ABC Gold Coast radio presenter and MC/facilitator of conversations and events.
ABC Gold Coast radio presenter and MC/facilitator of conversations and events.
Bern Young is used to being the person doing the interview, but we’ve switched things up here and Inside Gold Coast is asking the questions! We’ve all heard her on our airwaves as an ABC Gold Coast radio presenter, now we delve a little deeper and find out what Bern loves about presenting, what a bout of long COVID taught her and where to get the best pastries on the Coast.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
12 years (this time) – I moved here with my partner and two, then very young, children in January 2011 but I also lived on the Gold Coast in the late 1990’s when I was a TV reporter for Channel 9 and 7.
What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
To be walking distance to the beach is amazing. I still pinch myself that I get to live in Burleigh, a place I spent so many summer days as a child. I love the growing cultural sector – the HOTA precinct is one of my favourite places. I love that there’s something for anyone and everyone – if you love fishing/boating or working in movies or hiking in pristine national parks or learning higher skills or seeing world class music acts or watching top athletes in AFL, NRL, swimming, surfing, netball and so much more, you can do it here. I do think there’s phenomenal pressure on the city as it continues to grow and I often reflect on how that will inevitably change the things I love, some for the better, some admittedly for the worse.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I love to chat! I’m the person who talks to random strangers on a bus or in a queue. I really do love hearing peoples’ stories. I know lots of people say this but I have a terrible memory for names/faces and before I go to any event I scroll through my phone where I keep notes for different parts of my life eg soccer parents, arts events, politics, etc – I do a quick revision on my way and (mostly) get away with it. I am immensely grateful to have two healthy children and a loving partner and I take care to nurture my family because they are by far the most important thing in my life. And while I am a person with drive and passion, I equally seek to attain and recognise contentment.
What’s the best thing about working on the radio?
I basically get paid to chat to people, which as I mentioned, I love! I’ve always been a curious person, even when I was a child, my Mum will tell you that if I had a school project, she’d find me on the carpet surrounded by encyclopedias researching way more than any teacher expected. I really enjoy delving into information and issues but I was never going to be the kind of journalist who became a foreign correspondent or political reporter, even though I do love a good accountability interview. I really enjoy the breadth of a radio show – from weather and traffic to music or city issues to slice of life. One of my pet subjects is local history because in many ways, radio interviews are like oral history records and some of my most important interviews have been capturing lived experience from times that would otherwise be undocumented.
What has been the biggest career opportunity and/or challenge so far for you?
I had two paths that presented themselves at the same moment – I’ve sometimes called it my Robert Frost moment in reference to his poem, The Road Not Taken. At the end of 2019 I was asked to host Weekend Nightlife on ABC Radio. I had been lobbying for several years to have the chance to present a national program from a regional city and it would have been the first time this show had come from outside of Sydney or Melbourne. When I turned it down I couldn’t even tell them why because unbeknownst to most, I was about to put my hand up to run for Division 13 in the 2020 local government elections. That campaign is by far the biggest challenge I’ve ever undertaken and it taught me many things. Crucially I discovered that while I’m dogged, I don’t have the mongrel quality politics seems to demand.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
What’s on the cards for the rest of 2023?
2023 is going to be so much better than 2022! After contracting COVID in early January last year, I ended up with Long COVID and it was heartbreaking to miss so much of the life I love. I had no energy to take my kids to sport or visit friends or bake cakes or sew or exercise or visit friends or even hold a conversation sometimes. I barely scraped through my job, only managing to work four hours a day, four days a week. This year I want to burst out of my Burleigh bubble. It’s too easy to stick to the things you know and love so I want to see places I either haven’t seen or don’t see often enough. Whether that’s the northern reaches of the cane fields around Cabbage Tree Point, the western outlook from Tamborine or the swimming holes and waterfalls of the hinterland.
What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café/coffee spot: Tarte at Burleigh Heads – everything is good but their baked goods are ridiculously delicious.
Restaurant: Rabbath’s Lebanese restaurant, also at Burleigh. There’s a pattern here isn’t there?! Patrick Rabbath is the ultimate host, matching drinks with the finest food. Highly recommended.
Bar or place for a drink: I’ve had some memorable nights at Stingray Bar at the QT. And then why not stay the night!
Beach: Oh wow, save the hardest question until last. We have so many amazing beaches – can I go Top 3? 3. Miami – It’s such an amazing expanse of sand with that open beach feel. 2. Burleigh Heads – The cove is wondrous. 1. Tallebudgera Creek – I’ve been swimming there since camping holidays when I was only 1 or 2 years old and my beautiful Mum calls it “God’s own creek”.
How do you choose to spend your days off?
It’s funny having a weekend that’s Sunday/Monday because my second day off can easily become a day of family/life admin with appointments, etc so where possible I prioritise rest and relaxation for at least a few hours when the kids have gone to school and Fletch has gone to work. After being forced to rest for hours and days on end while suffering Long COVID, you might think I’d now run a mile (or walk!) to be active but instead I’ve come to value the importance of restorative rest. It’s impossible to explain to my “busy” friends but I wish they could learn the lesson without having to do it the hard way via illness.
Nicole Dyer is a well-known member of the local Gold Coast community, having hosted every program at the ABC Gold Coast since joining the station more than 15 years ago. Nicole has recently been announced as the Gold Coast Open House Ambassador for 2022.
With the Gold Coast’s unique history, colourful personalities and rapidly changing landscape, Nicole says this presents a unique challenge for architecture and buildings on the Gold Coast.
We found out a bit more about Nicole, including her favourite architectural gems on the Gold Coast and her top pick for a cuppa.
Tell us a bit about you. (Both personally & professionally)
My passion for radio began while I was studying journalism at the Queensland University of Technology….I always loved drama and acting so the idea of becoming a radio broadcaster really appealed to me.
After my degree …I moved to Melbourne because I was in love and while that relationship didn’t work…I found a new passion working in community radio which gave me the experience to get jobs at commercial radio stations up and down the eastern seaboard from Townsville to Sydney for 13 years…before landing at ABC Gold Coast.
Seriously? Who doesn’t want to work a block from the beach.
Breakfast radio hours are crazy and my partner who is also a journalist works at the opposite end of the day in Brisbane – so we play tag team with our 12 year old and write plenty of messages on the fridge whiteboard. I do a lot of driving on the M1 so I have a special bond with listeners who drive the Pacific Motorway every day.
You are the Gold Coast Open House Ambassador for 2022. For those who may not be familiar what is the Gold Coast Open House
GCOH is like getting a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory…a chance to go inside innovatively designed homes and be inspired. As well as the private houses you get to experience spaces and places that are otherwise out of bounds or perhaps not on your radar such as the Desalination Plant, Broadwater Chapel by the Sea or the Ernest Junction Rail Tunnel.
This FREE event is for anyone who appreciates architecture or wants to become an architect. It also includes free guided tours and a stack of panel discussions such as future proofing homes and cost-effective backyard extensions.
My advice is to book ASAP as places go pretty fast, especially for private homes.
How did you come to be the ambassador Gold Coast Open House for 2022?
I’ve always had a fascination for how others live and how they design their homes to get maximum joy out of it – so when the former city architect and GCOH spokesperson Philip Follent asked If I wanted to help share the word about this event – it was a no brainer.
What are your favourite Gold Coast architectural gems?
I love driving past the Southport Bathing Pavilion which was built in the 1930’s….as it immediately takes me back to the Gold Coast of old…when beach culture was emerging as a real past time.
I also love the HOTA gallery for its design, colours, and innovation. A couple of years ago…I visited the micro-terraces in the heart of Southport built from some of the smallest freehold residential lots in Australia. The balance between limited space, quality of lifestyle and design really stuck with me.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s event?
I recently discovered the Gold Coast Historical Museum and fell in love with the history of the site which features the graves of early pioneers and a relocated cottage which artist Vincent Sheldon built himself. It is run by volunteers and this piece of paradise is perfect for a browse and picnic. I also love Cloudview which is a rainforest cabin at Springbrook that has a roof design that opens up…to help with gutter maintenance and water collecting.
What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Favourite café/coffee spot: I am a big fan of having a cup of homegrown herbal tea at the Botanic Gardens at Benowa
Restaurant: I took my daughter to the Currumbin Wildlife sanctuary Koala breakfast for her birthday last year – not officially a restaurant but there were koalas and it was pretty special…As for actual restaurants….I can’t pick just one but I am a sucker for a good fresh seafood platter.
Bar or place for a drink: Anywhere with a good view and good service.
Beach:- Coolangatta
How do you choose to spend your weekends
I love nothing more than a sleep in, yoga and a big cooked breakfast…then some quality time with my family.
Stand up paddle boarding is next on my Saturday to-do list.
Kellie Leader is the artist and all-around creative behind The Confetti Collective. As her bio states she is a “maker of pretty things & spaces”. From one-of-a-kind fine art pieces to printables and wall decals The Confetti Collective is THE place to find feel-good art to create inviting, cosy spaces to love. We chatted to Kellie about her creative journey, juggling the parenting of small children with work and why she loves the GC.
What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
After growing up in a sleepy country town, I’ve never taken for granted having everything at your fingertips on the Coast. In one direction we’ve got some of the best beaches around, but you don’t have to go too far to be surrounded by stunning hinterland either – combined with our glorious Queensland weather and there’s always an adventure to be had!
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in Goondiwindi – a small town in rural Queensland (although in spite of its size, I have found over the years almost everyone has heard of it!) and made the move to the Gold Coast back in 2007 to go to Uni. These days I’m juggling life as an Artist and as a Mum to two wild and wonderful boys. Although I’ve been painting for as long as I can remember, after the birth of my second son I found myself really craving a creative outlet that was just for me. I began prioritising finding as much time as I could find to paint, and at a very tumultuous time in my life it became a kind of therapy. When people started getting in touch requesting to purchase the artworks I was sharing, it only spurred me on to keep creating!
For those who don’t know tell us about The Confetti Collective.
If you’re a creative person, it often feels like it manifests in almost every aspect of your life. The Confetti Collective is a kind of coming together, the point at which two of my creative interests – interior style and art – intersect to complement one another. I believe your home should be both a retreat, and an extension of you, so to me it felt like a natural evolution to combine the two.
I love inspiring people to create joyful and meaningful spaces, so when I launched The Confetti Collective I wanted to create an art and decor range in a variety of mediums and formats accessible for everyone and all kinds of spaces.
What is The Confetti Collective known for and what do you specialise in?
I often describe myself as a ‘maker of pretty things’ – with a signature style abundant in dreamy, pastel tones and art that feels joyful and uplifting.
I work mainly in acrylic for my original pieces, which are often floral inspired or abstract works, but I also love experimenting with hand lettered elements and photography too.
As a small business owner and mother, what are the biggest challenges you have faced?
Mainly just that I haven’t figured out how to completely substitute coffee for sleep yet, since there are never enough hours in the day! I do always feel as though I’m dropping a ball somewhere – if I’m kicking goals in my business, I’m usually feeling like a terrible Mum for not spending more time with my boys, or cooking nutritious enough food or because the house is in ruins. The business side of running an art business has definitely also been a huge learning curve, there’s so many facets that you have to become an expert in that actually creating the art sometimes feels like becomes a small part of how you spend your time.
What’s on the cards for the rest of 2023?
I’m just about to launch a new product, a range of children’s wall decals I’ve been working on behind the scenes for a few months now which is very exciting! I’d love to squeeze in as much studio time as possible, and a new project just for fun like ceramics would be amazing! Hopefully plenty of adventures with my munchkins around the usual life chaos as well, they are getting to such great ages to get out and about exploring. And did I mention studio time?! My happy place!
What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café/coffee spot: I’m a Zarrafa’s girl from way back.
Restaurant: Tonic on Chirn
Bar or place for a drink: Again, Tonic on Chirn. I recently visited Straddie Brewing. It’s an epic spot for oysters and a few drinks on the rooftop at sunset.
Beach: Not technically the beach but as a Southport girl I loved the Broadwater.
How do you choose to spend your days off?
I’m not sure I would know how to spend a day off! Probably something that involves sitting down – a (hot) coffee and a good book by the water (hopefully one that is less clichéd than my answer!)
Rachel Kelly is the Licensee and owner of the boutique Real Estate Agency, My Mermaid Home. An industry professional with extensive property management and sales experience she has been helping clients with their real estate needs for over 10 years on the Gold Coast. We chatted with Rachel about the unique way she broke into the real estate business and what she loves about the Gold Coast.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
13 years on/off. I first came in 2009 after falling in love with the city after schoolies. Life had some other plans and I went to then do a brief stint in the mines, a Euro gap year to find myself and then migrated back down to the Coast from Central Qld in 2012 and have been here since.
What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
As a child from a small town that didn’t have much going on I love the fact there is always something to go on the Gold Coast. Whether it’s the various free festivals across the city over the year or going to sit on Burleigh Hill with a beer and watch the ocean, or dinner at an amazing restaurant.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I had an interesting start to my real estate career, where back in my hometown of Hervey Bay after travelling Europe I came back to no job. My Dad told me to go down to the local pub and talk to Bull the local real estate Guru & agency owner. Into the Torquay hotel I went and pulled up a stool next to Bull and said “Bull, I want a job”, and he just turned around and looked at me and goes “You start tomorrow my girl”. Now nearly 11 years later I am running my own agency.
With that being said and what I learnt from Bull I take on every interaction with people showing no judgement and I will always give someone a go. I try to take on every day with a friendly and laid-back attitude which resonates with many Gold Coasters. I am straight forward when it comes to both my personal life and my professional life. To put it simply I am not afraid to have those tough conversations and ask for what I want (clearly I started my career walking into a pub and asking for the job I wanted), which is a trait I believe you need your real estate agent to have. You might see me cruise around in a linen set and some sandals and not suited up like many other agents, and it’s for that reason my clients love me, my expertise is second to none and I try and make clients feel comfortable in every environment.
For those who don’t know tell us about My Mermaid Home?
My Mermaid Home is a boutique Real Estate Agency based in Mermaid Waters on the Gold Coast. Offering both sales and property management.
How did My Mermaid Home come about?
My Mermaid Home actually was & still is a renovation blog turn Real Estate Agency. I purchased my first property and managed to turn it into my home, which is My Mermaid Home, and I took people on that journey with me via my renovation Instagram, sharing DIY tips and tricks, reno advice and styling tips & tricks. People may have seen my hacks and DIYs shared by Kmart, Big W, Bunnings and more.
2022 came and I thought it was time to expand and use my expertise & experience in Real Estate and my love all things property & home related to create My Mermaid Home Real Estate, to help people find a house they could call a home like I did.
What is My Mermaid Home known for and what do you specialise in?
We are a boutique Real Estate Agency offering all aspects of real estate but specialising in Property management. I wanted to start the business and come into the industry and break the stigma around property management. The stigma that you can only get bad service & that’s property managers don’t really care. I want to prove the value in having an expert agency looking after your biggest investment.
What do you love most about running My Mermaid Home?
I love the people I get to meet, and the clients that turn to friends. The relationships I’ve been able to build with clients, tenants, and trades has been phenomenal, there are so many legendary people out there willing to help and support you as long as it’s reciprocated and it’s so great to be apart of.
What should customers expect as the standard My Mermaid Home experience?
Other than exceptional service and the knowledge base of everything Real Estate that I have, they can always expect me to have their best interest and what’s best for their property front of mind. All my clients know I am only a phone call or text away even if it’s just for a friendly convo or a catch-up beer.
My Mermaid Home is soon to celebrate its 1st year. Tell us what you’ve achieved so far and of your future plans.
In Feb 2023 we will be 1. With the growth we have experienced over the first 12 months you will see some more staff come on board that have a passion for property as much as I do. Along with a bigger space that we will hopefully be able to host client events along with workshops and DIYs all property related. Watch this space.
What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café/Coffee spot: Espresso Moto, Mermaid Waters.
Restaurant: Mexicali
Bar or place for a drink: Nobby Surf Club
Beach: Nobbys
How do you choose to spend your days off?
I’m not sure there are such a thing as days off as a business owner haha, but you’ll no doubt find me doing something very active if I do get some spare time. Whether it be a sunrise run, F45 class with the Broadbeach legends, playing one of the many sports I do, or watching the GC Titans play at Cbus. And if you can’t find me at any of those places, you’ll find me down the beach with Bruce having a well-deserved beer.
