Cb: How did you end up in the pointy end of the plane?

Shari: I used to watch pilots walk through the airport and think they were so cool. I thought, “I want to be one of them, I CAN be one of them!” Aerobatic flights go over my parents’ place in the Hunter Valley and when I saw them doing all of their tricks I knew I wanted to be up there.

Grace: When I was younger, I wanted to be an air hostess. But after a trial flight here I decided I didn’t want to be an air hostess; I wanted to fly the thing! Flying is a combination of everything I love: It’s hands on, it’s learning about aero physics and meteorology…so many things I’ve always been passionate about all in one. It’s never the same. The conditions, the amount of air traffic, it’s always something new and it’s just so thrilling every time.

Kamla: My family came to Australia when I was a baby so I’ve always travelled and loved everything about planes.Mum even made me little plane dinners at home! When I was 13, my brother and I started at Aviation Futures. I got all my hours up but I was a year too young to go for my solo license. I started working at Coopers Surf and that was my weekends gone so I stopped flying. I got into Aviation Technology at uni but I wasn’t ready to move to Sydney, so I stayed here and studied business. It wasn’t until 2018 after I got married and had my daughter that I was able to come back. I’d ripped Mark’s ad out of a magazine and put it in the back of my diary. When I was ready, I pulled that ad out and called him.

Cb: Can you describe the feeling of flying a plane? 

Grace: It’s so thrilling. The take offs especially. You just go full throttle over five seconds. I think once you understand how much control you have over the plane and how responsive it is to your own controls, from there you realise it is quite safe. 

Kamla: I don’t know about you guys but I love turbulence! It’s like a pothole in the road when you’re driving a car.

Shari: One of the first things Mark said to me was, “Bumps will come, and bumps will go”. It’s just going to rock you around; nothing is going to happen.

Grace: He says if it kicks you, you kick it back! It’s Mark’s humour that gets me through. Once we were on final turn, which is really important. You have to make sure you’re at your correct height and descending nicely. You’re coming in at the right speed then all of a sudden, the wind will just kick a wing down and Mark’s like, just kick it back! When there’s high danger, it seems I’m enjoying myself the most. I can’t stop giggling! 

Cb: Does it take a certain type of person, or could anyone do this? 

Kamla: I think everyone has their own little hurdles and things they get stuck on. For me it was landing. I would come here six weeks in a row, three days in a row and practice but I would never get it. But then Rod (principal of Christian Community School, who established the flying school) told me he had the same problem years ago. I was looking down and the ground was coming up really fast and everything in me said NO. Rob told me I needed to train my eyes and look straight down the runway, just see the ground in my peripheral vision. Now it makes sense but sometimes I still catch myself doing it. 

Grace: Landing the plane when you’re travelling at more than 130 kilometres an hour goes against everything that feels right! We also do this thing called flaring which is where we point the nose of the plane up to land the back wheels first. You can’t really see the runway anymore, so you just have to trust that you’ve lined everything up straight.

Cb: What are your future aspirations? 

Grace: I’d like to get my commercial license eventually. And it takes a lot of hours, a lot of training and a lot of experience but I’d eventually love to work for Air Ambulance or Flying Doctors. I think it would be incredible to use aviation to support people all over the country. 

Shari: I just want to have fun! I want to fly down and see my family for the weekend. I would love to do rescuing and support in some way but whether that’s a reality for me…I don’t have great eyesight and that is important to fly. I’ll stick with the little fun flights around Australia. I would love to learn aerobatics too. 

Kamla: I would like to do what Mark does, be an instructor. I think that’s a future I can have without leaving Coffs Harbour. I would like to do my general aviation so I can fly a bigger plane, too.

Cb: Aviation is a male-dominated industry. Should more women become pilots? 

Shari: I’m a primary school teacher and I’m finding that the girls coming through realise they can do whatever they want which is probably a different mindset to the generation before. I’m hoping girls will see that this is not just a man’s thing. Especially as they start to see more women out there. 

Grace: I’ve definitely had a few comments, even from people I’ve met in passing. I think the worst was, “Don’t you have to be really smart to be a pilot?” But within this school itself, the support from absolutely everyone has been amazing. It’s a really uplifting experience.

Kamla: This is the one place I can come to, and no one really knows who I am or what I do. don’t think Mark even knows what I do for a job. You’re just you, it’s not about who you’re related to or what you do for work. I worked in my dad’s business and now I work in my husband’s business. People say, “You’re so and so’s daughter, you’re so and so’s wife”. But when I’m here I’m just ‘Kamla the pilot’.

Mark White (Chief Flying Instructor): I’ve been teaching for more than 25 years, and I’ve had a lot of students come through, mainly guys. A lot of guys get a big head, or think they know more than you or they blame everything but themselves. The girls take it on board, they get on with it and away they go. There should be more women and girls come through flying. They think it’s just a guy thing. But they can do it and they can do it better. That’s my view as an instructor of more than 25 years.  

The post Meet the Coffs Coast Women Training to be Pilots appeared first on Coastbeat.

“I spend so much time trying to develop colour combinations and they always end up the same,” she laughs. “I make a rainbow – I can’t NOT do it!”

Whether it’s her weavings, rugs, paintings or jewellery, Therese’s unique handcrafted pieces inspire joy. A lifelong curiosity for all things art and craft took her to university where she studied textiles. Therese started her business Ena & Albert while living in Sydney and taught workshops around the country. Ena & Albert products were stocked across the city and things were humming along nicely. She was an Etsy darling and enjoying exciting opportunities like the David Jones Christmas markets. The move to the Coffs Coast came about 12 years after Therese’s partner first suggested it. 

“We got together when I was 20 and he started saying he wanted to leave Sydney pretty much straight away,” she recalls. “When I got into my thirties, I closed down my business and felt ready to leave.”

“We wanted to buy a house and get another dog plus we both love the beach,” Therese continues. “It’s four years this year here and we have absolutely no regrets.” 

Colours in Kaleidoscope 

As Therese settled into her new life on the coast, she enjoyed creating just for the fun of it. When she caught wind of Kaleidoscope Coffs Central’s opening, the small fire inside her was stoked. 

“The idea of Kaleidoscope got me really excited – I felt ready to make and sell again.” 

Therese is inspired by the space and her fellow makers. She only set up shop a few weeks ago but she’s already thinking of possible collaborations. Therese acknowledges that the price of handmade items can be daunting for some but explains that each piece requires serious time, skill and love. She’s working on smaller pieces like woven eye patches to make her work a tad more accessible.

“Little handmade things are like a gateway drug,” Therese laughs. “You buy one small thing then turn around and realise your whole house is full of handmade items!”

Shooting and Weaving

It can be difficult to grasp just how much work goes into Therese’s textile pieces. A quick demonstration in her home studio puts the pieces together. Tufting is Therese’s current obsession. She uses the technique to create her retro-looking patterned rugs. 

“You thread your yarn through what looks like a gun, then “draw” onto fabric that is stretched over a frame,” Therese explains. “I’ve been tufting about nine months and it’s the scale that appeals to me – you can go big with it quite quickly.” 

Therese’s pride and joy sits by the window at the front of her studio. The Japanese wooden floor loom was a gift for ten years of service at her last job. The Saori weaving method was founded by Misao Jo when she was in her fifties. 

“A lot of weaving is about perfection whereas the Saori way is about creative expression – finding the joy in making so there’s no such thing as a mistake, that’s just part of the cloth,” says Therese. “It suits me because while there are definitely proper ways to do things, my style is to figure it out myself.”

Find Therese’s textile rugs, bags, mirrors and more at Kaleidoscope Coffs Central and follow her on Instagram. 

The post In Rainbows – Meet the Maker Therese Lyons appeared first on Coastbeat.

 “I was using other products and eventually wound up disillusioned around what works and what doesn’t,” Ruth explains when asked what led to the creation Live Now Skincare. “I did my research and formulated a range I knew would be active and effective.”

Ruth studied to become a registered nurse and worked at hospitals in Western Australia before landing a job in the pharmaceutical industry. In the early nineties she travelled around WA teaching doctors, nurses and plastic surgeons to inject collagen. That continued when hyaluronic acid was first introduced in Australia. Ruth was hooked and wanted to dive into the world of cosmeceuticals. That may sound like a made-up word, but cosmeceuticals can be defined as products with active ingredients that sit between a cosmetic and a pharmaceutical. 

Beyond Buff and Fluff 

“If it has an impact on the top layer of the epidermis, and can actually feed into the dermis, plus it’s been clinically trialled and tested, then we can call it a cosmeceutical,” she says. “Ingredients that will have an effect on the skin like Glycolic acid, Salicylic acid, Vitamin A, B and C.” 

But Ruth is careful to add that it’s the amount of those active ingredients which makes all the difference. 

“0.025% concentration of the ingredient is required to exert a photo ageing effect on the skin and anything less will not have a therapeutic effect,” she explains. “We call those cosmetics “buff and fluff” – they will sit on the surface of the face but won’t penetrate the skin.”

Science Backed Hero Ingredients 

Ruth achieved a master’s degree in nursing six years ago and focused her research on the science behind cosmeceuticals. She conducted a meta-analysis of wide-ranging clinical studies and found key “hero” ingredients. Ruth worked with a compounding pharmacist to include them in the current Live Now Skincare range. First up are the alpha-hydroxy acids in the facial cleanser that break down the thick, hardened top layer of skin. From there, Vitamin C serum takes over. 

“It’s like a barge that goes across the river and carries all of the other fantastic ingredients into the dermis,” she explains. “Vitamin C stimulates collagen and plumps up lines and wrinkles.”  

Ruth can’t speak highly enough of Vitamin B3 – found in her Niacinamide serum – as it stimulates elastin, lightens, brightens and makes the skin strong. The Live Now Skincare Ultra Moisturiser contains Vitamin E and A as well as hyaluronic acid. 

“That’s what we inject lips, lines and wrinkles with to plump them up,” Ruth explains. “It draws fluid to the cells and makes skin look really nice and dewy, fresh and hydrated.”

Knowledge is Power 

While the amount of skincare information on the internet can be overwhelming, Ruth acknowledges it can also be empowering. She says it’s more important than ever to research products and ingredients and look beyond the social media hype.   

“Often you’re paying for the packaging or you’re buying the brand name,” Ruth explains. “It’s coveted, and people want it because it’s so expensive, but it may not do more than a product a tenth of the price.”

“I created this range for busy women who don’t have a lot of time to spend on skincare,” Ruth continues. “You want to slap on some acids in the shower, dry your face and quickly put your vitamin C and B3 on, then your moisturiser and out the door!” 

Confidence to Live Now 

As she reflects on her journey to this point, Ruth agrees that she has experienced a sense of empowerment. As she got stronger, she was able to pursue further study and advance her career. Ruth is currently working as a cosmetic injector at Laser Clinics Australia Coffs Central and looks forward to growing her brand. Ruth prides herself on Live Now Skincare’s accessible price point and clear yet comprehensive scientific backing. She’s giving her customers the knowledge to make informed choices, choose products that are genuinely effective and feel confident in their skin. 

Follow Live Now Skincare on Instagram and find out more about the products here.

The post Live Now – Simple and Effective Skincare appeared first on Coastbeat.

What if a business measured its success on the positive impact it had in the community? Or found fulfilment in environmental outcomes? Alison Michalk describes the B Corp certification process as the way for a business to cement its values. 

“The B Corp framework provides a really clear roadmap of hundreds of things that you could do to improve your business,” she explains. “You re-certify every three years and that’s what I really like about it – you have continuous improvement.” 

One of the first steps towards certification is completing the B Impact Assessment or BIA. But Alison warns it isn’t easy. 

“There are over 200 questions, so I suggest companies have a ‘speed date’ – block out 90 minutes and answer as many questions as possible without leaving the screen,” she says.

The BIA is a free tool and gives businesses a good idea of where they currently stand and where they can improve. Companies only pay a fee if they proceed with the certification process. Certified B Corporations and their scores are publicly listed. Alison encourages businesses to look up companies they admire and find out why they are doing so well.

A+ for B Corps

Alison names outdoor clothing and gear brand Patagonia as “the shining star of the B Corp movement”. Closer to home, North Coast brewing company Stone & Wood has her attention. First certified in 2016, the company needed to ensure its entire supply chain met the criteria. 

“That’s really impressive for a company like Stone & Wood,” Alison says. “They do a lot of community work and fund local projects too, so I definitely admire them.”

Sustainability: More Than Green Credentials

B Corps are well placed to attract and retain employees as more people search for companies that align with their ethics and values. Alison notes that a business’s sustainability model isn’t just about its green credentials. She says in a broad sense, business owners need to ask whether they are operating in a way that allows them to exist into the future.

“Because if you don’t treat your workers well, your company probably won’t continue to exist,” Alison explains. “It’s not only about our impact on the earth but it’s our impact on local communities. 

“Are we helping to sustain our local community? Giving them a percentage of our profits? Getting involved in partnerships with other businesses or groups?” 

Alison concludes that innovation isn’t just about creating a new product. 

“If we think about different ways to do business, that’s innovation,” she says. “To say I’m going to re-think my products or services in a way that benefits not just myself but anyone who is impacted by my business.”

Small Business and Beyond Festival

Alison Michalk will be presenting at Coffs Harbour’s Small Business and Beyond Festival. It’s happening on March 30 to April 1 at Jetty Beach House. The festival will bring together 16 speakers and more than 100 local professionals for inspiring sessions and networking. Hear from World Champion surfer Layne Beachly on the winner’s mindset, as well as the CEO of Zero Co, Mike Smith. Plus be the first to see plans for the new Coffs film studio!  

The festival is a collaboration between Coffs Harbour City Council’s 6 Degrees team, Destination North Coast NSW, NBN Co, Alt-Collective, Coffs Coast Business Women’s Network and Sawtell Chamber of Commerce. The Small Business and Beyond Festival will be a feature of NSW Small Business Month happening throughout March.  

The post B Corps: Putting People and Planet Alongside Profit appeared first on Coastbeat.

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The revenge thriller, tells the tale of Amleth, played by Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood). He’s a young prince on a quest to avenge his father’s murder and save his mother from his traitorous uncle. Labelled a ‘Viking Hamlet’, The Northman is by acclaimed director Robert Eggers. SWIFF audiences will be among the first in the country to witness the latest cinematic masterpiece from the visionary director. The Northman fuses the epic majesty of Viking folklore with the vivid world building Eggers is best known for, creating an art-house blockbuster.

All-Star Cast

The film features a formidable cast. There’s Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke and Claus Bang. Then there’s frequent collaborators, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit) and Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse). And in an exciting return to the big screen after a 20-year absence, see Björk (Dancer in the Dark, Best Actress Cannes 2002).

“As a festival made for movie fans by movie fans, SWIFF is thrilled to have an exciting creative voice like Robert Eggers lead off this year’s 40-country tour of world cinema,” says SWIFF Artistic Director Kate Howat. 

The Opening Night Gala will lead off a 16-day, 130-session strong music and film line-up. Tickets are now on sale. The full SWIFF’22 program is to be announced March 18!

Read all about STORYLAND, SWIFF’s live multi-arts and music festival.

The post See The Northman at SWIFF Opening Night appeared first on Coastbeat.

STORYLAND’s Creative Playground

Coffs Harbour’s Park Beach Reserve is the place to be on Saturday April 23. STORYLAND will turn the waterfront precinct into a creative playground for grown-ups. As well as headliner Courtney Barnett, the festval will feature twice Grammy-nominated jazz funk band Hiatus Kaiyote and Melbourne’s dreamy pop artist Hachiku. Get excited for multi-ARIA Award- nominated R&B singer Ngaiire and Gumbaynggiirr and Noongar singer songwriter Emma Donovan. Rounding things out is Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and New Orleans inspired brass band Horns of Leroy.

Explosive EDM in the Yurt Locker

If EDM is more your thing, you can head to the second music stage. An explosive film-themed DJ tent called The Yurt Locker will feature performances from ethnocyberfunk godfather Coco Varma. Veteran Jamaican MC Fitzroy Lee will be there too, along with reggae, dub and jungle turntablist Papa Boom. Catch drum and bass break beats artist DJ Bam and techno revivalist Biz, Coffs Harbour veteran dance DJ Ice G+. And don’t miss bass evangeliser PSUB. 

Prolific First Nations Creative Directors Zakpage and animation artist and musician Caleb Cowie will kick off STORYLAND with an original multi-media narrative artwork.  

An Art Experience

On top of the brilliant acts, the festival will display immersive installation works for patrons to explore their senses. STORYLAND will feature ONE SECOND OF FILM, a 10.5m tall rotating double helix film sculpture designed by Clint Hurrell. MOVIE TRAILER PARK is Sarah Stollman’s three-piece artwork amongst STORYLAND’s makeshift trailer park food trucks. 

“The addition of  STORYLAND into the SWIFF line-up has been years in the making,” says SWIFF and STORYLAND Co-Director and Founder, David Horsley. “The vision has always been to have cutting edge cultural experiences in a regional  coastal paradise.” 

“We look forward to welcoming world class artists to STORYLAND, and to  SWIFF’22 in Coffs Harbour.” 

16 Days of SWIFF

The all-new STORYLAND adds an exciting new live music and arts component to SWIFF’s extensive 16-day film festival program. SWIFF encompasses 120+ feature film screenings, performances and events across multiple venues.

Want more art? See Jan Allsopp’s Complex Simplicity at Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery until May 28.

The post SWIFF’s STORYLAND Unveiled appeared first on Coastbeat.

“I was diagnosed with terminal cancer six years ago,” Jules Cruickshank reveals. “I had a big operation and apparently it’s the largest procedure a human body can undergo.” 

“So, it took me a long time to recover, a few years actually.”

When faced with a personal health emergency, it’s rare for life to continue as it did ‘before’. Perspectives shift and values realign. For Jules, it meant finding a creative outlet that brought her joy. She wanted to devote her time and limited energy to something she loved. 

“So, I thought, okay, I’m going to make candles,” she says matter-of-factly. “As long as can walk up and down the steps to my workspace, I’ll keep making them.”

Candles for Kaleidoscope

Completely self-taught, Jules picked up tips and tricks from suppliers and her own experiments. The learnt that her candles take at least 48 hours to set but it’s best to allow two weeks for the fragrances to really permeate. She now knows which premium wax to use with which shaped candle and how to blend two to create a firm wax. She must monitor the temperature of the wax, temperature of the pour and even the ambient temperature in her workspace.  

When Jules’ health began to improve, she took her creations to Coffs Coast markets. Now she is stocked in numerous stores including Coffs Central’s Kaleidoscope. But she wasn’t quite prepared for the overwhelming response she experienced at the makers’ emporium. 

“Over Christmas I couldn’t keep up with Kaleidoscope!” she recalls. “I had to get friends in to help box, but we did it and it was a good challenge.”

The Gift of a Lingering Rose

This St. Valentine’s Day, Jules is highlighting two special candles that encapsulate a warm and familiar nostalgia. Japanese Honeysuckle and Red Rose Ruby Plum were among her original collection and have remained popular. She’s especially fond of roses but points out her candles can act as lingering roses – and gives a not-so-subtle hint to her husband! 

“My mother loved red roses and she had some rose bushes along the front fence,” Jules explains. “That’s what I remember, and the scent of these candles connect me to that memory.”

Speaking of memories, Jules has so many more to make. She has been cancer-free for five years and plans to continue filling her life with things she loves and enjoys. 

“I’ve decided I’m going to live to between 85 and 95 then I can drop off the perch!” Jules laughs. “As long as I can see my grandkids grow up.” 

Jules’ Candle Tips

1. Make sure you’re burning your candle in a totally safe environment. Don’t go and light a candle near paper, curtains, blinds or anything flammable – even plants.
2. Burn them to their circumference, blow them out and let them go cold then re-light them and they should burn down nicely.
3. If you have a pillar candle and it’s burning more on one side, you just rotate it each hour. If they’re on an uneven surface they’re not going to burn down properly so you can rotate them or make sure they’re on a nice flat surface.
4. Keep watch of your candle but close your eyes every now and then and let its delicious fragrance satisfy your senses! 

Follow Sandy Beach Candles on Instagram and shop for your very own at Kaleidoscope. 

The post Meet the Maker: Sandy Beach Candles appeared first on Coastbeat.

We asked Riley how he feels, having his work acknowledged by the award.

‘I was so honoured to receive the Young Citizen of the Year Award, as there were many nominees that had achieved heartfelt results in the community, in this category.’

What are your plans for 2022?

‘I will continue to serve my community to produce awareness about disability inclusiveness, like the legendary Dylan Alcott. I have a busy year ahead of me and am excited to see how many lives I may have a positive impact on for people with disabilities. But the most exciting thing is we will be a part of the experience together.’

Read the full article here and connect with Riley on Facebook

The post Congratulations Riley Saban! appeared first on Coastbeat.

Coffs Harbour Gallery is celebrating reopening for 2022 with a fabulous collection of ‘happy pictures’ from local artist Jan Allsopp. Complex Simplicity explores how something can be in-depth and multi-layered whilst being easily understood. It offers glimpses of the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Happiness is a Human Right

Allsopp, a happiness enthusiast, has learned that happiness is a daily choice. In her work she shares opportunities for us to also choose happiness. She shows how simple and yet how complicated the feeling of happiness is.

Allsopp developed her own resource, Creating for Happiness, which aims to build a sustainable creative practice and engage happiness as a buildable habit. Her works provide opportunities to view the world through a refreshed lens of wonder.

At Coastbeat we are all for happy sustainability.

What You Need to Know

Take a virtual tour of Jan’s studio or get inspired and visit the gallery!

Complex Simplicity is on show until May 28, 2022.

Interested in more Coffs creativity? Check out our story on Let Them Play Toys.

The post Jan Allsopp – Happiness is a Human Right appeared first on Coastbeat.

Mylchie and the Three Boys: Not Too Busy, Not Too Quiet, Just Right

Love will be in the area when Mylchie Avila stands to pledge her commitment to Australia this Australia Day, cheered on by her three boys: husband and Coastbeat crew member, Zac Robinson, and their two young children.

It’s a classic story of a holiday romance that lasted, becoming a love affair with a new family, a new country and a new town.

Mylchie is from Cebu in the Philippines, where she enjoyed a fulfilling career and a rich social life, in a country where, Mylchie says, ‘camaraderie is very big’. Then her Aussie cousin came to visit, bringing with him his schoolmate Zac, and everything changed. Here at Coastbeat we are familiar with Zac’s charm and determination, so we could have warned her if we’d known…but we don’t think Mylchie minds, although it took a few goes to find a place that could compare to her own Filipino paradise.

‘It was difficult at first,’ Mylchie explains over the phone, in a small break from her youngest boy, who is being weaned at the moment and not sounding happy about it. ‘Sydney is so different – no connection and rush, rush, rush all the time. Then we moved to a rural town and that was too quiet. But Coffs Harbour is just right.’

Just like a fairytale.

We asked Mylchie why gaining Australian citizenship is important to her.

‘It is important to give me more of a sense of belonging. I become a part of Australian society: I have a say, I can vote, and there are more opportunities for the kids. Citizenship represents freedom and security. And no more paperwork!’

How do you manage living with two different cultures?

‘As I grew up in the Philippines, that culture is ingrained in me. Now I am slowly immersing myself in Australian culture by participating in every opportunity. The sense of community here in Coffs is much more like my village.’

What does she love about Coffs Harbour?

‘The beach, the easy-going way of life. And my garden. I love to have the outdoors lifestyle.’

To get to know more people, Mylchie has joined a local netball team, a classic Australian sport, where she plays wing defence. She and Zac also own Cornerstore Frances & Long and a coffee cart, Tin Donkey, which she runs while Zac is at the Coastbeat office.

What does she expect of the citizenship ceremony?

‘An enjoyable day, some socialising and a delicious high tea!’

And as an Australian in the future?

‘I am looking forward to being able to self-actualise and make the most of the opportunities and my full abilities, to be the best version of myself that I can.’

That sounds like a happily ever after.

This year’s Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony will once again take place at the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden in Hardacre Street.

More than 16,000 people from over 150 nations have been invited to become citizens, at one of more than 400 ceremonies being held across the country on Australia Day 2022.

Here at Coffs Harbour we will welcome 88 new Aussies from 25 countries.

The ceremonies will begin at 8.30am. In addition, there will be light music, face-painting and a clay workshop for children with Gumbaynggirr artist Tony Hart.

The post A Fairytale for Australia Day appeared first on Coastbeat.