All articles filed in Home Grown

Written by Kerrie Alexander Gemma Lightbody had just turned 30 when she felt a lump in her breast that just didn’t feel right.The Hervey Bay resident and her husband Ben had already endured the loss of a child, major complications with their second pregnancy and their daughter Connie had been diagnosed with a rare heart…

Written by Kerrie Alexander When Mark Grimsley’s daughter handed him a Nikon camera for Christmas three years ago, little did she know that it would save her dad’s life. The 55-year-old Dundowran resident served in the Air force for 17 years as an Aircraft Life Support Fitter where he ensured parachutes, life rafts, helmets, oxygen…

Written by Kerrie Alexander There are moments in life that define who you are and reveal undoubtedly where you belong.For Hervey Bay’s Richard Ball, that moment came in November 2020 as a young RWBH neurosurgeon sat by his hospital bed with sad eyes. He delivered the confronting news that while the surgeons believed they had…

Written by Kerrie Alexander Sara Diana Faraj is like a whirlwind of positive vibes, determined to bring about change for the community and Fraser Coast youth. The 20-year-old is on the run, seven days a week, studying a Bachelor of Political Science online at UQ, she is a full time Electorate Officer for Adrian Tantari…

Written by Kerrie Alexander From being a chef in various Fraser Coast restaurants to becoming a famed YouTube content creator – William Jonas is living proof that big dreams can become reality. The former Aldridge High student graduated in 2011 with the idea of making a living as a chef but the ultimate goal of…

Written by Kerrie Alexander When other kids were out having fun with their mates, a then 12-year-old Luke Strochnetter would spend his weekends volunteering to create run sheets, and plan and seek sponsorship for community fundraisers. It’s a hobby that paid off for the now 20-year-old who runs two very successful marketing and event businesses…

Written by Kerrie Alexander A former Maryborough resident is making her mark in the world of modelling after being named Miss Australia 2020. Alexandra Ross, or Ali as she’s affectionately known to family and friends, has proved that dreams really can come true after being hand-selected by a pageant board to attend the three-day competition…

Written by Kerrie Alexander Tucked away safely as a treasured keepsake in her mother’s draw is Jess Palmer’s first stapled book, she created in Grade Two with a silly story line and lots of shapes and scribbles. Now, there’s another milestone piece of work to add to the collection. That small assignment helped ignite the…

Written by Kerrie Alexander In a humble Childers farmhouse set amongst the region’s rich red soil and cane farms, you will find one of Queensland most famous dessert manufacturers. There’s no big factory or hundreds of workers that produce the iconic Mammino Gourmet Ice Cream that can be found at about 30 different outlets throughout…