Conversations In Noosa

Opening and successfully running your own business is one thing. Doing it when you've been diagnosed with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and autism is an achievement that deserves recognition and much respect. A year ago, my next guest was out of a job and out of options. Today he's operating a successful coffee shop on the Sunshine Coast. Everyone has a story and I'd like you to meet Harrison Hedges.

If you Google the name Ashton Wood and the brand Jeep, you'll discover that my next guest had a protracted 'beef' with Jeep over a vehicle that he called a 'lemon'. The relationship between Ashton and Jeep is a lot better these days, in fact, Jeep dealerships are helping Ashton with a project, getting unwanted mobile phones into the hands of victims of domestic violence. Everyone has a story and today I'd like you to meet Ashton Wood.

My next guest's adventurous spirit saw her leave her rural setting in the north of England and settle in Australia when she fell in love with an Aussie bloke which resulted in her mum promptly buying an airline ticket to head down under to see what all the fuss was about. A back injury many years ago was the catalyst for Julia to start painting and the walls of her gallery on Gateway Drive, Noosaville is full of bright inspirational work. And that's where we met to record this podcast. Everyone has a story and today I'd like you to meet Julia Carter.

If your mum or dad worked in the arts, do you think they would encourage or strongly discourage you from following in their footsteps? Rory is the son of the most produced playwright in the history of Australian theatre, his father is David Williamson. Here's an opportunity for you to be a fly-on-the-wall as Rory and I talk about his dad, what it was like for the Williamson family growing up in Balmain, and what was it that Rory discovered in an old filing cabinet that set him off on his current career? Williamson & Co is about to throw open the doors on its new premises, shop 2/28 Sunshine Beach Road, Noosa Heads. Everyone Has A Story and today I'd like you to meet Rory Williamson.

My next guest is a Noosa highflyer with a long and varied career, from hospitality to television and radio and now real estate. Kate works for Reed & Co Estate Agents and she currently has a listing, Stonelea, Cooroy Mountain Noosa Hinterland, that just might set a new record price for Noosa real estate property prices.

Ok, so we've had a global lock-down because of COVID-19, and now we're in a recession. What's next for the Noosa Real Estate market?

The rise of craft breweries and independent brewers has been phenomenal over the last five years. Brothers Lance and Craig Masterton from Heads of Noosa Taproom, have always had a passion for beer, brewing and diarising their results, sometimes as many as three to four hundred times, making sure that the flavour profiles are palatable and to their liking. Why did the brothers decide to go big when building the large brewing facility in Rene Street, Noosa? What are the goals for the brand in the next five years? And who's responsible for that, outstanding Japanese Lager that they have on tap?

Imagine a life, where you spend your childhood between Switzerland and Spain and celebrities like Andy Warhol and Allen Jones are regular party guests at your parents' home. This was Zoe's life growing up with renowned British pop artist Peter Phillips as her father. These days, Zoe, along with her father Peter, husband Read and their young daughter, all call Noosa home. What brought them here? Why did Zoe send herself off to boarding school in the United States? And is it true that her dad would trade his art for parcels of land all over the world?

Giving kids an opportunity and a chance to excel with their education, growing confidence and ambition for children who have experienced a challenging upbringing is a rewarding experience for my next guest, Tara Bell, CEO of Noosa Chances

Providing care and support for a loved one with a terminal illness is not something that most of us think about often. The 'circle of life' means we'll all have to consider the options at some stage and if the cold, clinical, institutional operation of a nursing home leaves you despondent, it's comforting to know that there's a place like Katie Rose Cottage. There's a line in the podcast you're about to hear, with Katie Rose Cottage chair Carol Raye, that really struck me, 'There is such a thing as a beautiful death'.

Have you ever wondered how the great fashion designers and labels got started? What if I told you that from humble beginnings at the Eumundi Markets, in the Noosa hinterland in Queensland, Dui Cameron has seen her colourful Boom Shankar fashion label grow into a super successful global business? In this podcast we'll examine the Boom Shankar business model and explore why it's critical to surround yourself with the right people for your business and brand. I hope you enjoy the pod. Dui and I recorded it just outside the Boom Shankar office, in the Peregian Village square.

Juan Ford is IN Noosa Magazine's spring issue cover artist. We met at the official opening of Floating Land at Boreen Point. He went from studying engineering to the fine arts and his discipline and approach to creating his work is unique.

Leroy Faure spent six years in the army, serving in Timor. His love of discipline, army regimentation and fitness guided him into his current career as a personal trainer. It's true, that if you operate a business and you're not online then your business or brand can only reach customers who walk in through your front door and your reach extends only to people you meet locally. The Fit Dad Lifestyle, created by Leroy, is an online training course which means Leroy's brand extends around the globe.

Sue is featured as our inspiring person in the spring 2019 issue of IN Noosa Magazine. A few years ago, Sue was diagnosed with breast cancer and her experiences, within the public health system, exposed several gaps in the way women were being treated. As a result, Sue developed and launched an app called Just Diagnosed, that is now available on both Apple and Google Play.

Stew is a hairdresser who currently works at Pony Hair and Beauty Noosa. He's a colourful Englishman who grew up in some of the roughest parts on the outskirts of London, places like Gravesend. In this podcast we talk about working your way up to the top of the football firm, street violence, survival, and the career and Australian soap that led him to Bondi and then onto Noosa. It's a fascinating chat recorded in Pony's new barber shop called SIR Barber Lounge

Wes Carr is better known as the winner of the sixth season of Australia Idol, however, his appearance on that reality show is only a small part his story. Wes is a real musician with genuine passion and knowledge of the artists that formed the building blocks of today's popular music. He knows what it's like to make a living as a working musician by gigging every night and he's paid his dues in clubs and pubs across Australia. In this podcast we talk Beatles, writing with Don Walker, recording and releasing his music, his family and calling Noosa his new home. Wes has got a brand-new album coming out in September this year called This Thing Called Life and a show at the J Theatre Noosa on September.14.

Pete Goodlet is a local artist and landscape designer who has, as we mention early in the podcast you're about to hear, many strings to his bow. He grew up with eight siblings in East Ivanhoe, Victoria and in this pod we talk about working with Jamie Durie, just as Jamie's star was on the rise. We discuss coming out to his parents, the death of his mum recently, his kids, and we compare living in Noosa to other communities and places where Pete's lived.

It's not everyday that you get to sit down and have a conversation with the general manager of one of Noosa's top restaurants. IN this podcast I speak with David Jouy from Rickys River Bar and Restaurant. We cover David's hospitality journey from France to England and here in Australia. What's the secret to managing creative staff like chefs? What influences are uniquely David's on the way Rickys is run? We talk business plan, challenges and the role technology plays in hospitality these days.

Talking real estate is always popular, the last time we spoke to Adrian Reed from Reed & Co Real Estate Noosa, it was one of our most listened to podcasts. Since then, we've had a few different factors and events that may have had an impact on the property market. A federal election, an RBA cash rate cut and just where is Noosa Council at when it comes to their new Noosa Plan, potentially restricting short-term holiday letting to specially zoned areas. And that's where we start this podcast.

You might recognise the name Tim Loydell from his time in Brisbane band The Deckchairs. In this podcast we talk about his involvement in that 'lifestyle' band, hitchhiking as a solo musician across Australia, settling a rough crowd in a Western Australian pub by playing Waltzing Matilda and we also explore the world of slam poetry. The pod starts with Tim's current role with Noosa Alive.