are in the spotlight.

Quite unlike other literary festivals, and what makes Bellingen unique, is the intimate environment that provides ticketholders with a ‘close encounter’ with authors and industry professionals.

But I love the concept too. With a writer’s life a solitary existence, our days filled with fictional friends rather than real ones, meeting people who share a love of reading and who enjoy talking about Aussie fiction is rewarding and inspiring. I hope to inspire others in return when I join Macksville’s Karly Lane (Saturday program) to discuss Small Town Secrets in Popular Fiction.

Thanks Jenn.

This article was published in issue 30 of Coffs Coast Focus

I suppose its always been one of those ‘bucket list’ items, and when the opportunity came up, I jumped at it. The amount of history surrounding this 96 km stretch of track is amazing and from an Australian point of view, probably the closest we have ever come to war being on our doorstep. Whilst there were attacks on and around Darwin and the East Coast during WWII, there was a real chance of the Japanese establishing a garrison at Port Moresby, after which anything could have happened.

What expectations do you have of this trip?

Apart from it being a physical challenge, it will also be a mental challenge as well. When you talk to anyone who has completed the trek, they will tell you it is one of the most amazing things they have experienced. It’s not easy; you are literally either walking uphill or downhill, and we are talking straight uphill, there are river crossings, mud, mosquitoes, heat and humidity. But we are doing it in an organised experienced group, not crawling through the jungle in 1942 as barely trained militia, being fired upon and hopelessly outnumbered.

Who are you trekking with?

I am actually trekking with a group of successful young (or young at heart) real estate agents from across the country. All of them are No.1 in their areas and are brilliant marketers. We met through Facebook, strangely enough, and the idea grew from there. It has actually been set up as a developmental opportunity to learn from each other, but we have also incorporated some others on the trip to lend further skills on leadership. We are also lucky enough to have two ex servicemen trekking with us, lending us their knowledge on the battles and strategies along the way.

How far do you anticipate walking? Can you estimate how long the trip will take?

The track itself stretches about 96 km through the Owen Stanley Ranges, and we will be completing it (hopefully) in 10 days. It may not sound like much walking, but some days the climb is almost at a gradient of 70%, so hours are spent climbing almost straight up.

What training are you doing for the trek? 

Mainly walking and including a lot of interval training, incorporating lots of hills and combinations of paces. I’ve also progressed now to carrying a weighted pack to increase the resistance. At present, I’m doing around 10 – 15 km a day.  It’s obviously doing me good though; I’ve lost 5 kg since starting training just after Christmas.

Do you have much knowledge of the history behind the Kokoda Trail?

It’s one of those pieces of history you’ve always heard little bits of information about, but it’s not until I made the decision to do the trek that I began to do a bit of study.

The Kokoda campaign took place in 1942 and was a series of battles between the Australians and Japanese, and later other allied troops.

It was fought in inhospitable terrain, which made the supply of provisions to troops near impossible for both sides – something that in fact turned the tide heavily against the Japanese at the end of the campaign.

The campaign began with the Japanese Imperial Forces landing near Buna and then pressing forward across the Kokoda Track to Port Moresby. In the early stages, the Japanese troops, battle hardened from the Pacific campaign in which they were largely unstoppable, were confronted by mainly Australian Militia troops with little experience. A series of battles continued, with the Australian troops mainly using fighting withdrawal tactics.

As a result of the sheer numbers of Japanese troops, additional Australian troops were deployed to PNG from other campaigns.

In short, the Japanese did manage to advance to the hills above Port Moresby, before continuing counter attacks by the Australians, and the tyranny of lack of supplies, then forced them to begin a fighting withdrawal all the way along the track and back to the beaches of Buna, where they were routed.

It was a terribly bloody campaign, and very few prisoners were taken by either side. In all, some 625 allied troops died, whilst 6,500 Japanese troops lost their lives.

Of particular interest was that one of the Australian Soldiers, Private Bruce Kingsbury of the 2/14th, who was awarded the Victoria Cross (posthumously) during the battle of Isurava, was a real estate agent before joining the army. The battle of Isurava pitted an attacking force of 2,500 Japanese against 400 Australians attempting the defend the area; it has also been called Australia’s ‘Thermopylae’.

It really does have an amazing history of sacrifice, and I believe will be a very emotional trek.

One of the objectives is to raise money. Who are you raising money for, and how can we support you?

We decided if we were going to participate in the trek it would be nice to make a difference over there. During the battles, the Australian troops owed a great deal to those we now call the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’, the Papuan New Guinean people who escorted and carried wounded Australian troops out of the battle zones – often at their own peril. Their deeds are now legendary.

We are raising money for a charity which looks after the education and ambulance services for the remote villages across the track. These villages are the descendants of the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’, and we think it’s a nice way of giving back a little.

Even the group organising our trek, ’Investa Treks’, supports the villages along the track. They are actually a Salvation Army group, making a difference in PNG.

If you would like to give, anything would be appreciated. Either contact me direct on 0439 667 719 or give online through: https://give.everydayhero.com/au/chris-hines

Thanks Chris.

Interview by Melly Dee.

This article was published in issue 30 of Coffs Coast Focus

Preparations for the event are in full swing, with a dedicated committee applying itself with an ongoing sense of vigour, cooperation and community spirit, determined to attract increased numbers of visitors to the event. The committee is made up of a wide sector of the Woolgoolga community, with representatives from both Gurdwaras (temples), Rotary and Lions, stall holders, Chamber of Commerce members, as well as an event manager contracted by the chamber.

The Curryfest committee are very pleased to announce local business Oz Berries has become the major sponsor for the festival!  There are big changes to this year’s festival, including being fence free and free to enter. In 2013, OZ Berries Curryfest is returning to the streets! Lots of exciting events for the festival have been planned …

Wednesday 27 February In conjunction with Birch Carroll and Coyle, Oz Berries Curryfest will play host to the premiere of Singh VS Kaur. Come along and experience a Punjabi romantic comedy and help to raise money for this fabulous festival. The evening begins at 6.15pm, with the movie to start at 6.45pm.

All tickets must be pre purchased and are available via Curryfest Woolgoolga Facebook page, Curryfest website or at Woolgoolga Newsagency, Spice Rack Restaurant, Oz Berries or John Arkan’s ‘Curried Away’ van at Growers Markets in Harbour Drive.

Saturday 6 April: Will see the first ever Bollywood Ball at the C.ex Woolgoolga. Everyone is invited to open the festival in style with a bright and colourful evening of fun and frivolity. Tickets are $50 and include canapés and drinks. Lucky ball attendees will have the opportunity to win a ticket to INDIA, thanks to Rogers Travel. An absolutely indulgent lucky door prize is also being donated by Le Dãin Designs, which will see someone heading home with a custom piece of jewellery created as a one of a kind for the ball. A variety of cultural entertainment is being lined up to entertain lucky guests and includes singers and dancers to get you dancing the night away Bollywood style, as well as a henna artist and tarot card readings for those not so dance floor inclined.

7 – 12 April: Talented and award winning local chefs will be holding ‘Curry Master Classes’ at the Seaview Tavern for those wanting to learn some new skills or take their curry to the next level. Classes include traditional Indian curries, Indian cheese making as well as some new age, reinvented curries for those wanting to take it to the extreme. Timetables and costs are available on the website, along with bios on our talented master chefs. Places are extremely limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Friday 12 April: The Hot, Colourful and Spicy Art Exhibition will take place at the Woolgoolga Art Gallery. Local artists and school groups are invited to submit pieces for inclusion in the collection. The Woolgoolga Art Gallery are hosting the evening, with all money raised going directly to the gallery. The exhibition opens at 5pm with nibbles and champagne; the cost to attend is $10. Also on Friday the 12th, ‘Bollywood on the Beach’ will be happening after dark on the beach reserve (a wet weather option has been arranged) with the showing of the Indian film Barfi. Food, drinks and kids entertainment will be available on the evening.

Saturday 13 April: THE BIG DAY! OZ Berries Curryfest will return to the streets this year, with the closure of Market St. The main stage will make its new home in the Market St car park and the Absolute Entertainment Kids Zone will be located in the closed off portion of Queens St, with rides and entertainment for the young and young at heart. A short stroll to the reserve will take you to the Chillout Zone with the open mic/buskers stage, more food and market stalls and the Scouts FREE kids area.Cooking demonstrations and short courses will take be taking place as well, along with yoga, meditation and other get up and join in fun activities. The Vaisahki parade will head through the town as part of the traditional celebrations to spread the message of thankfulness and renewal.

Sunday 14 April: Wind down day, ‘India V the Rest of the World’ cricket match will be taking place on Centennial Reserve. Spend the day relaxing in the shade and enjoying a few overs; food and drink will be available.

There are some big prizes on offer this year for those joining in the fun. We’ve already mentioned the flight to India and the stunning jewellery to go to a lucky ball goer, but it doesn’t end there. Tickets are about to go on sale all over the Coffs Coast and online to win a jaw dropping prize, which is all about celebrating the amazing area we call home… Here it is: 1st Prize: A ‘Staycation’ – 52 weekends away on the beautiful Coffs Coast – 2nd Prize: A “Year of Dining Out” – 52 delicious dinners to enjoy on the stunning Coffs Coast and 3rd Prize: A “Year of Experiences” – 52 relaxing and exciting things to try on the thrilling Coffs Coast. Amazing!

There are so many ways to join in the fun, but being a cultural food festival, talented local chefs have more ways than one. They can enter the ‘Great Curry Cook Off!’ proudly sponsored by Coffs Coast FOCUS. Local chefs are asked to prepare a curry inspired signature dish and submit it with recipe and photo to win a feature interview in FOCUS. The winning chef will be invited to partake in the ‘Iron Curry Chef’ against legendary local Indian chefs during the festival. Entry details can be found online.

See you at Oz Berries Curryfest!

This article was published in issue 30 of Coffs Coast Focus

Tell us a little bit about yourself …

Hi, darlings. My name is Terasa Reynolds, and I live in the most gorgeous place in the world – Upper Orara, Coffs Harbour. My family consists of my spunky husband, John, and my beautiful daughter, Jemimah Mary-Rose, who is 18. She has just finished her HSC. I’m very proud of her.

Tell us about your upbringing…

I come from a very big family: two brothers and three sisters. I have 27 nieces and nephews! My mum, Mary, and my dad, Eric, gave us all an amazing life. They loved and cared for us so much; they taught us to love each other and care for others. It was important for them to ingrain strong values in us, in the way of always treating others how you would like to be treated.

We lost Dad three years ago. It broke my heart; the pain of losing someone you love so much is extremely hard. He was such a beautiful man. I miss him very much. I’m so grateful to have been given the privilege of having such a beautiful, amazing family.

On a happier note, I’m nearly 47 and I need a new set of teeth, plus I’m going grey. I also need glasses, but I am really loving life! I have three chooks, a rabbit, and a turtle named Kev. My favourite things in life are sitting at the Happy Frog in Park Ave, having a coffee and a yogurt with my wonderful hubby, John.

Where do you work? What do you like about your job?

I have been working at Bunnings Warehouse now for almost 12 years. I absolutely LOVE my job. I get so much enjoyment every day. What I truly love about Bunnings is the people – all of the customers and my gorgeous work colleagues. I have met such amazing people through Bunnings. It’s a great company to work for. They have looked after me and are actually really great to their staff.

I meet people from all walks of life, in all different shapes and colours, from all over the world thanks to my job at Bunnings. It’s a fantastic place to work – I have laughed and cried! I especially love the little kids who come in. I love giving them stamps and balloons. Their gorgeous faces light up!

I like working at Bunnings, because of the great work culture and the unique values the company stands for. I believe we have an a exceptional team at Bunnings. My friends at Bunnings will be my friends for life!

Your style is unique – you really stand out. Do you subscribe to the fact that one person can make another person’s day?

Growing up, I have always loved colour … a bit like Punky Brewster, really (laughs). I always try to put a bit of colour and joy into someone’s life through my clothes.

Something many people don’t know about me is I suffer from severe anxiety and panic. Thanks to my supportive family and friends and doctors and my true faith in God, I have been able to conquer my fears. Because of this, I want to give back to others. People have shown me so much kindness and love.

I have perfect strangers come up to me and tell me that I have made their day, just because I smiled at them, or people say to me that they love what I’m ‘wearing’. It makes me cry with joy and gratitude. It’s because of the kindness of others that I am where I am today. I believe with all of my heart that we can make someone’s day a better one, just by a simple smile or a hello. All of those people who tell me they love what I’m wearing really do bring me so much joy. So thank you to all of the gorgeous people who have been so kind to me. GOD LUV YA, DARLINS’!

What would you do if today was your last day?

The first thing I would do would be to kiss my husband and daughter and tell them I love them, then ring my family and friends and tell them I love them! Then I would eat so much chocolate!

What do you do in your spare time?

On my days off, I spend time with Mum visiting family and seeing the little kids in our family. They make me laugh. Also, I spend time going for coffee with friends. There are many beautiful rivers in Upper Orara, so I try to swim when I can. I also read. I have to have a book at all times. (Laughs)

I also spend a lot of time driving my daughter from place to place. Like all women, I like to op shop and hunt down bargains. Pushkar is my ‘go to’ place for necklaces and unique jewellery.

What are five words that best describe you?

Honest, stressed, vibrant, colourful, passionate!

What’s your vision of a perfect community?

I’m really passionate about justice in communities. I don’t have any tolerance for racism. Since multiculturalism has entered Coffs Harbour, the culture here has really come alive. I think that other cultures joining our Coffs Coast community is a wonderful thing!

Another example is the Indian culture in Woolgoolga with the Bollywood dancing, the delicious food, the colourful and bright community – I just love it!

I also like that Coffs Harbour is becoming cosmopolitan. With the new alfresco restaurants – Pansabella, Cocoa – people sitting outside, eating, drinking and actually spending time together, Coffs Harbour is really coming alive.

What were your dreams as a young child?

Well, I think that I always wanted to meet the man of my dreams. All I wanted was to be happy. I did actually want to be an artist and a hockey player; I also wanted to be a missionary, to go to India and work with impoverished people. But ultimately, I had such a beautiful childhood, that all I really wanted was a gorgeous husband and a wonderful family.

Now, all I want is for my daughter’s dreams to come true. I want her to find the happiness that I have found. Jemimah is a really good singer – brilliant. She got her first gig the other day; I’m so excited. I want her to have a great life; that would be a dream come true for me.

Thanks Terasa.

This article was published in issue 29 of Coffs Coast Focus

Tell us about your Aboriginal heritage …

My Nan is from the Gumbaynggirr people and my Pop was from the Bundjalung people. My Nan was born in the dunes up at Red Rock, so we have very strong connections to the land and ocean up around Coffs. It’s always such an energising feeling coming back home for a few days after being away on a surf trip; it definitely keeps me grounded coming home.

Whether I like it or not, that natural spiritual connection I have with the ocean and the land has been given to me as a gift through my heritage, and it’s something I embrace to the fullest and something I’m very proud of.

Free surfing is your specialty. Tell us more.

I’m lucky enough to be able to surf freely and live the way I want to. It’s something I’ve worked very hard for and sacrificed a lot to get to do what I do today. Being paid to free surf and call the ocean my office is something very special to me. It’s something not many young people my age can say they have and in saying that, I couldn’t be more proud to achieve what I’ve achieved to have the job I have.

How has your surfing career progressed?

I grew up doing a lot of comps but as I matured, I became aware that winning is not always the key to happiness. Freedom in the ocean is what made me feel the happiest. The boundaries and rules in comp surfing just weren’t fuelling my happiness. So, I quit surfing comps and started paving pools and patios and doing a bit of landscaping work and surfed of a weekend and of an afternoon with friends. That’s what made me happy, so that’s what I did. After a few years, I packed up and moved to Sydney. I wasn’t surfing much at all – just working in a warehouse in the city. After a few months, it turned out that I got my ex-girlfriend pregnant … that was the fuel to the fire within me. It drove me to work hard for what I wanted as a career, which was professional free surfing. Sometimes in life you need a kick up the a**e to find the motivation you need to chase the things you want out of life …  and that was my kick up the a**e!

So I started surfing a lot around Sydney and surfing a lot better. People started noticing and then a few months after my son Beige was born, I had a major sponsor paying my bills and letting me be free in the ocean.

What’s your proudest career moment?

I’m not sure! I’m proud of everything I’ve achieved. I’d have to say making it to the semi finals of the Boost mobile air show last year in Bondi. I was surfing against the likes of Jordy Smith, Craig Anderson, Owen Wright, Chippa Wilson, Ozzie Wright, and the list goes on. It was cool to hang out and surf with those guys. That’s something I thought I’d never get to be a part of.

Which five words best describe you? Ha ha … gee, I’m not sure. I’m not good at talking about myself. But I’d have to say I’m fun, nice, full of colours, creative annnnnnnd sensitive!

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way?

I’d have to say the best lesson I’ve learnt along the way is how important it is to stay surrounded by your family. Your family is the back bone of who you are. I think a lot of people often forget how important family really is. And I think it’s very important to have an open mind to the world and its colours and everything that surrounds you each day. The world is such a beautiful place; a lot of people get caught up in the mainstream media’s outlook on a lot of things.

I think the mainstream media puts a lot of negativity into people’s thoughts and minds. Being negative and having a narrow mind is a very contagious thing to be a part of, so I like to keep an open mind to everything I see and hear and to all of my surroundings.

What was the starting point for your feature film? And what is it about?

I was approached by a young man by the name of Patrick Pearse, who does a lot of documentary work. He put an idea on the table, and that idea turned into a year long project which took us all over the world. The film is an honest betrayal about punk meets surfing, the feature character being myself.

It’s basically just about my character in and out of the water, something fun to watch and something different to experience. It’s a very dark, lifestyle heavy film with fast music, soft music, fast surfing … a bit of everything all flowing together.

Why did you choose to feature it at the Hoey Moey as opposed to a cinema?

Corona are sponsoring the premieres, so there will be free beers. I don’t think the cinemas on Bray St would be too stoked on Corona throwing free beer around, ha ha! The Hoey is a great spot! The showing of the film will be in the beer garden at the Hoey. It’s a cosy little spot, and we love the Hoey.

What’s been your best decision?

The best decision I’ve ever made would be having my son. It’s a hard thing to get your head around being 21 and finding out you’re going to have a baby, let alone whether or not you’re making the right decisions on keeping the baby etc.

I’m so grateful he’s a part of my life and I’m a part of his. We get to grow old together and experience the world side by side.

Who inspires you?

I find my inspiration from a lot of different things. My son inspires me before anything. He’s my biggest motivation, but in saying that, my wife Renee (Daisy) is another big inspiration, my mum and dad, my brothers and sister, my family. My good friend Ozzie. The ocean, the land, the wind, the sun, the colours of the earth. Everything that gives me a sense of belonging and a sense of freedom inspires me.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? 

I’d love to own a cute little house near the beach on a bit of land. I’d love two more little kids. I’d love to learn how to play the piano. I have a lot of little dreams I’d love to fulfil. All in good time, though.

What are you reading at the moment?

I read anything Eckhart Tolle puts on paper. That guy has a very special way of thinking.

Thanks Otis.

This article was published in issue 29 of Coffs Coast Focus

What is Married by Sam?

Married By Sam is my business name, and I am in the business of marrying people! It was born out of my desire to become a Marriage Celebrant. I love the idea of being able to be involved in couple’s big day. I am a huge fan of marriage and commitment, as well as love and romance. I decided that once I was qualified, I would be true to who I am and let people know that I am all about making their day exactly what they want: your wedding, your way – plus a fun and easy experience.

I then decided I needed to develop a plan, so I engaged the talents of Giant Media and developed my own logo, which led to my website. I then popped the logo on my VW, that Geoff King Motors kindly sprayed pink and between the car and my website, couples can decide if I am the right Celebrant for them!

Why did you decide to become a Celebrant?

I hired the services of a Wedding Celebrant myself over 20 years ago, and she was so lovely and really worked in with us to create the vows and ceremony we really wanted. I knew I wanted her job back then! I have been happily married for over 20 years now to Scotty, and we have three gorgeous teenagers. I also believe that Celebrants can provide couples with the service that they want to tailor to them.

What is your background, and does that play a part in being able to be a Celebrant?

I started my professional working life as a Registered Nurse training at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney. I met my husband there as a patient. I travelled Australia, ending up in a career in hospitality and then fell into a career in television. I was lucky enough to work on a children’s television show and became the producer of the show. I worked in the TV industry for over ten years.

This job involved travelling to remote Australia performing shows live and also organising all the show’s content. I had to be on stage and be able to commentate, dance and sing (badly) to our children’s album that we produced, and that made sure I lost any form of shyness! I had to liaise with all sorts of celebrities to entice them to be a guest on our show too.

I was instrumental in organising big community events and learned how to coordinate people and shows. These skills that I have acquired can only enhance what I do.

I have learnt to be well organised and to be able to coordinate events and to be calm and happy whilst delivering the highest of standards in all my dealings.

I have worked with many types of personalities in my life. I thoroughly enjoy people and love nothing more than a celebration. I love to entertain and thrive on big get togethers.

What is a Marriage Celebrant? What qualification do you need?

Marriage Celebrants are people who are legally allowed to perform marriages in Australia. Being a Marriage Celebrant is a special and important role in the community. It also attracts serious legal responsibilities. Failure to meet those responsibilities can have serious consequences. There are a number of steps involved in becoming a Commonwealth-registered Marriage Celebrant.

The latest requirement to become a Celebrant is to complete a Certificate IV qualification through a registered training organisation, be assessed as being a fit and proper person by the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants and continue to upgrade their qualifications.

What is the process of getting married?

The process is to find a Celebrant who suits you. It is important that a couple ‘shop around’ to find a Celebrant who suits them. A great Celebrant will listen to what the couple want and be able to work in with them to make them feel relaxed and to create the ceremony that reflects their individual personalities. Once a couple have settled on their chosen Celebrant, then it is a matter of filling in various legal paperwork and developing the ceremony together. There is a rehearsal so that everyone feels at ease and then the big day! A great Celebrant will guide you through these steps easily.

What do you wear to perform the marriage service?

I always ask the couple what they would like me to wear – I am really conscious of the fact that this is their day and I am there to facilitate and engage, but I am not the main attraction. I am often asked to wear my signature pink, but I can easily fit in with quieter colours for a vintage wedding or anything that is asked of me. I am flexible, but I draw the line at a nude wedding!

What service do you provide couples?

I provide supply and lodge all legal documents, telephone and email consultations as required, and a powerful high quality wireless PA system, ensuring everybody can clearly hear the entire ceremony.

I am in the business of taking the stress out of this part of the wedding, so I download your requested music from iTunes and prepare for your ceremony.

I prepare all application forms for the official marriage certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages and name changes and of course, provide the legally required brochure ‘Happily Ever Before and After’, as well as the ‘keys to living together’ DVD.

I have my own sample booklet providing a clear and simple ceremony structure with different vows, readings, closings and ring exchanges to choose from.

I also make sure my couples receive a professional laser printed Marriage Certificate and a beautifully printed copy of your wedding ceremony. I also give a special gift, and I triple check the Marriage Certificate before it is sent to the couple.

Thanks Sam!

This article was published in issue 29 of Coffs Coast Focus

Spending many years in hospital, fighting through a cardiac arrest before his 12th birthday, representing his country for 10 consecutive years in the sport of baseball, having an incredibly successful career in the finance world, sharing his amazing journey on Australian Story … but it’s what Michael has been able to achieve since that really inspires.

In 2012, Michael has presented in front of over 250,000 people around the world. He has signed a book deal, film producers have begun shooting a documentary about his life, he was named the Canterbury Bulldogs’ “Secret Motivational Weapon” on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald and Rugby League Week. He was on the front cover of FOCUS, a successful Smile with Mike tour throughout Australia, featured on a TV show in Fiji, was the Make a Wish for a young cancer patient in Adelaide, has his own online radio show in America and has been presented with the Australia Day Ambassador Role for the 3rd consecutive year!

Michael returned home to Australia in late August after a hugely successful speaking tour throughout the USA, speaking to the New York Mets Organisation, the victims and their families of the 911 attacks and filming a documentary about his humanitarian work rebuilding an orphanage in Haiti.

When I speak to Michael about his accomplishments, I get a huge sense of humility, no big ego … just a man who is happy with life and feels blessed with the opportunities that come along!

We asked Michael about some profound times experienced throughout 2012.

Michael told me about a phone call he will never forget: “I was in the middle of my Australian speaking tour in May and received a phone call from a lady who was at an event I spoke at 2 years prior. She informed me of a young boy named Kai (5), who was diagnosed with cancer. She asked me if there was a possibility of me flying to Adelaide, presenting and donating my time at a fundraiser to help with medical costs etc. I was honoured; however, I was in the middle of a speaking tour and couldn’t go straight there. I informed her that my tour (domestic and international) finished in September, and I could only make it then.

“A short time later (in June), I received a call from the Make A Wish Foundation, who told me that Kai had been transferred from the oncology ward to the palliative care unit and had only two weeks to live. I was heartbroken by this boy I had never met. She told me it was Kai’s wish to meet me before he died. I only had 2 free days before I left for the USA for 3 months and was hoping to spend this time with my wife, as I had only spent 2 weeks with her since we married. I called Mel and told her of the situation, and she said to me that I must go.

“So I flew to Adelaide. When I arrived, this little fragile boy with no hair came running through to me, drugged up on morphine to take some of his pain away and literally jumped into my arms. It was one of those days that will remain in my heart forever.

“Six weeks later whilst on my tour throughout America, he passed away! The tears I have in my eyes are of sadness, but also of joy, knowing I had the great blessing of spending a special piece of time with Kai and that he is now pain free.”

Michael still can’t believe that he has these experiences, and words can’t describe how it makes him feel inside. Talking of emotional topics, Michael presented to the children and families of the 911 attacks in New York late last year, and their stories were also life changing for Michael.

“I was speaking to a gentleman after my event and he shared his journey being on the 47th floor, being told to stay in his cubicle, to stay calm and not move. He went on to say: “There was something telling me to get out, take the stairs and run”. He ran down 47 flights of stairs and whilst in the stairwell, he heard a massive explosion and assumed that the building was about to crush him, but he kept on running. When he finally reached the ground floor, he ran outside and saw what looked like a war zone. He looked over and saw that the explosion he heard earlier was the 2nd tower that had been hit. He ran from the building and heard a loud slapping noise. He got far enough away, turned and saw that the slapping noise was sadly people hitting the pavement, trying to escape the burning building.”

Michael says: “These stories should be reminders to people that life is such a gift; we need to embrace it and enjoy it whilst we can. Our lives can be turned upside down with just one phone call, one bad decision, one act of terror, and it may never be the same again. I am a strong believer that it’s not about the amount of years you live on this earth, but rather what you fit into those years in making the world a better place that really matters.”

Michael and his friend Simon O’Dell travelled to Haiti in August and filmed a documentary of Michael’s humanitarian work. They helped rebuild a new roof, shower and toilet and provide beds and mattresses for all the children at the Love Orphanage. They also hand delivered some beautiful quilts made by some lovely ladies in Coffs Harbour and knitted blankets from the special ladies at Boambee Gardens. Michael said, “To see the smiles on these beautiful children over something so simple, something that we all take for granted every day, like a roof over our head, food in our stomachs, a blanket and clean drinking water is unbelievable.”

Michael is passionate about his humanitarian work in Haiti and is planning another trip that will see him and his fellow Frontier project team head back over to build the top storey of the orphanage, an outdoor undercover play area and kitchen at the school that he and his team helped build in January last year. They will be holding a Hope 4 Haiti dinner at the Osprey Restaurant (Coffs Harbour Education Campus) on 23 February. Tickets are only $50, and for this you will be spoilt by a mouth-watering 3 course meal, entertained by some amazingly talented local artists and be the first to view the documentary of Michael’s humanitarian work in Haiti. There will also be raffle prizes, lucky door prizes and a live auction.

Tickets are available from Soul Café Jetty, Coffs Harbour Yacht Club, Beauty on the Promenade, Edwards Vintage Modern Boutique in the Cinema Arcade, Sawtell Surf Club or online at www.stickytickets.com.au/10111

Michael Crossland sets an example for all of us. He’s a man who has faced (and still faces) extreme challenges in life, but he never gives up, and despite his own obstacles, he always puts others before himself and gives so much to people in need.

This article was published in issue 29 of Coffs Coast Focus