CityLife Magazine Second Quarter 2020

SECOND QUARTER

2020

#DOITWITHALOCAL

Keeping Cairns Safe In COVID-19 Times

New stocks of PPE arriving weekly

Disposable suiting • Disposable gloves • Disposable masks • Hand Sanitiser

Ph: (07) 4047 4444

98 Scott Street, Bungalow

Follow us

Stay informed

on coronavirus.

COVID-19 information

is being updated daily,

for current advice

visit health.gov.au.

The best defence against most viruses including

COVID-19 is practising good hygiene.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

Cover your cough/sneeze and dispose of tissues.

Avoid contact with others if you are unwell.

If you have travelled overseas or been in contact with

a confirmed case and have symptoms, call your GP or

the National Coronavirus Health Information Line

on 1800 020 080.

Authorised by W. Entsch, Liberal National Party of Queensland, 200 Mulgrave Road, Westcourt QLD 4870.

Help stop

the spread.

Help stop the spread of coronavirus by keeping your

distance. Remember, don’t shake hands or exchange

physical greetings.

All non-essential indoor gatherings of less than

100 people must have no more than one person

per 4sqm.

Where possible, keep 1.5 metres between yourself

and others. You should practise good hand hygiene,

especially after being in public places.

Together we can help stop the spread and stay healthy.

For information on the Government’s

economic response to the coronavirus visit:

treasury.gov.au/coronavirus.

If you own a business you can call Treasury on

02 6263 3030 to determine exactly what

support your business can receive or if

you need to discuss tax deferrals with the ATO,

small businesses should call 1800 806 218.

Authorised by W. Entsch, Liberal National Party of Queensland, 200 Mulgrave Road, Westcourt QLD 4870.

Hey drivers,

we’re ramping it up,

just for you.

Cairns Central’s $60 million redevelopment has reached

an exciting milestone with construction to commence to

the Spence Street Vehicle Express Ramp.

Vehicle access to and from Cairns Central

from Spence Street will be temporarily

closed from 16th March. A new Vehicle

Express Ramp from Spence Street will

provide customers direct and easy access to

the new Woolworths store upon completion.

M U LG R AV E R D

F LO R E N C E S T

S H E R I D A N S T

M C L E O D S T

C O L E S K M A R T

A P L I N S T

S H I E L D S T

S H E R I D A N S T S H E R I D A N S T

Alternative vehicle access to the Centre will

be available via Bunda Street or Aplin Street.

Signage, traffic controllers and courtesy

crews will be on site to assist customers as

we implement this temporary change.

B U N D A S T

M C L E O D S T

M Y E R

S P E N C E S T

All stores will remain open during this time.

We appreciate your patience as we deliver

these improvements.

For further information about these changes

please visit www.cairnscentral.com.au

Hey Cairns, we’re creating more,

just for you.

LEGEND

VEHICLE ACCESS TO

CAIRNS CENTRAL VIA

BUNDA ST AND APLIN ST

S P E N C E S T

NO VEHICLE ACCESS

VIA SPENCE ST

ALTERNATIVE ACCESS

VIA BUNDA ST

PUBLISHER’S

NOTE

Well there is no doubt this will be a

year for us all to remember and to

retell stories for many generations

to come.

We are incredibly grateful for the support we

have received for this edition. We are one of the

very few magazines still left standing in our local

community and we are watching on as day after

day another business closes its doors or another

person we know loses their job, or worse still, a

loved one. What coronavirus has brought to our

shores is unimaginable loss on so many levels.

It is utterly heartbreaking to see our country go

through so much pain at this time. No-one is

immune. And this is the very reason we moved

heaven and earth to bring you this edition. Rain,

hail or COVID-19, nothing was going to stop it!

We are committed to continuing to support the

business community of FNQ through this. We

all need some normality, consistency and some

uplifting voices in the midst of all this to keep us

going. It warms our hearts to see our city leaders

join us in this edition as we unite to fight back and

galvanise our community spirit. We are proudly

JACQUI

DANAE

supporting the Keep it in Cairns campaign (an

initiative of Cairns Regional Council and the

Cairns Chamber of Commerce), but in true

CityLife style, throwing our own flavour

into the mix with a little bit of cheekiness as

we hope our hashtag spreads far and wide -

#DOITWITHALOCAL (We hope that puts

a smile on a few faces around town - stay tuned

for our social media, online and TV campaign

to follow).

We might all be hurting, but we’ll #StickTogether

and have a laugh along the way, as we always do.

So next time you make a purchase of any kind,

make sure you #DOITWITHALOCAL and

keep every possible dollar we can in this great

region to ensure the heart of this economy keeps

ticking. We will get through this Cairns, we will

get through it TOGETHER. CityLife is with

you every step of the way!

Jac &Danae

xx

CityLife Magazine is published quarterly by CityLife

Media Pty Ltd April 2020 - June 2020. All material within the

publication remains the property of the publishers unless

permission is otherwise sought in writing. Those who make

advertising placement and or supply editorial content to CityLife

Magazine undertake to ensure all material does not infringe

copyright, trademark, defamation, libel, slander or title. The above

mentioned patrons agree to indemnify the publishers against

any investigations, claims or judgements. The views expressed

in CityLife Magazine are those of the contributors, and are

not necessarily shared by the publication. CityLife Media Pty Ltd

copyright April 2020 - June 2020.

CityLife Media

Pty Ltd

PO Box 1747

Cairns Q 4870

M. 0416 331 125

jacqui@citylifecairns.com.au

danae@citylifecairns.com.au

operations@citylifecairns.com.au

www.citylifecairns.com.au

CityLife 8

Magazine

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CityLife 9 Magazine

2NDT QTR

FEATURE

13 COVER STORY KEEP IT IN CAIRNS

COVER

STORY

P 13

34 GROUNDBREAKING HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY

36 CITYLIFE REVIEWS

39 FINANCIAL SUPPORT

41 OLLIE’S REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY

P 34

42 THE POWER OF PR

44 CITYLIFE WELLBEING - VIOLETTA SEKLER

P 39

45 PARENTING IN A PANDEMIC

46 BEATING THE ISO BLUES

P 41

49 CITYLIFE FASHION - SUSTAINABLE SALVOS

62 HOME WORKOUT

P 49 P 62

CityLife 10

Magazine

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CityLife 11 Magazine

CityLife FEATURE

#DOITWITHALOCAL

By Danae Jones

There has never been a more

important time to

Keep it in Cairns and

#DOITWITHALOCAL

than now!

As the people of Cairns reel from the impact of the

global pandemic on their life and on their ability to earn

an income, one thing is for sure, it is only by sticking

together, that we will get through this.

The momentum is building as the community rises up

and the business resilience we are renowned for shines

through. We are fighting for our ultimate survival. But

one thing Cairns is good at, is fighting, and sticking

together when the chips are down. We are all too

familiar with rolling up our sleeves when the going gets

tough and coming out stronger than before.

Keep it in Cairns is an initiative of Cairns Regional

Council and the Cairns Chamber of Commerce and we

caught up with the city’s leaders who have united to take

up the challenge to forge ahead as one and they’re asking

you to join with them.

Politics and differences have been set aside and the fight

to save our region is the razor sharp focus of each and

every one of them. Some are on the front line fighting for

us, others are advocating for us at a political, government

and economic level, and some are busy planning the

road out of this when we hit the other side of this dirty

word known as COVID-19.


CityLife FEATURE

Mayor Bob Manning

Cairns Regional Council

1. Over the years what is the one

thing you have come to appreciate

about the city of Cairns?

Its natural beauty. The Reef, rainforest,

beaches, Atherton Tablelands and the

Cape, mangrove-lined inlets with an

abundance of fish, crabs and prawns – this

stuff cannot be seen together anywhere

else in the world as it is here.

2. The region has experienced

many tough times throughout the

years, but none quite like we are

experiencing now. What is one

message you would like to give to the

people of Cairns at this uncertain

time?

From the time Europeans first settled

Australia it has been tough. Droughts,

floods, fires, two horrible world wars, a

global depression and a number of smaller

conflicts such as Korea, Vietnam, and the

Middle East and Afghanistan. And yet

Australia soldiers on; it is truly a ‘gutsy’

country.

Today we stand together in meeting this

threat from coronavirus and in looking

after each other.

3. Leaders like yourself have united

to fight for the region in what are

unprecedented times – what role are

you and your organisation playing

in all of this?

Council has been very active in maintaining

strong relationships with the two senior

levels of Government (Federal and State)

and established a two-committee structure

to support this:

a) Economic Response &

Recovery Sub-Committee

b) Human & Social Sub-Committee

These two sub-committees are being

overseen by a Local Leadership

Committee comprising of myself, and the

local Federal and State members. This

structure has been working well and is

ensuring good co-ordination.

Council moved early to provide support

for residents and business, initially fast

tracking $2.4m in funding to TTNQ to

promote our region, providing $40,000

to the Cairns Chamber of Commerce

for a campaign to encourage residents to

spend locally and to give landlords a threemonth

extension on rate payments.

As the situation has developed, Council

endorsed another series of measures aimed

at helping business generate employment,

including the bringing forward of $2.5m

of maintenance works, reducing rent for

businesses leasing Council facilities and

providing a three month extension on a

range of business related-fees and charges.

Indications are positive that Cairns is

showing great discipline in maintaining

hygiene and social distancing, two key

elements of the strategy in defeating

coronavirus.

4. While there are many negatives

about the current situation, we all

find ourselves in – what is one thing

you are looking forward to doing

while in isolation?

We are all keen to see the defeat of this

virus and the return to normalcy. I know

that clichés sometimes drive people silly,

but when we do come out of this we will

all be stronger, and we will experience

the joy of having defeated that which so

disrupted our lives. I think a big barbecue

will be in order.

CityLife 14

Magazine

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CityLife FEATURE

1. Over the years what is the one thing you have come to

appreciate about the city of Cairns?

Cairns is unique in many ways but I firmly believe it is our laidback

attitude that sets us apart from other cities across the nation.

But hands down the one thing I have always appreciated about our

city is its residents. The community spirit and sense of mateship

across our region is alive and well. We are always there for each

other irrespective of our own personal circumstances. We have

seen it time and time again and it never ceases to amaze me – our

people make our city and it is something we should all be extremely

proud of.

2. The region has experienced many tough times

throughout the years, but none quite like we are

experiencing now. What is one message you would like

to give to the people of Cairns at this uncertain time?

Be kind to each other because irrespective of who you are, your

background or personal circumstances, we are all in this together.

3. Leaders like yourself have united to fight for the region

in what are unprecedented times – what role are you and

your organisation playing in all of this?

The Hon. Warren Entsch MP

Federal Member for Leichhardt

“ Be kind to each

other because

irrespective of

who you are,

your background

or personal

circumstances,

we are all in this

together.”

My office and staff you could say is well and truly at the coalface of

this global health crisis. The calls and emails start from sunrise and

continue on well after sunset, seven days a week. Each and every

inquiry is unique and different.

My staff have done an amazing job keeping the community

informed, responding to each and every email and ensuring no

call goes unanswered. I am immensely proud of the work they are

doing, it is certainly not easy, but they help everyone to the very

best of their ability.

You have to remember, they have lives and families as well, they are

certainly not immune to the effects of coronavirus.

4. While there are many negatives about the current

situation we all find ourselves in – what is one thing you

are looking forward to doing while in isolation?

It is a safe to say that our life before this pandemic was run at

a million miles an hour. Sometimes we overlooked ourselves and

those close to us. I love coming home each day and hearing the

neighbourhood kids playing and laughing in their backyards, it is

something I haven’t heard for a very long time and it does bring a

smile to my face.

Personally, for me, I have enjoyed spending more time with my

beautiful wife Yolonde and my family … but I am sure if you ask

her you might get a very different answer!


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CityLife 18

Magazine

CityLife FEATURE

Patricia O’Neill

CEO at Cairns Chamber

of Commerce

1. Over the years what is the one thing you have

come to appreciate about the city of Cairns?

Having lived in Cairns for almost 14 years I will never get

tired of the natural beauty around me everyday. I have

lived in many beautiful parts of the world however enjoying

what Cairns has to offer, with a smaller population, means

everything is more relaxed…you get the chance to take it

all in.



experiencing now. What is one message you

would like to give to the people of Cairns at this

uncertain time?

My key message to the people of Cairns is to remember

we are a very strong and resilient community and at

times like this we need to leave the experts to deal with

the big issue at hand (the medical professionals and the

government) we need to focus on right here, right now.

We cannot swallow the elephant whole! And that is not

our job. We need to:

STOP

LISTEN

ACT ON DIRECTION

Just the way you would if you were in a burning house.

Spending energy worrying about the “what if ” will make

people sicker than the virus ever would.

3. Leaders like yourself have united to fight for

the region in what are unprecedented times –

what role are you and your organisation playing

in all of this?

My role as CEO at Cairns Chamber of Commerce is

currently to link arms in particular with our state based

Chamber body (CCIQ) to ensure we are enabling our

members to remain informed of the day-to-day, hour-byhour,

decisions being made at a local, state and federal

level of government. It is also to be a sounding board

for members who can use me (along with my board) as

a conduit to have their question raised and ultimately

answered. In times of uncertainty, business owners

still need to feel connected, therefore it is key that as a

Chamber we are still able to do this albeit electronically.

4. While there are many negatives about the

current situation we all find ourselves in – what is

one thing you are looking forward to doing while

in isolation?

During isolation I am still working at a pace however

gaining back that extra 90mins in my day by not having to

travel to and from the town is being spent clearing out my

inbox, filing things properly. I have this task factored into

the top and tail of my day!

It’s like a detox! I am also doing some significant upgrades

that have been cast aside for way too long.


CityLife FEATURE



As new residents, having only arrived in October last year, my

family and I are loving the time back in nature. Getting out on the

reef, exploring the rainforest, swimming in the volcanic lakes, bird

watching and all the vibrant colours of the world around us. We

can take a five-minute walk from our new home and be in thick

forest with a crystal clear rainforest stream weaving through the tall

trees. With a young family it’s been great to share these experiences

with new friends and we are settling into our new social life, with a

great school community, amazing performing arts centre, and lots

of events.

Mark Olsen

Chief Executive Officer,

Tourism Tropical North

Queensland (TTNQ)

“ What this

region offers is

what the world

is looking for”





This is the time for the community to unite and support each

other. Everyone is being impacted, but the sooner we can stop the

spread of the virus and ensure our community is safe, the sooner

we can get back on with the business of sharing this amazing bit

of the world with all those people who have been cooped up at

home. Safe home, stay safe, stop the spread. What this region

offers is what the world is looking for on the other side of this global

pandemic, our visitor experiences, our seafood and agricultural

product, our world-class educators, our lifestyle and connection to

nature. These will be the things that help drive our economy for

many years to come.

3. Leaders like yourself have united to fight for the

region in what are unprecedented times – what role

are you and your organisation playing in all of this?

Tourism Tropical North Queensland amplifies the voice of our

industry, and our communities, to ensure we are being heard. We

are working closely with all sectors of the economy to ensure our

region is front of mind in every decision government is making,

and front of mind for consumers planning their dream holiday

when we have the virus contained. As a team we ensure we are

listening to the industry and the communities across the region,

from Cardwell to the Torres Strait and out to Boodjamulla (Lawn

Hill) and Riversleigh and sharing their concerns with all levels of

government. We are also working hard to build demand for the

future with inspirational content, stronger partnerships globally,

and active bids for major events and conferences for the years

ahead.




Over Easter I enjoyed some quality time with my family. We took

the TNQ Easter Challenge and recreated our favourite visitor

experience in the region at home. The biggest challenge is trying

to decide what experience to choose. Should we swim on the

reef in the lounge room, go fishing in the pool, go camping in the

backyard, float down a pretend Mulgrave River in our garage or

try and re-create the hike up the Pyramid (which we haven’t done

yet and will have to wait a bit longer).

CityLife 20

Magazine

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CityLife FEATURE



The truth is that the strength of our city is driven by the resilience

of the region to which we belong. We are the sum of many parts

and the logical international gateway to Northern Australia which

has driven the internationalisation of our city over the last 25

years. It has been a hard slog to get here and has been achieved

in no small part by the belief of some who drove the agenda and

who campaigned fearlessly for the united voices of our region to

be heard. Our remarkable growth during the late 80s through to

the advent of the GFC of 2008 was no fluke. Then we sought

out and capitalised on opportunity, we had population growth, we

had local and international investment, we had confidence aplenty

and chanced our arm. As we grew so did our infrastructure mostly

from the private sector. We were the envy of many and still are.





Times have changed in the intervening years offering new and

different challenges. Just as we might have been emerging from the

economic malaise of the GFC decade, along comes COVID-19 to

test our mettle once again. Communities need a certain resilience

to get through these things. Each segment of the regional jigsaw

puzzle will play their part be they community-focussed social

institutions all the way through to local governments across the

region and everyone in between. They have no choice but to step

up so do we all as individuals.

Kevin Byrne


Enterprise North

" Cairns will

occupy its

place in the

sun again.

The challenge

for us will be

how quickly

we get there."

The pandemic has imposed on us the need to adapt to survive,

but certainly not on the scale being suggested by the amateur

futurists in these bizarre times. What we see today will not be the

new normal. Our workplaces will return to what they were with

the odd design and behavioural modification. Isolating at home

has reinforced the notion the workplaces are also places of social

interaction. Cars and individuals will roam the streets again, we

will go fishing with the family and our mates, schools will be back

at full tilt, restaurants will be churning out wonderful dishes, aged

care will continue to operate as will our health systems. A modified

normalcy will return. Cairns will occupy its place in the sun again.

The challenge for us will be how quickly we get there.




I cannot escape a sense of regret, that despite the many consistent

warning signs over decades, we failed to diversify our city’s economy

to play the role of the regional capital of Northern Australia. We

need bold thinking around what this means and get on with it. No

excuses. What the current situation has taught us is that we cannot

waste another moment. This is a huge wake-up call and there is

much to do ahead and that is the great positive of today and as a

community and a region we need to rise to that. Enterprise North

will ensure we're there. I love these challenges and that is why I love

these parts. Governments need to allow us to get back to normal

quickly and get on with it.




Reading and researching which are favourite past times.

CityLife 22

Magazine

CityLife FEATURE



The beauty of our city and region is unrivalled, however, what I’ve

always been so impressed with is the ingenuity, drive and resilience

of our community at ALL levels and in every sector. We are tough,

hardworking, community minded and we understand the need to

stick together.





Stay strong, we will get through this. We are seeing governments

at all levels stepping up to the plate matching the unprecedented

times, with unprecedented measures.

These measures are focused on our community’s health and

well-being, in addition to our capacity to quarantine our city and

region's commercial sector, ensuring that infrastructure stays in

place and can re-start as we graduate back to normality.

Of course, adversity also brings opportunity and I am so impressed

with the creative ways some businesses are handling this setback,

like the local curtain maker who is now sewing face masks, local

distillers like Wolf Lane who have transitioned to making hand

sanitiser and of course Coles, Woolworths, local IGA’s and Piccones

who have really accepted this challenge and have put in place some

great measures to assist those most vulnerable in our society.




From the outset, myself, Warren Entsch and Bob Manning

immediately recognised the need to establish a local leadership

team. In doing so we have provided both our city’s business and

community human services sectors with a strong voice at all levels

of government. We meet twice a week with the goal of representing

our constituents in these important areas and ensuring the flow of

information from government back into our community.

I have always acknowledged strong leadership and co-operation in

these challenging times is part of what’s needed and expected from

our community. Ensuring Brisbane and Canberra get our message

is essential and we are doing just that.

Michael Healy MP

State Member for Cairns

I am doing my best to get the messages out there by speaking every

morning on local radio stations, doing television interviews and in

my daily video update on my Facebook page. In addition, although

my office doors are closed to the public we are still here, answering

calls and emails, assisting with many and varied enquiries and will

continue to do this through the coming weeks and months.




Getting through my wife’s list of things which need to be done

around the house.


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CityLife FEATURE

Allan Dale

Professor of Tropical Regional

Development at The Cairns Institute, JCU



I grew up at Trinity Beach, went to Cairns High, and was

away for over 20 years in my early career. This place is in

my blood, both because of the people who call it home,

the great industries we have and the stunning environment

and diverse culture we live in. In troubled and good times,

I’ve always felt that we live in a town with a very strong

sense of place. We pull together in the hard times, and

there are many leaders around town focussed on making

the place even better in the good times.



experiencing now. What is one message you

would like to give to the people of Cairns at this

uncertain time?

I am old enough to remember the Pilot’s Strike and

more recently the Global Financial Crisis. COVID-19

is bigger and uglier - but we always can, and always

do, bounce back. The impact and recovery from these

disasters, however, can be made worse by some structural

problems in our economy and the way the whole region

works (i.e. from the Torres Strait to the Gulf to the

Cassowary Coast). These include the lack of a clear

“whole of region” vision for the future, limited planning

for new agricultural development, infrastructure gaps,

and significant energy and cost-of-living issues. I think it

is important that we start planning for how we deal with

some of these bigger picture structural issues now so that

we are better positioned to bounce back post-COVID.

This will mean working in new and more collaborative

ways across industry sectors and with state and federal

governments.




in all of this?

Universities have a very important role to play during

the COVID response and recovery. They play key roles

in providing the evidence for good decision making

and in lifting the capacity of decision making through

quality education. Through my current appointment to

the Advisory Committee to the Taskforce reviewing the

Northern Australian agenda, I want to make sure that

these key structural issues facing the future of our region

are at the front and centre of the national response.


current situation we all find ourselves in – what

is one thing you are looking forward to doing

while in isolation?

I largely have worked from home for the last 10 years, but

the constant travel is a killer. Being in isolation with my

partner Michele and with both kids back from Brisbane,

COVID has in some ways delivered a blessing in disguise

– together with the family in a great location with good

internet!


CityLife FEATURE

Nick Trompf

Executive Chairman,

Advance Cairns

1. Over the years what is the one thing

you have come to appreciate about the

city of Cairns?

Cairns is unique in Australia in that it is

simultaneously a big regional town at its core

and a small international city in its outlook.

Other regional centres can lay claim to many

of our benefits – relaxed way of life, superb

climate, relatively low cost of housing and

ease of getting around. But none can boast an

international airport with a history of direct

global access, a fistful of five-star hotels, a

vibrant night life and a genuine global brand

like we have right here in Cairns. These

dual benefits have seen the modern Cairns

emerge as an innovative, globally-focused city

benefitting from being a significant exporter to

the world (led by tourism) but at the same time

retain its charm as a relatively remote centre

proud of its significant role in the far north of

Australia.

2. The region has experienced many

tough times throughout the years, but

none quite like we are experiencing

now. What is one message you would

like to give to the people of Cairns at

this uncertain time?

Cairns has prevailed through a series of external

shocks over the past 35 years – from the pilots’

strike of 1989, to the Asian financial markets

crash in the late 1990s, the 9/11 terrorist strikes

and collapse of Ansett Airlines in 2001, SARS

in 2003, the Global Financial Crisis in 2008-09,

the Aussie dollar surging through 110 cents US

in 2011 and any number of natural disasters.

The COVID-19 crisis is challenging us in an

unprecedented way – indeed we are among

the hardest hit regions in the nation, given the

make-up of our economy. But the key message

to remember here is the continued resilience

shown by our business owners and operators

over a long period of time and through many

major disruptions. That spirit of ingenuity

and determination will see many businesses

pivot, innovate and in some cases completely

re-invent themselves in the years ahead to reignite

new growth opportunities.

3. Leaders like yourself have united

to fight for the region in what are

unprecedented times – what role are

you and your organisation playing in all

of this?

As the leading peak economic advocacy and

economic development organisation in the

region, Advance Cairns has been heavily

involved in an array of initiatives to seek

assistance for the region in response to the

impact of COVID-19. We have been working

in close collaboration with sister organisations

Tourism Tropical North Queensland, the

Cairns Chamber of Commerce and Study

Cairns since the first COVID-19 wave hit

pre Chinese New Year in January. Advance

Cairns formed a 40-strong business reference

group in early March which is playing a vital,

ongoing role in informing what’s known as

the Economic Response and Recovery Sub-

Committee (ERRSC), one of two standing

sub-committee established to provide advice

to the Member for Leichhardt, the Hon.

Warren Entsch, the Member for Cairns,

Michael Healy, and the Mayor of Cairns, Cr

Bob Manning, who jointly make up the Local

Leadership Committee overseeing all levels of

government response to the crisis. As executive

chairman of Advance Cairns, I sit on the

ERRSC which has been meeting regularly to

put forward a raft of recommendations across

three phases – business survival, short-term

stimulus opportunities (2020 focus) and finally

recovery and resilience (2021 and beyond).

Much of the stimulus and recovery/resilience

advocacy is centred around the Pathway to

Prosperity manifesto Advance Cairns released

last August – which is focused on driving much

greater investment into health, education,

water security, marine maintenance and road

infrastructure as well as supporting growth

in our biggest sector of tourism and aviation.

These initiatives were front and centre when

Advance Cairns, TTNQ and CCoC led the

biggest ever business delegation to Brisbane in

February known as the Cairns TNQ Convoy

to Capital Q. We continue on a daily basis with

dialogue to representatives from local, state and

federal government seeking further support to

rejuvenate our economy.

While there are many negatives about

the current situation we all find

ourselves in – what is one thing you

are looking forward to doing while in

isolation?

While the Advance Cairns team has continued

working throughout with a mixture of in-office

as well as at-home, the one thing about selfisolation

I have enjoyed is working on our farms

on the Atherton Tablelands. We live on one

property near Yungaburra and have another at

Tarzali so the fact that weekends are free from

many of the usual interruptions/travel etc has

meant much more time to dedicate to farming

activities.

CityLife 26

Magazine

CityLife FEATURE

The emergence of COVID-19 has created a very different

environment today from what we were expecting for 2020. Our

regional labour force has experienced significant upheaval and

uncertainty reigns, but there are opportunities emerging for

innovative and enterprising individuals and businesses.

While many workplaces have temporarily ceased operation and

sadly some that will close permanently as a result of Covid-19

impacts, we continue to need trained and prepared people in a

number of industries including retail, transport and logistics,

agriculture, local manufacturing, public safety and of course the

health sector.

There may never have been a time before in Australia when so

many government programs are on offer. Our ever-changing

situation has also resulted in a heightened level of interest and

engagement with these programs and initiatives – and in many

perspectives and interpretations of their use and value.

COVID-19

Workforce

Support

with Tamilyn Brennan FNQ

Employment Coordinator

" This is the time

to look at the sum

of your skills and

experiences outside

of the boundaries

of your usual

employment and local

recruiters can help

you to do that."

If you have lost your job or been stood down (there is a difference)

there are financial supports available through the JobSeeker

allowance which has been temporarily expended during the

changed conditions under Covid-19. In addition to income

support, there are also many things you can be doing to plan for the

future. As businesses pivot and adapt to provide necessary goods

and services in this time of crisis, new roles are emerging. Check

in with jobactives as the funded employment service providers for

updates. You can also go to the new Jobs Hub at https://www.dese.

gov.au/covid-19/jobs-hub and use the Search Jobs By Location

button to find what roles might be available in the Cairns region.

When you get to the job detail read it carefully to make sure it is

in the Cairns area.

Local recruitment agencies are very actively engaged linking local

employers with suitably skilled candidates. This is the time to look

at the sum of your skills and experiences outside of the boundaries

of your usual employment and local recruiters can help you to do

that.

www.whatsnext.employment.gov.au has advice on what you could

do with your skills and Stronger Transitions which is a package

of assistance that can help you to find new jobs and train for the

future may be useful for you now: https://www.employment.gov.

au/stronger-transitions

If you are just starting out and planning your work life, go to

https://jobsqueensland.qld.gov.au/anticipating-future-skills/ to

get an idea of what industries, occupations and qualifications will

be needed in Cairns in 2022. There is a useful data tool at the

bottom of this webpage for the statistically minded.

For employers there are many assistance and support measures

being announced, so rather than try to list them the trusted sources

are https://www.business.qld.gov.au/ which includes a small

business hotline number and a business impact survey as well as

a regularly updated list of the measures available; and https://

www.australia.gov.au/#business_amp_employer_information_.

This includes the latest on the newly passed JobKeeper payment

to support employers to retain staff during this time of limited

trading.


To ‘Keep it in Cairns’ go to www.keepitincairns.com.au or

https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/council/covid19/hotline or phone

1300 396 102 during business hours. The Cairns Chamber of

Commerce and CCIQ have good advice being published and

otherwise available for direct individual advice.

As Employment Facilitator for the Cairns region Tamilyn Brennan

is contracted by the Australian Government to help employers

and jobseekers connect using the various programs

and initiatives at hand and to help develop solutions to local

workforce challenges.

JOIN THE FIGHT

AGAINST COVID-19

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

An open letter from the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation

YOU can make a difference to OUR community.

Hospitals within the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service are well prepared for

COVID-19. However Cairns Hospital along with the Mossman, Mareeba, Atherton, Yarrabah,

Babinda, Innisfail and Tully hospitals have identified that there is extra equipment that will

help them better care for an expected influx of patients with COVID-19.

While the State Government has provided significant funding, community funding can

provide additional medical and intensive care equipment that will have far reaching benefits

to all in the Far North.

Delivering this list of urgent equipment will help ensure we have the best care possible for

our communities.

If you have the capacity, we’re fundraising right now.

We are committed to ensuring everyone in this region has access to the best possible health

care and equipment at our local hospitals.

Please call our fundraising office on 4226 6327 now or donate online at

www.fnqhf.org.au/coronavirus

Thank you for your support and compassion.

Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation

P 07 4226 6327 | F 07 4226 6663

PO Box 957, Cairns QLD, 4870

Ground Floor Block E | Cairns Hospital

Cnr Grove & Digger Streets Cairns QLD, 4870

fundraising@fnqhf.org.au | www.fnqhf.org.au

Dr Ken Chapman

Chairman

M 0438 355 821

Tony Williamson

Chief Executive Officer

M 0407 161 626

PLEASE DONATE SO

WE CAN HELP THESE

HOSPITALS TODAY

MOSSMAN

$288,318

$293,487

MAREEBA

CAIRNS

$566,023

YARRABAH

$294,117

$239,947

ATHERTON

BABINDA

$346,776

$294,987

INNISFAIL

$264,276

TULLY

TO FIND OUT MORE

P: 07 4226 6327

E: fundraising@fnqhf.org.au

W: www.fnqhf.org.au

A: Cnr Grove & Digger st,

Cairns, Q, 4870

www.fnqhf.org.au/coronavirus

CityLife FEATURE



As CEO of NAIF, which is headquartered in Cairns, I’m fortunate

to be able to work and travel across a vast section of Australia given

our footprint covers northern Queensland, the Northern Territory

and the northern part Western Australia.

While each region is unique and has its own distinct strengths,

challenges and opportunities, what unites the whole of northern

Australia including Cairns is its untapped potential, undoubted

geographical beauty and warm and welcoming community.

From recent conversations in Cairns, it is evident local stakeholders

have a range of great ideas and proposals about how Cairns can

grow and develop. I look forward to continuing to grow those

partnerships in the coming months so that NAIF can work with

others to support the Cairns region through this difficult period

and into a prosperous future.





Stay united, work together and don’t be afraid to have a go and

explore ways to continue to support and also diversify the economy.

I am confident Cairns will come out of this period in a stronger

position, ready to develop and prosper.




To those outside the government sector, I appreciate that at times

it can be a little overwhelming understanding which government

agency does what.

NAIF is a Commonwealth Government development financier

with a unique role to help unlock Northern Australia’s economic

potential. We look to work in a collaborative manner with key

government, regional and industry stakeholders to identify projects

that will maximise the economic and employment impact of

NAIF’s financing support.

Of NAIF’s current $ 5 billion allocation, NAIF has to date made

financing commitments of nearly $2 billion to support job creating

and job supporting projects across northern Australia. More than

5,000 jobs are forecast to be created and supported across NAIFbacked

projects.

Chris Wade

CEO of Northern Australia

Infrastructure Facility (NAIF)

In these difficult economic times, we look to be as flexible,

innovative and agile as possible to provide financial assistance to

proponents and projects that meet the requirements of our Act

and Investment Mandate.


situation, we all find ourselves in – what is one thing you


On a personal level, having to work from home during the current

period means I am able to spend more time with my family. Much

of my role is usually on the road so it is great to have additional

family time.

On a work front, our team are now well and truly used to working

remotely and are focused on working with a range of parties

to finalise a number of projects across North Queensland and

Northern Australia more generally.

CityLife 30

Magazine

CityLife FEATURE



The people. It was people that brought me back to

Cairns in 2015. My friends here are “the family I

choose”. There’s a real sense of community in Cairns

which has never been more evident than it is right now,

and there’s a resilience that is unique to our town. I am

extremely proud of the way our city has come together.

2. The region has experienced many tough

times throughout the years, but none quite like

we are experiencing now. What is one message

you would like to give to the people of Cairns at

this uncertain time?

Danielle Carey


Regional Development

Australia Tropical North (RDATS)

“ I am

extremely

proud of the

way our city

has come

together.”

We will get through this. Far North Queensland has the

opportunity to come out of this crisis in a better position

than how we went in. Our governments are listening

and there is funding available. Now is our chance to

look at what we want for our region, our businesses and

our families. It’s time to reshape our vision and to think

outside the box. I believe we have a bright future ahead.




in all of this?

RDA Tropical North has been advocating for our region

since 2009. We represent a vast area from Cardwell

to Papua New Guinea and from the east coast, west

through to Croydon. With our strong stakeholder

relations locally and regionally and working with our

colleagues across Northern Australia and around the

nation, RDA is working hard to provide concise, realtime

facts, data and projections directly to our ministers

in Canberra on a weekly basis. Myself and the RDA

Tropical North Board, drawn from leaders and experts

from across the region, have a clear focus to not only

see FNQ through this crisis, but to ensure we leverage

every opportunity to strengthen and grow our economy

through the development of appropriate infrastructure

and industry.


current situation, we all find ourselves in –

what is one thing you are looking forward to

doing while in isolation?

While I will miss my loved ones, it will be nice to just

stop for a while. This is a rare chance to take stock and

spend some quality time at home. Also, my parents have

just discovered Zoom, so I am guessing there will be

many family “meetings” ahead!


CityLife FEATURE



I was brought across to work on the Courier Mail from the UK and

transform the paper from a broadsheet to a tabloid many years ago,

so the commercial side of newspapers and I are very familiar with

each other. Part of the family of NewsCorp was The Cairns Post

of course, so I used to come up to Cairns to meet my colleagues

and my friends from the work I was doing with the Courier Mail,

so Cairns and I have always been old friends. I always admired the

energy the passion and the pride people had for their city when I

would come here. Cairns locals are such a passionate bunch of

people. One of my first bosses for CCIQ was Brett Moller, so over

the past 15 years I’ve worked alongside media and business leaders

in this region a lot. Cairns has always been a part of my DNA of

living in Australia. I come from a small regional city in the UK and

that is one of the reasons I am on the board of Cairns Chamber of

Commerce today as I understand the importance of the business

advocacy bodies within regional communities.

Stephen Tait

Chief Executive Officer of the

Chamber of Commerce and

Industry Qld (CCIQ)

"The local

Chamber is vital

in giving us the

feedback we need

to respond – more

voices are better

than one."





I think the entrepreneurial spirit and that pride that Cairns people

are so well known for is what will take them through. The fact that

they have been through many challenging times before such as the

pilot strike, the GFC etc I find they tend to have a certain resilience

in them and the ability to bounce back better than they ever have

done before. Regional communities in particular seem to have

an overwhelming sense of resilience. What I would say to people

though is don’t miss the opportunity to revisit your business models

and see how we can do things quicker, better and differently. The

resilience that business owners possess in Cairns means they are

ideally placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will

come from this.




Our primary role in all this is to support the Cairn Chamber of

Commerce as a partnership in terms of advocacy. Our desire is to

create the best business environment through our advocacy with

all levels of Government to help business people survive and thrive

when we eventually come out of this current crisis. The local

Chamber is vital in giving us the feedback we need to respond –

more voices are better than one.




We have never been busier at CCIQ. We have had over 2,500

new businesses join us within the past 3.5 weeks primarily because

the Chamber of Commerce is now seen as a place that will give

you all the advice and support at these challenging times. We are

currently working on how we can develop more ways to support

the business community and we are developing new strategies and

looking at new ways of doing business. Because of the immediacy

required with this health and economic crisis, we have been forced

to make decisions quickly, and I think they are better decisions, as

businesses are talking to us more than they ever have and they are

telling us loudly and on mass what it is that they need to survive.

I’m really looking forward to how we can support businesses more

with the opportunities that come out of this through the recovery

effort.

CityLife 32

Magazine

CityLife FEATURE

Aviation industry

set to take off

Words by Stacey Carrick

The aviation industry in Cairns is perfectly

positioned to soar to new heights once the

COVID-19 crisis is finally over.

With world-class aviation training facilities

in Cairns, as well as our major tourism

attractions, significant growth is definitely

on the cards for the far north.

Now, more than ever, is the perfect time

to support locally produced goods and

services, according to Cairns Aviation

Skills Centre/Aviation Australia business

manager Chris Pigott.

“I fully support

keeping it local,”

Mr Pigott said.

“We need to keep spending our money

locally, support local groups and source

our goods and services locally in order to

keep the Cairns economy going.

“Cairns Aviation Skills Centre and

Aviation Australia staff are involved with

the Chamber of Commerce, Advance

Cairns and Tradelinked.

“These organisations support local

businesses. We are currently working on a

growth project; we will be selecting a local

company for that shortly.

“It’s important to support local businesses

and continue to employ locals so we don’t

lose their skill sets and so we can keep

them alive during these difficult times.

“The aviation industry will bounce

back very quickly. The people with skills

acquired prior to COVID-19, those skills

will be needed when the industry returns.

“We had 60 apprentices from the Northern

Territory doing their training in Cairns.

They are continuing their online learning

program in the NT as if they were sitting

here in the building in Cairns.”

The Cairns Aviation Skills Centre has

been operating since 2004. There have

been 700 apprentices trained locally and

more than 7000 professionals have been

upskilled in every aspect of the aviation

industry.

“The skill and talent in Cairns is of a

world-class standard,” Mr Pigott said.

“Our aviation engineering training is not

just of an Australian standard, it’s of a

European standard as well.

“We are also looking at a very large

expansion plan for the Cairns Airport in

conjunction with the State Government.

This will be a game changer for the

aviation industry in Cairns.”

Mr Pigott said the Cairns community is

extremely resilient in difficult situations

such as COVID-19.

“The community really supports each

other when necessary,” he said.

“That’s the underlying strength of the

Cairns region.

“We have enormous growth opportunities

in Cairns. I definitely anticipate that it will

come back.

“This is a bump in the road that no one

saw coming. However, we will have new

opportunities in the future.

“We are fortunate enough to have the reef

and the rainforest.

“We live in such a nice part of the world,

so we are definitely perfectly positioned for

future growth.”


CityLife FEATURE

Groundbreaking Hydrogen Technology Shows

Significant Potential For Fighting Coronavirus

Ground-breaking technology is achieving phenomenal

results around the world in the fight against coronavirus.

The team at engineering company, Hydrogen Technologies,

are working day and night to keep up with enquiries from

their small facility in Cairns, Australia.

“We are primarily shipping to the US and Europe but even

to places around the world that we didn’t even know existed

until now. We are flat out and struggling to keep up with

demand. Obviously there is immense pressure in countries

such as Italy, Spain and the US at the moment so this is

where we are finding our biggest demand is coming from,”

said Jim Wilson, Co-Founder of Hydrogen Technologies.

Molecular hydrogen and oxygen technology is not only

helping open the airways of coronavirus victims by reducing

the inflammation it causes in the lungs, but it also assists

the immune system and dramatically reduces the oxidative

stress in the body that if not addressed, can lead to multiple

organ disfunction and failure. Both hydrogen and oxygen

are a bodies key requirements to staying alive and well.

The technology works to increase the molecular hydrogen

levels in the body of any animal, plant or human giving

it wide reaching benefits and a multitude of applications

throughout multiple industries.

Currently in China, they are choosing to inhale it to achieve

immediate results at the inflammation site, the Chinese

Government has even issued a coronavirus formal medical

protocol to combine molecular hydrogen inhalation therapy

with other modalities to combat coronavirus for all cases.

“The Chinese Government protocol suggested that one

of the primary points of treatment is the inhalation of

Molecular Hydrogen and Oxygen gas being a 66%, 33%

blend of gases which is exactly what these machines

produce,” said Jim Wilson.

Hydrogen Technologies have been refining this technology

for over 5 years and have built a machine that has the ability

to be used for a variety of purposes, the innovative machine

has been refined by Jim and his father in law who have a

combined engineering experience of some 60 years.

“My father-in-law Kjell (pronounced “Shell”) and I have

always known the remarkable and diverse benefits of

hydrogen therapies for all aerobic species although it has

been largely untapped until now, many countries have

been leading the way and embracing the technology for

human applications for quite some time. There are well

over a thousand studies and papers out there from all over

the world, all showing the same fundamental biological

conclusions.

“The United States, Switzerland, Japan and many other

European nations are very familiar with the benefits of this

technology and they have been our biggest customers to

date, many of them researching other conditions prior to

the coronavirus arrival where oxidative stress plays a major

role which includes aging, brain injury and enhancing peak

performance and recovery in athletes etc.”

“It is 100% natural and is natures own anti-oxidant which

brings back metabolic balance and allows the body to work

at its optimum. Because is it 100% natural, some people

find it hard to comprehend just how effective it is,” said Mr

Wilson, “but it is in fact, exactly the way nature intended it

to be”.

CityLife 34

Magazine

CityLife FEATURE

“We believe that this

will revolutionise the health

industry as we know it, and

everyone on the planet stands

to benefit from what this

technology will bring.”

So What Is Hydrogen Supplementation?

“Approximately 62% of all the atoms in most animal species

are Hydrogen atoms with 24% Oxygen and another 12%

Carbon. It makes sense that Hydrogen and its electrons are

essential in nearly every molecule and function throughout

the body, and if there is not enough of them to go around,

then it will affect the way the body works in a great many

ways.

“As a body ages, its ability to produce and harvest enough

hydrogen to control the effects of Oxidative Stress diminishes

which will ultimately result in the onset of degenerative

diseases and ailments,” said Jim Wilson.

Molecular Hydrogen Supplementation is simply providing

the living organism access to the very atoms that allow it to

exist in the first place. Hydrogen has been referred to as the

key to all living things and in its atomic form, it is the most

pure, natural supplement known to science.

Hydrogen Technologies is hopeful to build a manufacturing

facility in Cairns, Australia to continue supplying this

cutting edge technology throughout the world and ensure

its applications can be used in as many industries as possible

to improve human longevity, shelf life of food, performance

of athletes and the enrichment of farmland for many

generations to come.

“We have the technology and it is staring us in the face, we

just have to open our eyes and our minds to see its potential.”

For more information:

www.hydrogentechnologies.com.au


REVIEWS

with Cassey Veenan

It’s time to “virtually” connect with one another. Face to face meetings and in person

catch ups with friends have been replaced by video hook ups and phone chats.

Teaming with your colleagues has gone all digital as we grapple with the new norm.

For some it has been an easy transition, but for others it has been a real struggle. So

we thought we’d give you all of our top tips on the best apps out there for you, your

colleagues and your family to use in these ISO times.

MICROSOFT TEAMS

Full Microsoft integration – multiple cameras

on screen at any one time (up to 50 people can

attend one meeting). Share documents and

notes all in the one spot.

BUSINESS LIFE

GOOGLE HANGOUTS

Free video calls for up to 10 people at any one

time. Share screen while on calls if you need to

show team members how to use something or

discuss a document.

GOTOMEETING

An oldie but a goody. This is a program that

has been around a very long time and they were

ahead of their time when it was first released.

26 people on a call via computer or app at any

one time. GoToWebinars also available with up

to 1,000 people able to attend at any one time.

SKYPE

Group video calls of up to 50 people at any one

time with chat capability.

BLUEJEANS

Video conferencing app – can have up to 100

people on any one video call at any one time.

REVIEWS

If you have something you think we should review –

hit us up at: operations@citylifecairns.com.au

ZOOM

Easy to use, multiple cameras on screen at any

one time (up to 100 people can attend one

meeting/webinar)

CityLife 36

Magazine

HOUSE PARTY

Invite multiple people to your House Party and

even play live games with them via the app from

the comfort of your own home.

HOME LIFE

MESSENGER

Invite multiple people to your Messenger and

have fun with face app decorations as you speak.

FACETIME

If you have an iPhone then FaceTime is very

easy to use for one-on-one chatting, it’s no

different to making a phone call.

DOTALK

Translated live in 90 different languages with

one-to-one video streaming capability. Great

for catching up with friends, especially those

in foreign countries and those challenged by a

language barrier.

SPOTIFY

Easy way to access music from all over the world

for free, or pay a small subscription and remove

all advertising.

PODCASTONE

Listen to your favourite podcasts while exercising

or cleaning the house.

APPLE PODCAST

Available on all Apple devices to listen to your

favourite podcasts.

AUDIBLE

No time to sit and read a book, why not exercise

and have someone read the book to you.

KINDLE

All your favourite books available digitally.

WHATSAPP

A chat app, very popular for people to chat while

travelling internationally as its free and you can

share images and video without the data costs.


CityLife FEATURE

Purpose built solution relieves housing

shortage for vulnerable members

of community

Access Community Housing is taking

pressure off crisis accommodation in

Cairns with the official opening of its

first, purpose-built residential project

comprising 10, one and two-bedroom

units.

Access Community Housing CEO

Donna-Maree O’Connor said women and

children who have survived domestic and

family violence will be the residents of this

new and affordable housing complex in

Mooroobool.

According to Ms O’Connor, the $2.4

million complex is a first for Access

Community Housing and has been built

by MiHaven over the past 12 months

using a $990,000 grant from the Federal

Government’s Building Better Regions

Fund along with State Government

reserve funds (held by Access Community

Housing).

Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch

said this was a much-needed development.

“Focusing on women who are escaping

domestic and family violence and the

growing group of single homeless women,

this complex will provide much needed

safe, secure accommodation for these

women and their children,” he said.

In recognising recent milestone, Ms

O’Connor said that they are immensely

proud of the building which is the first

social housing complex fitted with a solar

power system.

“Each unit has a capacity equivalent to a

medium-sized home ensuring low or no

energy bills for our residents,” she said.

The complex has security systems and

CCTV installed.

“There is a distinct shortage of affordable

housing in Cairns and with over 2000

people on the waiting list for social

housing, women and children escaping

domestic and family violence often have

few housing options available to them.

“We are thrilled to be working

with support services

in Cairns to offer safe and

secure housing options,

and with the added benefit

of low-cost energy,”

she said.

Established in 1991, Access Community

Housing Company (ACHC) is the largest

community housing provider in Far North

Queensland, approved under the National

Regulatory Systems (NRS). Its aim is

to improve people’s lives through the

provision of housing to individuals and

families approved on the Department of

Housing and Public Works (DHPW)

_Register of Need_.

Access Community Housing is

committed in its aim to address Far North

Queensland’s housing shortage. Its highly

skilled and professional team currently

manage a portfolio of approximately 600

properties from Babinda in the south to

Mossman in the north (providing homes

for approximately 1250 people) and work

closely with local support services to

sustain tenancies.

For more, visit www.achc.org.au

CityLife 38

Magazine

FINANCIAL

SUPPORT

GUS SOPER

YOUR LENDING SPECIALIST

: 0400 636 953

: (07) 4041 3100

: 136 Mulgrave Rd, Cairns QLD 4870

: astutefinancial.com.au/members/northqld

Well Cairns, I reckon we will look

back on the first half of 2020 as being

a period in our lives where everything

seemed to shift off its axis. We are in a

time where COVID-19 is reshaping the

way our world is interconnected from

how we conduct business and how we

simply live our lives. We are beginning

to understand what a global pandemic

potentially means for our country,

community, businesses and our families.

What makes this shared experience so

challenging is that, at the moment, we

have more unknowns than knowns and

this is what makes us feel uncomfortable

and sometimes anxious as human

beings. What is needed most in these

uncertain times is clarity.

To that end, at Astute we have been

focused on making sure we are doing

everything we can to keep on top of

all bank and government changes and

know what benefits may be available so

we have, or can find out the answers to

your questions. In this article I wanted

to let you know that despite all the

craziness, most financial institutions

are working hard to help people get

through this and not trying to make

things any more difficult than necessary.

Of course, there will be frustrations in

getting solutions as quickly as you would

like, mainly due to the pure volume of

inquiries these institutions are receiving.

However, if you can be patient, there is

assistance available. I have listed below

a few options available that may relieve

some financial pressure until some

stability returns to our community.

Right now, all mortgage and business

loan holders can do any of the below to

improve their position.

CityLife FINANCE

• Reduce your repayments back to the

minimum if you are paying more than

required.

• Start a budget. Yes, an oldie but, one

that very few actually do. There are a

heap of apps or tools that you can use to

work out where your daily and monthly

spend is going. Time to reign in the

spending!

• Look to reduce your interest rate or,

where appropriate consider short term

interest-only strategies to reduce cash

flow strain.

• Utilise your offset accounts to reduce

interest costs and store any excess funds.

• Understand your redraw facilities and

what is or is not available. What other

access to credit do you have?

• Use government incentives that may

become available to you.

• Utilise bank loan repayment deferral

options offered by your individual

lender if necessary. Remember in most

cases the interest is still capitalised back

onto your loan but, it could be a shortterm

solution.

Hopefully, you don’t need to use any

of these but, acting early is the key to

managing your household finances

through these uncertain times. There

is plenty of support out there from

your banks, so no one needs to stress,

just communicating with the relevant

team within your bank is the key to this

working out well.


CityLife FEATURE

Supporting Our

Health Workers

Pictured (L-R:) FNQ Hospital Foundation Interim CEO

Tony Williamson and Chairman Ken Chapman

By Robyn Rankin

The community and the Far North

Queensland Hospital Foundation are well

on their way to answering the call put out

by hospitals for extra resources to help

battle the COVID-19 epidemic as it rolls

out over coming months.

“The hospitals across the region and

their staff put out the call to us and we

as a community and the Foundation, are

answering it,” Foundation chairman Dr

Ken Chapman said.

“This is a special list of extraordinary

additional equipment to allow the staff to

be incredibly well-prepared and resourced

as this pandemic rolls out over the coming

months,” he said.

“We need to support the staff of these

hospitals who are the heroes of this time.”

“They put out the

call and we as a

community need to

answer it.”

In just a few short weeks we have raised

$832,000 for this campaign and also

committed $1,500,000 from commercial

income, general donations and monies

donated for individual hospitals across the

region. That leaves only $574,000 still to

be raised.

Foundation CEO Tony Williamson said

the lofty target was set after gaining a

wishlist from the Cairns and Hinterland

Hospital and Health Service of COVID-

19-related equipment for eight local

hospitals, including Cairns.

Funds donated to specific hospitals for

general purposes, also adds to the tally.

“As we’ve all seen, this virus is not

contained to the big cities, it is spreading

everywhere and by supporting the small

hospitals with the equipment they tell us

they’d like, we’re supporting everyone,”

Mr Williamson said.

“Cairns Hospital along with the

Mossman, Mareeba, Atherton, Yarrabah,

Babinda, Innisfail and Tully hospitals all

need equipment over-and-above what the

governments provide and in addition to

current money raised,” he said.

Hospitals within the Cairns and

Hinterland Hospital and Health Service

are well-prepared for COVID-19. These

hospitals have identified there is extra

equipment that will help them better care

for an expected influx of patients with

COVID-19.

“While the State Government has

provided significant funding, community

support can provide additional medical

and intensive care equipment that will

have far reaching benefits to all in the Far

North,” Mr Williamson said.

The extra equipment includes items

such as ventilators, iPads to assist with

telehealth, resuscitation trolleys, oxygen

regulators, videolaryngoscopes, highflow

oxygen devices, and CPAP machines.

“Those individual hospitals are seeking

between $200,000 and $300,000 each

and we are seeking $566,000 for Cairns

Hospital,” Mr Williamson said.

To help finalise the fundraising

campaign and raise the final

$573,000, call the Foundation’s

fundraising office on 4226 6327 or

donate online at wwww.fnqhf.org.

au/coronavirus.

CityLife 40

Magazine

CityLife FOOD

REACHING OUT

TO THE COMMUNITY

OLLIE’S ITALIAN

Helping each other and our frontline health workers during the

COVID-19 is why we here at Ollie’s Italian have launched two

new community-supportive initiatives.

#adoptadoc

We’ve joined forces with the Far North Queensland Hospital

to launch #adoptadoc to feed frontline health workers who

are working tirelessly to keep our community safe during the

coronavirus.

The #adoptadoc gives community members the opportunity to

purchase a meal from Ollie’s for a frontline worker. Not only does

it provide a nutritious meal for them, it also raises funds for the

FNQ Hospital Foundation to help purchase more equipment to

fight COVID-19.

The hospital currently needs to raise funds for equipment needed

to help treat those who have contracted the virus. Just a ventilator

alone, which is needed to treat those in ICU, can cost upwards of

$40,000. You can help by joining the #adoptadoc movement. To

learn more visit www.olliesitalian.com.au/products/pasta-carepackage.

The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation is a non-profit

charitable organisation that supports Cairns and Hinterland

Hospital and Health Service, Torres and Cape Hospital and

Health Service, or in geographical terms - from Cardwell to the

Torres Strait.

This area includes nine hospitals, two multi-purpose health services

and 53 primary health centres and encompasses a population of

about 284,000 people.

Ciao Ollie’s

Our other new initiative we recently launched is Ciao Ollie’s, a

website where you can purchase freshly made pasta, gourmet

sauces, and delicious frozen meals, all delivered to your door to

cook in the comfort of your own home. Or you can have them

delivered to someone you care about.

Ollie’s is taking all measures in health and safety during this time

to make sure that what we deliver is both consistently fresh and

adheres to all government safety regulations.

We are also giving away a free Pasta Care Package for every

purchase over $30 to clients at the COUCH Wellness Centre, who

are in isolation and in need of care. You can visit our website at

www.olliesitalian.com.au, to see our menu. No contact, no fuss,

and fantastic food!


CityLife BUSINESS

THE POWER

OF PR

PIVOT AND PROSPER

DANAE JONES

Danae Jones is Managing Director

of PR & Marketing firm Danae Jones

Consulting Pty Ltd

: danae@danaejones.com.au

: www.danaejones.com.au

Overnight like it or not we have all had

to embrace a new world, a virtual world.

Video conferencing and excessive

online data use have become the new

norm. Digital marketing has been

anointed the ‘chosen one’ without even

trying and the echoes of experts urging

businesses across the world to embrace

the digital age for the past decade have

become very loud voices in the distance

for many business owners who failed to

act sooner.

Meeting the challenge head-on is what

the smart businesses have done. They

have acted quickly and decisively. I

remember frantically calling all of my

clients many weeks before lockdown

and isolation became a thing back in

February and forewarning them of

what lay ahead. For someone who

has worked in media and marketing

almost my entire life, I was acutely

aware of what businesses needed to

do to survive in these changing times.

They needed to boost their digital

presence with a massive shot of steroids

and FAST. They needed to reallocate

resources and products to meet market

demands that would dramatically

shift as every new announcement was

made and response scaled up. As the

announcements became more frequent

and more intense, the anxiety out in

the business community was palpable.

Living from press conference to press

conference had an entire country

on high alert 24/7. The mental toll

this entire predicament has and will

continue to have on our nation is a

whole other topic for a different day, but

there is no denying we will have some

major ongoing social problems to deal

with in the aftermath.

By March my calls to my clients became

daily and sometimes multiple times

a day as we navigated the unfolding

new economy together. I made it my

business to read the fine print of every

Government announcement and

subsidy/grant/loan available to them.

Why? Because I cared. I cared enough

to make sure they had the easiest to

digest information at a moments notice

to be able to make the best decisions

to pivot in time and ultimately survive.

Many of my clients started to pivot

on a grand scale back in

February. The team at

Danae Jones Consulting

worked around the clock

to rebuild online brand

assets, enhance social media

and digital and broadcast

media messages. What this

enabled these businesses to

do, was respond quickly and

ensure their core marketing

messages were on time, on point

and ready to roll at a moments notice.

Needless to say their existing and very

well thought out marketing and public

relations plans were thrown out the

window and in many cases we were

forced to start from scratch.

I am very proud to say that every single

one of my clients listened, trusted my

instincts and worked with me and are

still living to fight another day. In fact

some of my clients sales have climbed

substantially during this COVID-19

time which is very rewarding to see.

You’re probably wondering why I’m

sharing all of this with you? … because

knowledge is power, and sharing what

we are doing for businesses that still

have solid cashflow through this crisis

is information that needs to be shared

as you too can pivot and prosper just

like these businesses have. The pivoting

is not over by any stretch, we continue

to monitor sales weekly for them and

they and their accountants continue to

monitor cashflow and we alter methods

to suit wherever needed.

It’s all about acting fast, getting the

right advice, trusting the people you

are working with to give you the right

advice and surrounding yourself with

a team of people that have your best

interests at heart, and not just their

own. The trusted people I’m referring

to are your marketing, public relations

and government relations people, your

accountant, your business adviser, your

lawyer and your HR specialist. It is

important to be able to have those open

and honest conversations to truly deliver

results in your business.

We have some extraordinary business

professionals in this region that are

doing some great work out there, it’s

just a matter of finding the best people

to fit your needs and sticking with them

like you would family – in good times

and in bad.

For those of you in business reading this

thinking you’ve left your run too late

to step up to the challenge, I can hand

on heart tell you that you have not. My

new catch cry in the COVID-19 era

is PIVOT and PROSPER. It’s time

to look at your business, what it is you

sell and see how best you can position

yourself to meet the market conditions

at a time like this. Now that takes a

certain level of thinking outside the

box and the need to step back from the

overwhelm and stress of the situation

and ask yourself honestly what will and

will not work over the coming 6 months

in this current climate.

Even if restrictions start lifting, it will

not go back to business as usual this side

CityLife 42

Magazine

CityLife BUSINESS

“The beauty of

marketing in a

time like this on

social media,

online, television

and radio is

– you have a

captive audience

like very few

comparable

times in history.”

of Christmas, that’s the harsh reality. The economy is deeply wounded and

people’s appetite for purchasing has changed. What was once considered a

necessity has now become non-essential. People’s focus has shifted.

It is true, there are some businesses that simply cannot operate under the

current restrictive conditions, and a perfect example of that would be a tourist

attraction that requires visitors both domestic and international to keep its

doors open. And for those businesses, my heart truly breaks, this health crisis

has wiped them out overnight. But one thing those businesses can be doing is

getting ready for the resurgence and make sure they have the most creative,

enticing and cost-effective, high-impact marketing strategies ready to roll once

this heavy veil lifts. And it will. Those tourist attractions will be marketing to a

quite different audience on the other side of this. International travel will not

get back to what it was any time soon. They will be focusing on domestic and

domestic only and a very large portion of it will be staycations for locals who

will become their bread and butter more than ever before. And let’s be honest,

the domestic staycation market will BOOM when we’re out of this. People will

be racing to the airport and tourist attractions near and far for an immediate

escape to regain that feeling of normality once again.

Despite all of the heartache this pandemic has caused, I can’t help but feel

encouraged by the signs of mateship, neighbourly comradery, locals supporting

locals like they used to in my grandparents era, a strong Australian-owned

push, and the desire to manufacture and generate our own self-sustaining

economy that is less reliant on the international economic beast we were once

so blindly party to. Let’s hope some very good lessons are learnt by us all. I

must say, that is a very worthy silver lining.


CityLife WELLBEING

IT’S TIME TO

NOURISH

YOU

VIOLETTA SEKLER

I’d like to talk to you about coronavirus. This virus has caused serious

adjustments to our life, forced us to change all of our plans and intentions

and in that has created a great sense of upheaval for many.

Violetta Sekler is a Personal and

Relationship Coach driven to help

people succeed in life and love.

Anyone in business in Far North

Queensland is encouraged to

reach out to Violetta for a Dream

Big Challenge – Make Your Wishes

Come True In 2020:

: info@violettasekler.com

: www.violettasekler.com

Is it so dangerous? Does the media magnify the danger or

underestimate it?

We will never know. We can’t control this. But what we can

control is:

• How calm we will be

• How much we can resist the panic

• How we can manage and remain intelligent in our thoughts

and behaviours

Calmness is the best immunity in the world. Easier said than

done you might say?

Yes it is easy to say, but harder to put into practice I know. But even

the world’s most powerful weightlifter was unable to lift hundreds of

kilograms the very first time. It took time and patience and perseverance.

It’s hard for all of us right now. But I want you to try not to get yourself

worked up with negative thoughts. As one thing you do have control over

at this point in time, is your mindset.

I want you to use this situation to your advantage and to suit you and your

needs: breath more fresh air, play sports, read books, spend time with

your loved ones, work out your food and daily routines, and do things

which you didn’t have enough time to do before.

This is a time to nurture yourself and your surroundings, a time to hit the

reset button of life and recalibrate. Use this time wisely to invest in you

and be ready to come out the other side of this situation a more balanced

and nourished human being. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

CityLife 44

Magazine

PARENTING

IN A PANDEMIC

IN TIMES OF CRISIS,

PARENTS HAVE TO

WORK TOGETHER

LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

NARDINE COLLIER

Nardine Collier is an accredited

Specialist in Family Law, a Family

Law Mediator, and Director of

Collier Family Lawyers and Cairns

Mediations.

: 0428 526 568

: (07) 4214 5666

: nardine@collierlawyers.com.au

: www.collierlawyers.com.au

I say it all the time, co-parenting after

separation is very hard, but I have just

seen it become even more so in the face

of so much uncertainty and fear. Things

are changing daily and parents are

understandably very concerned about

the safety of their children in this crisis.

Here are my top tips for Parenting in

a Pandemic (taking some inspiration

from the Family Court/Federal Circuit

Court recent release for parents/carers

on their website).

#1 – Follow existing arrangements

and in particular court orders, as

best you can, while you can. Strictly

following court orders may no longer

be possible; for example, the handover

place you have been using is now closed.

Many state borders are also closed. So

find a practical solution – a different

place. Extra time next school holidays.

#2 – Have sensible conversations

NOW - not only about your ability

to comply with current orders; but

what will happen in the event of a

lockdown. Try to adopt a practical,

“common-sense approach”, that

keeps to the ‘spirit of the orders’; but

most importantly always considering

the safety and best interests of your

children. The best outcome for your

children is if you can work together

to vary arrangements so that children

maintain contact with each parent in a

safe way.

Record any agreements about new

parenting arrangements, in writing.

#3 – Try to understand the

concerns of the other parent

when negotiating new or revised

arrangements. If you are proposing

the other parent’s time with the child is

restricted, unless they can understand

your concerns, they will be opposed

to what you suggest. Be mindful that

your idea of what is ‘safe’ in this new

world may not be the same as the

other parent. What can you do to find

CityLife LAW

a solution? If you are the parent who

wants to keep the children with them,

look at arranging extra contact with the

other parent such as Skype, Facetime

or telephone. Perhaps ‘make-up’ time

could be considered, if appropriate.

#4 – Mediation is still a great

option. The court website advises that

if parents are unable to agree they can

make an on-line application to vary

existing orders, however unless it is a case

involving family violence, child abuse or

is urgent, parents are still required to

make a genuine effort to try and sort it

out their dispute through family dispute

resolution (mediation) before filing an

application for parenting orders.

If you do file an application don’t

expect the court will be able to act

quickly except in urgent cases or where

the court considers children are at risk.

The court is operating in very difficult

circumstances and can only deal with

priority matters.

#5 – Get advice. Not just from your

lawyer but from health professionals,

schools etc. Be up to date with the

latest government advice, it might have

changed overnight.

Unfortunately I foresee many

situations arising where there will be

no agreement, where one parent feels

they have had a care arrangement

imposed on them by the other parent.

This is why it is important to talk about

these issues now. You don’t want to be

having these conversations in the panic

of a lockdown. (At the time of writing

this article there has been no such

announcement but the indication is, it

could happen).

Finally, a plug for KEEP IT IN

CAIRN$ (#doitwithalocal) campaign.

Every single person in Cairns will have

been affected by this virus. We all know

someone who is now out of work. If we

can spend every dollar locally we help

keep businesses open and locals in jobs.

• All Family law matters

• Affordable Rates

• Flexible Payment Options

• Family & Workplace Mediation

• Wills

Nardine Collier

M: 0428 526 568 P: (07) 4214 5666

www.collierlawyers.com.au


CityLife WELLBEING

BEATING

ISO BLUES

WITH HEALTHY FOOD

ALLI FIELDING

Alli Fielding

Owner

Longevity Cairns Central and

Smithfield

: +61 400 078 456

: CAIRNS CENTRAL SHOPPING CENTRE

Cnr Mcleod & Spence Street. Cairns

LONGEVITY SMITHFIELD

Cnr Kennedy Highway & Capt Cook

Highway, Smithfield

: www.eat4longevity.com.au

While I am an introvert and love an

excuse to be alone, for many people, i.e.

parents, well let’s just say school is not

just for the benefit of the child!! Jokes

aside, for many of us the whole corona

thing is having real impact on our lives

and is proving to be a real challenge.

Now more than ever it’s super

important that we keep ourselves as

healthy as possible – hence, we must

resist the temptation to curl up in our

PJ’s with hours of Netflix for two weeks

straight!

Just as your car will stop working

with bad fuel, your body cannot fight

off infection with bad nutrients, but

we can support our immune systems

with good food. Here are a few options

available to you:

1. If you can’t eat fresh, eat frozen

Make sure you include lots of veggies

in your diet. Lots of local producers

are doing fruit and vegetable deliveries

and are delivering to your front door.

Frozen is fine as manufacturers freeze

at the optimum times so that they

maintain the same nutritional value as

their fresh counterparts. Just check no

added sugar or sodium.

2. Back off the carbs

Yes, everyone has filled their cupboards

with pasta, but eating pasta every day

can leave you sluggish and make it

difficult to maintain a positive outlook.

3. Have a balanced mix of

vitamins and minerals to boost

your immunity

Vitamin C. Most people know vitamin

C’s connection to the immune system,

but did you know that you can get it

from much more than just citrus fruits.

Leafy green vegetables such as spinach,

kale, capsicum, and sprouts are also

excellent sources.

Vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant

that helps your body fight off infection.

Almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and

sunflower seeds are all high in Vitamin

E. So are spinach and broccoli if you

prefer to increase your intake through

meals rather than snacks.

Zinc, recent research has suggested

that zinc can help control infections

by helping reduce out of control

inflammation. Zinc can be found in

lean meats poultry, yogurt, chickpeas

and baked beans (but skip the kind with

added sugar).

4. Keep Hydrated

Yeah, it’s that simple. But also, that easy

to forget. If you’re in a great routine of

drinking 2+ litres of water a day, that’s

awesome. But here’s the thing about

isolation – it’s not routine.

Try setting an alarm on your phone

to go off every 60 minutes, to get up

and have a drink. Rather than fill up

a water bottle and keep it with you,

use this time to get up and walk to the

kitchen to poor yourself a glass. Double

whammy – water AND movement!

Finally, if you really are tired of

hearing, “mum what’s for dinner?”

Longevity have recently launched a

range of healthy, tasty meals which are

nutritionally balanced and that start

from a very affordable $8, so if you

know someone who is in need please

reach out. Happy to deliver, especially

to those with transport issues.

Above all – stay kind, be safe, take care

of each other & if there is anything we

can do for you, we will do our very best

to help.

Fresh Local Produce

TAKEAWAY& CONTACTLESS HOME DELIVERY

Wholesome meals from $8

Order Online with our app

www.eat4longevity.com.au

CityLife 46

Magazine

The Skin Care Centre of Cairns will help you achieve your new skin without

any skin burning, peeling or blasting. Instead, Environ® Vitamin A skin

treatments will be used to correct the Vitamin A deficiency in your skin

helping you achieve the healthy, radiant skin you desire.

Use this time to get healthier, younger looking skin.

The Skin Care Centre of Cairns can help you achieve this!

As per the COVID-19, Australian Government regulations,

the Skin Care Centre of Cairns has closed its in-store trading to the public.

However we can provide you with any of our products

to maintain your regime.

Please use our contact us page at www.skincarecentrecairns.com.au

We thank you for your understanding at this difficult time.

Be safe and stay indoors where possible.

1st Floor, Traveltown 19-21 Lake Street Cairns | info@skincarecentrecairns.com.au

www.skincarecentrecairns.com.au | ` skincarecentrecairns

TOKUNAI HAIR

# b e h i n d t h e p i n k d o o r

Shop 5, 254 Mulgrave Rd, WESTCOURT , CAIRNS

(07) 40 414 411

Tokunai Hair Channel

Tokunai Hair

Tokunai_hair

www.tokunaihair.com

Fashion: The Salvation Army

(stores Manunda & Smithfield)

Hair: Tokunai Hair

Make up: Hayley Chill

Stylist: Krystle Tokunai

Photography: Krystle Tokunai

Models: Tamsyn Carney & Leilani Eddie


BE HERE

NOW

WITH JAY FROM THE

WILD HEART YOGA TRIBE

Namaste “The highest in us

honours the highest in you”

Jay and the Wild Heart Yoga Tribe team.

: www.wildheartyoga.com.au

It’s so easy to be overcome by fear, stress

and anxiety on any given day but with

COVID-19 we are all easily experiencing at

least one of these a day if not more. Now

is the most important time to embrace a

practice of wellness and self-care and one

of the best and proven methods is through

Meditation and breath work.

Why meditation and breath work?

Because when we still our minds and bring

oxygen into our bodies we find a place

of clarity and mindfulness to move in.

meditation is often thought of as a white

box you go in where there is nothing but

yourself to experience and this just isn’t

true and wouldn’t be helpful for the real

world. Meditation is where we come fully

into the moment and let go of everything

and anything that isn’t happening presently.

This frees up our attention to focus on

what’s right in front of us. When we look to

far forward or back this can trip us up in the

moment because there’s nothing we can do

about the past and there’s no way of telling

what the future holds but if we focus in on

the moment we are able to wisely move in

a direction of growth. It’s in this moment

we have the most capabilities to change our

course in life and with meditation we can

find the course that is most positive to our

overall health.

Think about it. How often have you been

overwhelmed by everything going on in

your life? Meditation is often recommended

as a morning practice because it is such a

beneficial way to start your day. When we

start the day fully present we can check in

on what we really need in life rather than

just what we want. Slowing down really

does win the race. When we take the time

to sit back and let go of our impulses

and reactions we can do what is best for

ourselves in this moment such as eating

healthy or exercising and having meaningful

conversations. It’s when we rush that

usually we do things, say things and react in

ways we regret. Taking the time to sit back

and open our mind up to what’s going on

now, and what we really need to take care

of today gives us clear guidance and clarity

which enables us to move forward without a

cluttered mind of what comes next or what

happened before. We are left with just this

moment to act upon. When we meditate,

we also naturally slow the breath, which

has a very powerful effect on our nervous

system, for example when we are in our

head in our stress we are usually shallow

breathing this type of breathing has us

function in our sympathetic nervous system

which is our fight/flight response, when we

slow the breath down we transition into the

Parasympathetic nervous system which is a

where we move the body back into a place

of peace, calm and healing.

How to meditate

If your new to meditation here are some

very easy ways to begin.

When you wake up take 20 mindful breaths,

make sure you can feel, hear and time your

breaths. I recommend trying to take 4

second inhales, have a conscious pause and

CityLife WELLBEING

then exhaling for 4 seconds pausing again

before your next inhale, but ensure that it

is slow conscious belly breath, think inhale

belly, ribs, chest pause exhale chest, ribs,

belly pause. The next thing I recommend

especially for those who struggle to sit still

is to go for a walk in nature without your

phone. After a while find a place you feel

connected to and sit and try focusing on

the moment, maybe it’s a bug, a leaf or a

cloud and focus on what’s happening in

front of you for a while and I guarantee

you will feel connected and even amazed at

what happens when we really open our eyes

to the moment. Other ways to meditate is

to repeat a mantra or a phrase a number

of times, it can be simple like “I am at

peace” or perhaps spiritual like reciting

the Yantra Mantra 108 times if you’re

into that. Chanting, singing, painting,

gardening, yoga and playing games are all

other great ways of taking your mind into

a natural meditation and you will receive

many of the benefits. You do not need to

sit still to meditate but there is a benefit and

something to just sitting with yourself so I

do recommend you try it eventually and

maybe just start with 5 minutes. One of our

favourite sayings is “If you don’t have time

to meditate for 5 minutes, then meditate for

an hour”.

The scientific benefits

Studies have shown that when you give

yourself some headspace from meditation

it will improve your memory, mood, focus,

compassion, work and will relieve stress,

depression and aggression. There are

many more benefits that include feeling

connected to the whole and being able to

more genuinely connect to those around

you. There is no doubt that if you dedicate

yourself to meditate daily you will see your

life change for the better. Thea hardest part

is creating the habit. We recommend setting

a 2 month goal or 67 days to be precise of

some sort of regular meditation practice

to really get the benefits. Recoding these

experience in a journal can also really add

to your experience and will show you how

much changed during the process.

At Wild Heart Yoga Tribe we incorporate

all kinds of meditation techniques from

breathing, to movement and stillness. Yoga

is intimately connected to mindfulness

and meditation and can be a great way

of learning how to focus on the moment,

calm the mind, and gaining full body

awareness. If you enjoyed this article and

are keen to give it a go we would love to

help you out. Currently you can join us

on Facebook though the Wild Heart Yoga

Tribe Members group. We have all types

of classes so you are guaranteed to find the

one that suits you. We offer 21 live stream

classes a week that are then posted and able

to be re-watched at any time for $15 a week

and are working to release a high quality

app soon.

Thanks you so much for taking the time

to read this and we sincerely hope you can

find hope and inner peace even in these

challenging times.


CityLife Socials

#becausefashion

by Tokunai Hair

CityLife 54

Magazine

CityLife Socials

#becausefashion

by Tokunai Hair


CityLife FASHION

PIP ADDISON’S TIPS ON HOW TO HAVE

A SUCCESSFUL WARDROBE CLEAR OUT!

With time at home on our hands I know we will be looking for anything to keep our minds busy, not to mention occupying kids and

thinking of activity’s that take up more than 10mins, or fighting with them to get off their devices!

I wanted to share my tips on how to do a successful clear out of your wardrobe. Studies have shown being organised and having your

home in order has proven to help with confidence, better sleep, and stronger decision making, and not to mention being less anxious.

Pip’s step by step guide will help

you to get the best results.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO PRIOR TO STARTING

Do you own a full-length mirror and is it placed in your bedroom? This does not

mean in another room for example in a kid’s bedroom. If not now is the time to get one!

You can get a cheap one that sticks on the back of your door from a department store if

room is a factor. You need to see yourself in full length.

WARDROBE

OVERHAUL!!

When was the last time you tackled this job?? Now is

the time to reinvent your outfits, recycle, repair and

declutter. It may be overwhelming, even the thought

of it for some (I know as I visit and help many people

in this situation!!) but I do promise you will feel so

good afterwards! You will find things you forgot about,

once you get rid of what you don’t need you will enjoy

wearing what you do have.

How to wear 1 item in your

wardrobe at least 3 ways.

EXAMPLE - YOUR LBD

DAY WORK NIGHT

Make sure you have all the same coat hangers. This means removing all wire

hangers and replacing with either all white or black, or wood as examples. By keeping to

the same colour throughout will give a unified look. (It makes a huge difference!) Make sure

you hang clothes all in the same direction starting from the left, unless you are left-handed

and therefore starting from the right.

Good lighting – check your lightbulbs and depending on the natural light in your room if

you have a dark space maybe opt for cool lights instead of warm as it will be much brighter.

Something to store your accessories in that you can easily access and see what

you have, this includes hats and bags.

Keep accessories close to your mirror and wardrobe so you actually can see your options

and then in turn will have time to change things up day to day. If you have them buried in

a jewellery box or in your draws in boxes, you will most likely not bother or not have time

to put them on. Donate or discard anything you do not wear unless it is sentimental. Stop

hanging on to things that just take up room.

You will need 4 bags.

This will be for pack away, alterations, donations, and throw away items.

A pen and paper

This is to note down things as you are going through, this helps when you go shopping to

only look for what you need.

*2 jackets to the dry cleaners

*Alter length on jeans and fix button

*Pair of work shoes

*White shirt

*Couple of new options for weekend

*Pair of earrings for evening

And so on…

Images credit to their owner

CityLife 60

Magazine

CityLife FASHION

Make sure you have time set aside and you are in the mood

as you don’t want to start and not finish it.

LET’S GET STARTED!

Start with small sections at a time - Everything

has to come out of your wardrobe, in draws

and on shelves included!

Depending on your wardrobe space and design think

about how it will work most efficiently for you, for

example I have my wardrobe in set styles of skirts,

shirts, dresses, pants and so on, then colour coded as I

am a mood dresser and my job allows for that flexibility,

but if your wardrobe is predominately corporate attire

then separating your workwear from your leisure will

work better for you. This way you know what you need

to add, what is lacking and in the morning rush you

have everything together to see your options.

Shoes

Start with your shoes pull them all out (from

everywhere) car, garage and so on.. keep all the ones

you like and are in good order and place them back

in their space as you see fit with your lifestyle. I usually

place all heels together, sneakers, flats, work and so on.

If you have a boot for example that needs to be re soled

put that in the alterations bag, shoes that have fallen

apart discard, and shoes you have out grown or not

comfortable or you don’t know why you even bought

them in the first place?? put in the donation bag.

Wardrobe

Remove everything and put onto your bed (If

you share with your partner do your side first), then

start sorting into their groups. If you have sport gear

taking up too much space ,winter knits and ski gear for

example put them in a separate bag, suitcase or even

better get some vacuum bags as you only need them

for certain times not on a regular basis.

If you have things with stains can they be removed?

if so put in the alterations bag, if not then it’s the

throw away bag. Same rules apply for things that have

holes in it. If you have clothes with tags still on from 6

months ago, never worn in 1 year, or does not fit and

it’s not likely too in the near future then it’s time to

donate it. Be ruthless!! If you really can’t decide put

it to the side in a separate pile and decide once you

finish. With sentimental items I suggest to hang at the

end of your wardrobe or in a separate draw so that it is

not taking up prime space.

Draws

I put all my gym wear and swimwear in separate draws

as well as shorts and t-shirts. I do this by folding the

Marie Kondo way (look up YouTube) which allows me

to fit a lot in the one draw and be able to see everything

I have.

Underwear and sleep wear

It’s important to include these draws in your clear out.

I always say if you wouldn’t answer the door in it, or go

on a date in them, then throw them away! Underwear

with holes need to go! How many odd socks will you

find?

How can I re-invent and wear my clothes a

different way? When looking at your black dress for

example you may always wear it the same way (for

work perhaps) try thinking of 2 other ways to wear

it. See image where I have shown you a day, work

and night look. When purchasing a new item keep

that 3 way option in mind so that you do not have a

wardrobe full of things you cannot mix and match

with. You would of heard of a capsule wardrobe and

the same rules apply. If you have good basics you can

mix them up with everything.

Get the kids involved with sorting and bagging

and doing their own wardrobes, maybe tackle

each bedroom one at a time together. They

will feel good giving their outgrown clothes to

children in need.

Remember your trash is someone’s else’s treasure!

Especially in what will be a time of need for so many

who are facing huge financial difficulty atm. This

might be the only way you can help by donating your

unwanted clothes. Please make sure they are clean, no

holes or have large stains.

Donate to

Your friends in need

Salvos

Lifeline

Women’s shelters

Vinnies

Australia Red Cross

May your days be brighter again soon! xx

Pip Addison

FOR MORE FASHION TIPS

FOLLOW ME ON INSTA -

PIPADDISONFASHIONSTYLIST

CityLife FITNESS

HOME WORKOUT YOUR FITNESS CAIRNS

Working from home, home schooling, social

distancing, housework, tele-meetings, facetime,

groceries, checking emails … exercise is the last

thing I need to think about right – WRONG!!

With life as we know it changing and physical

interaction being limited now, more than ever,

keeping active is vital.

We all know exercise helps our body and mind,

however during times of crisis exercise is the first

activity we tend to ignore. If you are now working

or studying from home or not currently working

you will be missing the “incidental” exercise you

normally do during your time at the office or uni.

Alternatively, if you are the kind of person who

likes to get active in a group, your usual “go to’s”

like gym classes or team sports are no longer an

option.

So what are we left with? The most tempting

option might be to settle in on the couch for the

long haul, but this is the opposite of what we

should be doing. Instead now is the time to work

out how you can integrate exercise of any form

into your daily or weekly routine.

Working out from home does not have to be hard

and with a few tweaks to your routine you can

make it through lockdown a whole lot healthier.

DESIGN YOUR WORKOUT SPACE

It is best not to exercise in the same place you

watch TV or eat. This will help you focus and

stay committed during your workout. Setting up a

gym space means you have everything you need in

one spot, so you spend less time looking for things

during your workout.

DON’T STRESS ABOUT NOT HAVING

GYM EQUIPMENT

There are so many body-weight exercises, most of

which involve many different muscle groups at the

same time, which allows you to burn calories and

build muscles with fewer exercises. If you don’t

have weights and you want to add extra resistance

look around the house & improvise. Water bottles,

soup cans, house steps, ladders and wheelbarrows

can all be incorporated into a workout.

SCHEDULE YOUR WORKOUT

Working out from home can be a double-edged

sword. On one hand it gives you the freedom

to workout whenever you like, however, it can

also make it easier to miss sessions or become

distracted. To keep yourself accountable schedule

your workouts in your diary at times you know you

will stick to. Keeping this schedule in view will

help you remember it is time to exercise.

YOU ONLY NEED 30 MINUTES & GOOGLE

Workouts don’t need to be long to be affective. All

you need is 20-45 mins and some space to move

around. It isn’t about the length of your workout

it is about what you put into it. If you are not

following a program from a gym or personal

trainer Google is your best friend when it comes to

finding workout’s.

PUT ON YOUR WORKOUT GEAR

If you are not leaving the house it might be

tempting to stay in your PJ’s which can make you

feel lazy. When you are scheduled to workout

throw on your gym clothes and shoes. Studies

suggest that simply wearing workout gear can

help motivate you to exercise. Remember the old

saying “dress for success”.

Exercise is a great stress-reducer, so it is important

to stay active. Find your balance and make it work

as part of your daily routine.

Follow Your Fitness Cairns on Facebook or

Instagram for some great weekly workout’s.

SIMPLE BEGINNER

BODYWEIGHT

CIRCUIT

(Complete all exercises consecutively,

rest for 1-2 minutes, repeat 3 times)

SQUATS

45 seconds

JUMPING JACKS

45 seconds

PUSH UPS

45 seconds

STATIC LUNGE

45 seconds

(each leg)

GLUTE BRIDGE

45 seconds

PLANK HOLD

45 seconds

CityLife 62

Magazine

ENJOY YOUR OWN

SEASIDE HAVEN

Words by Janie Barton

Executive Retreats

Ph: 1800 631 566

www.executiveretreats.com.au

Fresh sea breezes waft through the

luxurious house day and night. The

soothing sounds of the waves lapping

up on shore are a relaxing start to the

day and a perfect way to fall asleep

at night. While it may sound like a

dream, the reality is you can enjoy this

experience anytime.

ReNewell, a spacious absolutebeachfront

holiday home on a prime

position at Newell Beach just outside

of Port Douglas, is the ultimate

way locals and visitors experience a

holiday they’ll never forget.

The golden shores of the beach are

only a hop, skip and a jump away

from this perfect holiday retreat.

Sensational Coral Sea views can

be seen from the vast timber deck

and throughout the house or can be

enjoyed while stretching out on a

hammock under coconut palms next

to the beach.

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom

home accommodates up to eight

people and has everything you could

possibly want for a dream escape.

A large saltwater horizon pool is also

heated for the cooler months. Spacious

indoor areas join the covered outside

entertainment area, which includes its

own kitchen and gas barbecue.

The sleek, modern kitchen inside is a

chef ’s dream and includes all the latest

conveniences such as a Nespresso

machine, Italian-made ILVE cooking

appliances and a dishwasher.

While most guests prefer to have the

sea breezes blow through the house,

the home is fully air-conditioned

and also includes a large lounge

and entertainment area where

you can enjoy your favourite TV

shows or movies. As well, there is a

separate entertainment room that

can be divided by folding doors for a

children’s retreat, which also has a TV

and DVD player.

This fabulous holiday retreat also

comes with Wi-Fi, games, books, a

collection of DVDS and includes full

laundry facilities. Linen and beach

towels are also provided.

While the Executive Retreats home is

sensational in the day, it’s also magical

at night. Lights shine on coconut trees

to create the perfect holiday ambience

and the sparkling lights from the

glittering night sky that can be seen on

the quiet beach enhance that magical

feeling.

For lovers of spa indulgences, you can

even enjoy your own spa treatments

in house.

In the comfort and luxury of your

own retreat you can be pampered

with treatments like foot soak,

manicure, pedicure, a full body desert

salt exfoliation, a warm mapi mud

body wrap, facial and a rejuvenating

massage, helping you to re-energise

while feeling totally spoiled.

While the home is just five minutes

from Mossman and 20 minutes

from the popular seaside village of

Port Douglas, the majority of guests

who visit ReNewell just can’t bring

themselves to leave this seaside haven.

Once you visit, you’ll see exactly why

they never want to leave.

ReNewell is also the perfect spot for

weddings, birthdays and all special

occasions.

To book, contact Executive Retreats,

which specialise in providing unique

holiday homes, apartments and villas

for all occasions.

Keep it in Cairns

& SHOP WITH A LOCAL!

PICCONES IGA - HOW THE LOCALS LIKE IT.

Piccones Shopping Village on Pease St

159 Pease St, Manoora QLD 4870

Phone: 07 4042 6200

Opening Hours:

Mon to Fri 8AM - 9PM

Saturday 8AM - 6PM

Sunday 9AM - 6PM

The Piccone family

contribute up to

$200,000 a year in

helping out their local

community because

looking after their

community is just

what they do!

Piccones Shopping Village Edmonton

3-9 Green St, Edmonton QL 4869

Phone: 07 4245 8500

Opening Hours:

Mon to Sun

5AM - 12 (Midnight)

PICCONES

SUPA

CityLife Magazine Second Quarter 2020

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